Part 2

[8] The cost of free labour in a new colony, or wherever all the land of fair quality is not occupied, has always been--from the ambition to be his own master, inherent in man,--must necessarily be, greater than the producing value of the labour. Where fair land is unoccupied, none but he, who, from some natural defect or incapacity, is incapable of working to himself so well as to produce a maintenance, will ever work as an agricultural servant to another, excepting at a hire beyond the value of his labour; consequently, the work performed for hire will be done in a very inferior and unprofitable manner. This must cause the hired workman to be not upon the best terms with his employer, and he will be felt to be a _plague_ rather than a _help_. Mr Wakefield’s “sufficient price” plan, “a high price upon fresh land,” at least “such a price as render slave labour a loss, plenty of free hired labour being made attainable,” is one of the most crude and impracticable schemes in reference to a British race population, that the brain even of modern political economists has hatched. Nevertheless, he has procured a whole host of followers, including the South Australian and New Zealand Committees. How would people be prevented from settling beyond the precincts of his high-price-limited territory? Would he keep an army scouring the country beyond this line with fire and sword? Nothing short of this would suffice; and we should have enough of bush-fighting. We would remit from the heated fancies of ignorant closet colonists to the experienced judgment of men who have seen colonization going on, and more especially who have borne a part in it, to determine of the utter unfitness of the “sufficient price.” Has the attempt at the sufficient price worked well in South Australia? Has not a great proportion of the small capitalists lost their capital and been forced to become servants (in some cases obliged to the servants they had carried out for procuring a master), while only the larger capitalists have been able to hold out? Has not the high price of land, L.1 per acre, instead of condensing been the means of dispersion,--throwing the stock owners with their flocks out to wander over the undivided territory for which they pay no price, which in fact is worth no price--perhaps no great loss in that arid country where change of place is necessary in the season of drought to obtain herbage and water--a country only fit for this Tartar or Arab system of husbandry? Has the miserable Adelaide and the steril sands around it, a place scarcely capable of affording support, even under the best culture for which it is fitted, for a few hundreds, become any thing but the grave of the hopes of the many thousands who have been thrown upon this desert coast by means of the money extracted from capitalist emigrants by this “sufficient price,” or by money borrowed at 10 per cent. per annum upon the faith of the “sufficient price?” Adelaide will never reach higher than a miserable village, unless like Sydney it get an extraneous Government expenditure of several hundred thousand pounds per annum (Sydney without this would have remained a miserable village). As soon as the money spent by emigrants (not unfrequently all they possess) waiting upon the lagging surveys, or upon some plausible means of employing their little capital to advantage, shall have ceased to flow, Adelaide will appear in its natural poverty.

Is the sufficient price calculated for New Zealand? Why import so many servants when it is so politic to employ native labour, and to leave the labour market open for this supply? The natives say they have a double motive for selling land to the British--the price they receive for it, and the employment they procure in cultivating it. Why take means to prevent dispersion when prudence will direct a pretty close arrangement? Why take means to procure a consolidated population as a market for agricultural produce, when a market so very favourable already exists in the agricultural produce-demand of Australia and of the South Sea Whalers, together with the British and Indian demand for flax and spars? For what then is a “sufficient price” desirable? Only for the private emolument of managing secretaries and other officials, to whom the “sufficient price” will pay a pretty good tax _in transitu_, and to be a plausible pretext for the Land Company resident in London to obtain the warrantry of the Legislature for monopolizing whole provinces of New Zealand, and for selling the land at a high price to the buyer;--no doubt thinking the buyer will be a more industrious colonist after his pockets have been emptied into this land-jobbing Company’s coffers. From some hints which have been thrown out in Parliament lately, it would seem to be in contemplation to have something like “a sufficient price” in the British colonies in the West Indies (perhaps practicable there by a sufficient demonstration of bayonets), that is, a plan of preventing the working black population from procuring portions of land, by the industrious cultivation of which they could maintain themselves in ease and comfort. By this plan it is intended “to make slave-labour a loss, plenty of hired labour being attainable,” the black population being thus compelled to labour to the planters at whatever hire the planters choose to give, or to starve. Perhaps there is some understood stipulation, that the planters will restore the twenty millions to the British Legislature on the passing of this “sufficient price” act, as well they might? Welcome back slavery to the West Indies--welcome West Indian slavery to the working man in Australia and New Zealand, rather than the “sufficient price.” But it is an absurdity, and, if persisted in, will ruin these colonies. For a complete exposure of the indirect systems of slavery, see “Emigration Fields,” pages 53 and 187.

FUNDAMENTAL RULES RESPECTING SHARES.

_1st_, That every shareholder take out one person, if the person is above 7 years of age, for each share; and in the case of children under 7 years, two persons for each share (the shareholder counting one should he or she go out). In case of an odd child under 7, to be allowed to take in lieu a half share, and possession of the property purchased by the share funds, to be obtained only after the person or persons covering the share shall have arrived at the place, excepting in the case of death on the passage, which will be held the same as the arrival: That no sailor, unless he is a shareholder, or carry out a wife or family, be allowed to cover a share.

_2d_, That should any shareholder fail to embark a person or persons to cover his or her lot or lots in New Zealand, within three years from the time of the sailing of the first expedition, or such person or persons fail to arrive in regular time, death on the passage alone excepted, such lot or lots shall be sold by the Company, and the subscribed money returned to the subscriber, should the proceeds amount to as much. In case the proceeds should be below the subscribed money, the proceeds only to be remitted.

_3d_, That for each share, the amount of subscribed capital be L.28 for investment in New Zealand, and a specific sum for passage, and New Zealand provision supply of meal, flour, and rice for one year. That for an adult this sum be L.16 for passage, and L.6 for provision in New Zealand,--in all L.50 per share; but in the case of the shareholder taking out children to cover shares, under 14 years of age, when embarked, that the passage and New Zealand provision-money be as follows:--Below 1 year, when embarked, L.1, 10s.; below 2 years, L.2, 5s.; below 3 years, L.3, 10s., and L.1, 10s. for every year more till the age of 14. The provision-supply in New Zealand, being for children under 3 years of age, when embarked, one-fourth of that of an adult; between 3 and 6 years, one-half; between 6 and 9, three-fourths; and above 9 the same as an adult. A family consisting of more than cover its shares, to pay L.22 for an adult, and for children in proportion.

_4th_, That each subscriber pay up L.10 upon each share, by approved bill due on ... and the remainder when the Committee shall appoint, by approved bill, including interest, or by cash; notice of 20 days being given should one-fourth be required, and 30 days should a greater portion. That in case any of those the shareholder carries out be not adults, he shall state their age, giving proof of the same, when, according to the above scale in No. 3, a deduction will be made on the sums to be paid, in proportion as the whole sum he has to pay falls short of L.50 per share. Any one failing to pay according to these regulations, to forfeit 5 per cent. of the money he has given bill for or advanced, should the delay of payment be less than one week, and to forfeit 10 per cent. of his money for every week of delay, ten weeks’ delay forfeiting the whole money he has given bill for or advanced; excepting in the case of the shareholder dying, when his or her payment will be returned to the heir or heirs, should he, she, or they not wish to continue shareholders. Shares to be transferable.

_5th_, That in Britain, and previous to the expiry of the fourth year in New Zealand, each shareholder above 18 have a vote for each share until the number of shares exceed 10, but, however many shares more, not to have more than 10 votes. That the same rule be observed in all property affairs of the Company, in New Zealand; but in all political affairs in New Zealand, that every British settler in the Scots territory, above 21 years of age, have a vote after the fourth year from the arrival of the first expedition.

_6th_, That the first expedition, independently of its own funds, take out L.28 of each share, and L.14 of each half share, of the subscribers who are to follow, to be laid out as a New Zealand investment, the remaining L.22, or smaller sum, being left to carry out these following shareholders, and to provision them for a year in New Zealand. The passage provision to be plain and wholesome, any thing beyond this to be charged extra. The funds taken out to be in blankets, iron, tools, implements, utensils, dollars, and other articles suited for traffic with the natives.

FURTHER REGULATIONS RESPECTING THE MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY’S AFFAIRS.

_1st_, As soon as what is considered a sufficient number of shareholders shall have subscribed, that a general meeting be held of the shareholders, or their accredited agents, to choose a Governing Committee or Directory,[9] in which will be vested full powers to carry on the enterprize in the most effectual manner. This Directory will purchase or hire a vessel or vessels, to sail for N. Zealand as early as possible, and as soon as a sufficient number, say one hundred shareholders, are prepared to go out: The Directory having discretionary power to choose and limit those going out, in case the number coming forward at the time of sailing exceed what the vessel or vessels can conveniently carry, so that those on the first expedition may be as masculine and efficient as possible, but in no case to separate the members of a family without their own consent.

_2d_, That previous to the sailing of the first expedition, in which the Directory and Company’s officers will go out, a Home Director, Deputy, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be appointed, forming a Home Committee, along with a Head of Department and Deputy Head for each district. This Home Committee to act under the directions of the Foreign Committee or Directory, in managing the concerns, and sailing of the expeditions which follow;--the Foreign Directory having the sole management abroad in laying out the capital of the Company, and in directing matters generally.[10]

_3d_, That, previous to the sailing of the first expedition, the amount of the shares be ascertained, and the first subscription closed. A second subscription to be immediately commenced, for further investment in New Zealand, under the management of the Directory in New Zealand, who will purchase territory with the second and further subscription funds, as soon as the funds are sent out.

_4th_, That, as soon as the site of the principal town, or first settling station, shall have been chosen, that one-half or one-fourth acre of town-land, and from five to ten acres of suburban-land, for gardens, be divided to each share, for a commencing nucleus, and that the country lands be afterwards divided when required,--if possible, 100 acres of good land to be apportioned to each share. The whole to be drawn for by lot. A shareholder having several shares, to receive the whole wherever his first lot may happen to fall. And, as matter of conveniency in occupying and enclosing, and also as some recompense for their pioneering labours, the first expedition shall have the first choice of the town and suburban land, but not of the country land. Any residue of territory to be disposed as a general meeting of the shareholders shall determine.

_5th_, As soon as the first expedition shall have located itself, and made purchases to a certain extent, that the speediest intimation of this be sent home, and all of the shareholders at home, that are in readiness, to go out with the least possible delay, in a second expedition, if the Home Committee has not in the mean time thought it expedient to send out the second expedition sooner: To be in readiness for which latter arrangement, the first expedition will have notice waiting at the Bay of Islands, where some of the intending shareholders have already extensive possessions, of the place of its rendezvous, by which the second expedition may be enabled to reach it.

_6th_, That after the expedition shall have located itself, a certain per-centage on the share, or land-tax, shall be levied, or a portion of the undisposed land be sold, to procure medical treatment to the natives, and, if necessary, to keep up a small hospital, where the natives may obtain food and lodging during their medical treatment. The natives to be treated with untiring kindness, and in every way encouraged to obtain property by provident industry.

_7th_, That the actual necessary personal expenses of the officers of the Company be paid to them; the vouchers for which must be given in to the Secretary at each general meeting, for the time previous, in order that the meeting may examine and sanction the same. That the reward or payment for the public labours of the officers be determined by the shareholders assembled at the general meetings, it being understood that all public officers, where any _considerable_ amount of labour is required, have a fair and sufficient remuneration for the time of service, but no retiring salary. That these rewards of officers for labour performed be given in land in New Zealand, or in money, at the option of the shareholders.

_8th_, That each shareholder and emigrant of the Scots New Zealand Land Company, before embarking, give his solemn pledge that he will obey the Committee of Government in all things not opposed to the common rules of morality, and in all duty which free citizens owe to the government of their choice, until such time as the British Government shall have assumed an energetic governing control over that part of N. Zealand. That in case any shareholder will not submit to the directions of the Committee, at any time previous to the individual possession of the land, that he or she shall be obliged to sell out of the Company, within a time to be fixed by the Directory; and if subsequent to the possession of the land, that the Scots New Zealand community break off all intercourse and social connection with this refractory emigrant.

_9th_, That all above fourteen years of age carried out by this Company pledge that they will not, directly or indirectly, purchase from the natives any lands till the Company shall have made an end of its purchases in investing the Company’s first funds, or at least till one year after the arrival of the first expedition, should the funds not be sooner expended. Any one breaking this pledge, to be held infamous, and beyond the pale of society.

_10th_, That every male above fourteen years of age be regularly armed, at his own, the Company’s, or the British Government’s expense, with such arms as the Governing Committee may think most fitting; submit to such military training as this Committee may think necessary, and be at all times ready to act in defence for the public safety. That all who go out pledge to this.

_11th_, As a chief element in the prosperity of a country is secure and unfettered possession of land, and easy transmission, that the tenure or condition under which the land shall be held, and mode of conveying it, in order to be of the simplest and clearest description, be allodial (without any superior), and _The Book of First Allotment_ made out by the Register Keeper and the Surveyor be of itself sufficient evidence of the title. The lots to be described in this Book as definitely as possible; and the lines of demarcation or marches to consist of natural divisions, such as water-courses, inclination run or shedding of water, line of rocks, &c.; and, when these are not convenient, that marks prominent to view be stamped upon trees or earth-fast stones, or pits be dug, by the Surveyor. That this Book of First Allotment or Register Book (kept in a fire-proof apartment) have a page opened for each division of land, describing its name, boundaries, size, owner, in the fewest words possible. In the case of transfer, or borrowing money upon it, the same to be recorded, in the fewest words possible, on the Register page, and signed by principals and two witnesses: The lender, on receiving the money back, merely signing his name as receiver, attested by the Register Keeper and witnesses, and no bargain respecting land to be binding till registered in this Book. That possession, living witnesses, and the Register Book, be the only necessary title: But, in order to provide against the possible destruction or loss of the register book, the holder, upon requesting it, and paying the necessary cost, to receive from the Register Keeper a copy of the register page, describing his own lands down to a specified date, written upon a paper stamped by a peculiar die, used for this exclusive purpose, and signed by the Register Keeper, attested by witnesses.

In connection with the Register Office, a Bank might be formed, based upon the land-property of the shareholders, each of these landholders being allowed to draw out notes to the value of two-thirds of his land-shares, or more should the land rise in value, forming a currency of heritable bonds. The notes to be payable in gold or dollars, upon giving six months’ notice, the same as with heritable bonds here.[11] This would prevent any mischievous run upon gold, and at the same time keep up the paper to its proper value, affording a sufficient paper currency, and facility of borrowing on land-property, so important to the prosperity of the country, and so necessary to keep up the mental acumen and wisdom of the holders.--The regulations for this system of currency, and for many other things, cannot well be detailed in a Prospectus.

* * * * *

In the mean time, this meeting recommend to intending subscribers in every district or town which any number of intending subscribers reside, to form Branch Societies, and appoint a Head of Department or Committeeman, who can communicate with the central head, or attend general meetings, as the representative of his brethren. Persons wishing further information, or who wish to subscribe for shares, to apply by letter, post paid, to the Chairman. The applications for shares to be in the following form. The letters requesting shares not to be binding upon the subscribers, unless 200 shares shall have been subscribed for by Martinmas, 22d November 1839.

To PATRICK MATTHEW, Esq. Gourdiehill by Errol, Scotland.

(_Insert here the date and your residence._)

I hereby engage to take (_Insert here the number of shares_) of the Scots New Zealand Land Company, conform to the terms specified in the Prospectus issued by a meeting of intending shareholders, held at Perth on 24th August 1839, and signed Patrick Matthew, Chairman.

I am, Sir, yours, &c.

FOOTNOTES:

[9] The following scheme of a Directory or Government is submitted to the Shareholders for consideration:--

In order that the Executive may be conducted as a whole with promptness and decision, and that the various individuals composing it may act in unison, and be brought more readily under the control of the shareholders, who stand on the same relation to the Executive as a parliament does to the ministry, it is resolved that one individual, elected by the shareholders, act as the head, choosing his assistants, for whose official conduct he is responsible.

EXECUTIVE.

1 Governor, appointed, and removable at any time by the Shareholders. 1 Deputy-Governor, } 1 or more Secretaries, } Appointed and removable at any 1 Treasurer, } time by the Governor. 1 Surveyor, with Assistants, } From 4 to 10 Councillors, }

The powers and business of the Governor to be accurately defined by the preliminary general meeting of the shareholders by which he is elected. All moneys put under the control of the Governor to be voted at quarterly general meetings of the shareholders. In case the shareholders become too numerous for a deliberative body, each ten or more to elect a representative.

BOARDS OF OBSERVATION.

Board of Politics, } Board of Health, Physical and Moral, } Each Board to consist of four Board of Works, } persons appointed by the Board of Trade, } Shareholders. Board of Native Protectors, }

The above Boards to supervise the concerns of the Company; and, should they observe any thing wrong, or tending to wrong, to report of the same to the Governor, and at the same time to retain a copy of this report, to be laid before the next general meeting.

OFFICERS.

1 Treasurer or General Receiver of subscribed } capital, also to act as Land-Register Keeper, } 3 Guardians of Widows and Orphans, } Appointed by the 1 Conciliator, } Shareholders. 2 Judge-Arbiters, } 1 or more Medical Practitioners, }

In case of quarrel or property dispute, the parties to appear personally before the Conciliator, and, if he fail in settling the affair amicably, that he remit to the Judge-Arbiters. Should one of the parties agree to settle the dispute amicably by the Conciliator’s advice, and the other party do not, that the latter, should judgment go against him, pay the whole cost of the arbitration, including pay of witnesses on both sides. In case the Judge-Arbiters be not unanimous, to remit to the first meeting of the shareholders.

The Governor, the Boards of Observation and Officers, to be annually elected, and changeable at any time, wholly or in part, by a general meeting convened for the specific purpose. All the Executive chosen by the Governor to vacate with the Governor, and to have no retiring salary. That one-third of the shareholders, or the Governor, have power at any time to order the Secretary to convene a general meeting for any specified purpose, which the Secretary must do immediately, by circular letter (giving one week’s previous notice) to each shareholder; but in all cases that the business of the meeting be limited to the object stated in the requisition.