THE ALBERTLAND GAZETTE. SEPT. 1, 1863.

•' Poor Mr. Browne is dead ! the excessive fatigue of three years' exertions in organi zing the Nonconformist Special Settlement of Alhertland had told upon a naturally feeble constitution. There is no doubt that his death was hastened by the vexa tious persecutions of a section of the Non conformists settled on the Kaipara, the object or. these persecutions was to under mine Mr. Browne's influence, and to unite the temporal and spiritual power in the person of one individual as amongst the Mormons." The above paragraph from the Auckland Correspondence of the " Otago Daily Te legraph," we should prefer, on all persona] grounds, allowing to pass without any notice- But on grounds of more public interest we feel bound to point to it, as an exposure of the reckless ignorance with which we are occasionally assailed. For if it is a matter'of any interest that emi grants from England should be attracted to the shores of" New Zealand, it must be a matter 01 equal importance that they should receive something like just treat ment. ' What kind of acquaintance the writer has, with the history of our Movement, is sufficiently evident from his confounding Mr.-Browne with Mr. Brame. Who Mr. Browne may be we know not, nor were we acquainted with the fact of his death, in the. causes of.which the Oruawharo settlers are. certainly not implicated. . If this concealed critic pretends to write as a friend of Mr. Brame."..supposing it to be this gentleman that he refers to,..we ■would warn him to be careful how he pro vokes into publicity many details that are as yet kept private, from a much greater regard than he is likely to have for this name, cherished even amongst the Kaipara Albertlanders. From an entire acquain tance with all th.c facts of the case we can tell this lame defender of" Mr. Browne," that the "' section of the Nonconformists, settled at Kaipara," is the whole body of Albertland settlers, with perhaps here and tVere a solitary exception ; and their "per secutions" is their -solemn dissent from the znany deeds of dishonor that have thrown a sbade over the Movement, that might .otherwise have proved a glorious success.

* His -comparison with the Mormons would be nierely silly if there were not malice in it The choice of the Mormons as an il lustration of the union of the temporal and spiritual power, could only be dictated ' either,by a gross ignorance of the ecclesi astical history that would have supplied many more appropriate, or else by a ma lice that could see a peculiar insult in .the. comparison.

THE ALBERTLAND ASSOCIATION.

Under the above title a Society has been for med in Auckland to co-operate with the set tlers on the three blocks called Albertland. We have not yet 'heard of'any..definite course of action which it is purposed to pursue, without which however we very ; much fear its permanence or value. In a more advan ced condition, a society for mutual converse would be welcome, but while the Settlement in its infancy is struggling for its very exis tence, it is active; practical co-operation that is needed. . Men up here have very little time for con verse, much as they value it, while every energy-is bent on paving their way amidst the ''rudeness.of uncultivated nature.. This co-op eration, whatever peculiar form it may take, must necessarily consist in the working out of one principle, viz : the developernent of there sources of the Auckland-Albertlander on tie land in either of the several blocks. The pro gress of the settlement is the interest of all who hold sections of land; and this progress consists in the cultivation of the soil, and everything on which that cultivation depends or which tends to promote it. Two or three definite methods of co-opera -ting-to ensure this result, suggest themselves to ns. The most obvious and simple is that of the employment by the Aucklanderofsome of the settlers who find it difficult to maintain themselves, in the preparatory cultivation of his land. .This, if he ever means to come ■, upon his laud, will be a safe and good invest ment of his spare morey, while it will save ; him the hardships that many of us have en dured. It will be a double advantage to the settlement, in bringing a larger portion of it; under cultivation, and in helping to maintain ' one or more on the block, who again can be , partially cultivating their own sections. One instance of this we have on the Oruawharo. Two of our settlers at present in Auckland who have their land together, have in this manner cleared more than ten acres, and are now.briuging.it under cultivation. .They are by this conferring as great a pood as .they would by their own presence. If others who 'have land here and are earning good wages in Auckland, would follow their ex ample, they would relieve us of many of our difficulties, and would7be;fulfi'lling the mutual terms on which we left England. The Soci ; ety in Port Albert might hold itself responsible for the proper execution of the work, and the most economical outlay of the money. Another easy method would be by the pur chase of Suburban lots of land, then fencing arid their cultivation, in whole or part, as above ; it being one condition on which these lands are sold, that they shall be partially cultivated one year from ifche. time of purchase. .One other method suggests,itself. ' Let,the member of the.society in Auckland, advance ; sums of money to the society in Port Albert; -to be laid out in forming roads toMs section * of land, such smns; of money to be returned to;

him from tho public road funds.so soon as ho : shall come on to his land. The many advan-1 trrjj taq-es that would result from'this lastmothod will be sufficiently obvious -to those who aro' •at all acquainted with bush life and its pecu liar drawbacks. Now if our friends ;n Auckland aro willing to engage hx any practical co-operation of 4 this nature, we can guarantee tho hearty re sponse that will be made to them from the Or'uawharo, and perhaps not less from, tho other two blocks, and thereby the Albertlarid Association will create a brotherly bond that will endure while Albertland has existence.

OUR ALBERTLAND FARMERS.

jVo. 1. — Mr. JPettet late of Cambridge. - M We have been much amused by iinding away , '/ from our settlement, the strangest ideas ex tant as to what we are doing-here. Some in, Auckland seem, to think we are sitting on_ our haunchds, native-fashion, eating up our4ittlo, substance.1 Only last week, some of the Pa paroa people gravely asserted that we wero ■ all living on the township together! a most ~. erroneous idea truly, since the town, in tho proposed division into districts,, has the least. : . number of adults who can vote!. Partly for ■ this reason, and partly to show for experience sake, what has been: done, we recently pro- < posed writing a series of articles, and while j i visiting, an: old friend, named the matter to • him, and gained his assent. ¥c, would just premise that we shall only publish such par ■ ticulars with-the full consent of -the parties, interested. . " • Mr. Pettet and his daughter, with his son- j in-law, Mr. Ciitforth, whose land is contigu ous, reside at Ctimbridgeyill,e, o& allotment ! ' iGI, in a direct line across':tSeblock, SE from Port Albert about three and,a half miles, and' fi the'roadis.by Beecroft's boundary., Mr. P. has 96 acres, including about; 20 acres of bush* of medium density, containing but little kau ri; the remainder of the land is tea-tree, fern to'Bft. high, andiopaki. The nature of,the . soil is generally light and good, and theisur face soil will average 10 in. under which is a very thick "stratum of clay.. The dip ofthe land is to. the N. having a gentle declination, ■ with a beautiful prospect for many miles of the most varied scenery.. Water being scarce ... • in the dry season, a well was sunk: for 14 ft but without success, and certain.damming operations are intended in a dell jtyelow the house, where meanders a small brook issuing out ofthe wood. The site of the houseis un der the^ wood-side looking N., '. and; is" well „: ; sheltered; the birds frequenting the locality ■ are the owl, morepork, fantail, and a kind not '»; unlike the english. lark. The buildings,com- i prise a temporary but good nikau honse of 3- % rooms, thatched with native.grass, t^ostock; | vards,a thatched: milking shed, calves'house, "' piggery, &c. About 8 acres are fenced in with a 3-rail'fence, enclosing, a pond for ani . mals' use; a portion,, of this land, *' scrub, has been stumped, burnt, chipped, le- . veiled, and then well harrowed three times,, this is now covered with beautiful grass and clover, and'about 100 fruit trees are planted. , Another portion, formerly tea-tree.is also put 'in grass. During our stay we.saw.him.enga^,: ged in ploughing by the aid of .his; 4 bullqck^^ r . a plot opposite the house, which is, intended: for wheat, potatoes, &c, and we assisted lv putting in an experimental lot of vegetable "and .other seeds. ' "About an acre hasbeea. cleared,'well tilled and planted by the bush ; as a fruit and kitchen 'garden, containing a c[uantity of seed and small fruit trees. In jilt

THE ALBERTLAND GAZETTE.

2



■ PUBLIC ..NOTICE. . /' ALL for land; "Town, " or " Suburban," |n Port Albert,,must1 in future be made in writing, through the Secretary. , . ; Pesons wishing to take up, " Suburban Allotments," are requested to give notice to the Secretary on or before next Market day, Sept. 2, when the first ballot will take place. By order of the Trustees, SAML. JOHNSON, Secretary- PortAlbert,Aifg.22,lß63.