The Express.
London, England, 1850-12-05 00:00:00

THE CANTERBURY

ZEALAND.
Yesterday a meeting of the Canterbury Association
took place at the rooms of the pasty, No. 9, Adelphi-
tenses, for the purrs' of ezplaining the arrangements
which have been made for the simultaneous departure of the
main body of Canterbury colonists ia the mouth et June

nett.
Captain SIMEON presided, and observed in opening
the proceedings, that the precut object of the associatton wee
to piepare another fleet of .hips to sail for the settlement in
the early part ;of neat June. It must, by this time, be eve
dent to all, that great benefit would attend this undertaking;
and he should, therefore, enter very briefly into the explana-
tion he had been called upon to give them. He would re-
mind them that the present scheme of colonisation was very
different to any plan of emigration. Those who ware about
to sail under the auspice& of this mociation were going out os
a colony, not es a set of " squatters." They were in pant
of fact a part aid parcel of the people of England.
They might indeed be called a daguerreotype miniature of
England, complete in all its forms, in its religious, its edu-
cational, and its social parts, except in those vices which bad
crept in from the old country, and in that unfortunate
pressure from without, which, ire the establishment of the
colony, there was no means of avoiding. It was of the
highest importance, in order to carry out the scheme sues
aurally, that the colonists should know one another before
their departure, that they should make each other's ac
quaintax.ce in England, with a view to the promotion of
that good feeling which ought to exist amongst people who
were about to undertake • long voyage together. He was
glad to obeeme so many ladies present, becalm their
assistance was abeolutely necessary to give complete-
nem as well as "colour " to the objects of the society.
The main point for the coneideration of this meet-
ing was two fold ; first, the management of a
scheme for taking out • large cumber of persons—the colas
mincemeat of the "main body" of colonists to sail in the
first week in June ns at. Amongst these would be several
gentlemen who had been selected to fill the highest positions
is the colony and the wood position in the church. The
second point they had to eonsider related to an additional
privilege which the association proposed to confer upon the
purchasers of land in the colony. Those colonists whose
land bad been purchased for them by an agent in the country
might not, upon their arrival there, consider it a desirable
spot for • residence; and therefore the proposal of the
society was, that they should be enabled, ninth a certain
stipulated agreement, to exchange that land, or sell it, or
add to it by • repurchase in the colony. As regarded the
dissemination of religious principle, amongst the colo-
nies, he (the chairmen) referred to the intention of the
society to send cut a dean and other Christian ministers.
Dr. Rowley was about to undertake the duties of dean, and
his name and character were a sufficient guarantee for the
purity of his noitives In scoeptiog so respeesible on office.
Ile would sow call upon Dr. Rowley to read the correspon-
discs which had taken place between the intendieg cola-
Mos and the committee of management of the Canterbury
Associatioa relatirg to the departure of the main body of
Csaterbaricoloalets in the first week of Juoe, 1651.
This eeerespondence detailed the views of the colonists as
ouggessed en a mere micas form in the speech at the chair-
mar, and contained the simmer cf the association upon the
mints referred to them.
This Mewl( stated that the suggestion or a plan for
reeding out in the spring a number of ships at one time, con-
veying the main body of coloaists, so that they may arrive
together in the colony, is one that entic ymeets the approval
of the committee. With respect to that part of the letter
whisk proposes an alteration in the present mode of selection
ahead by purchasers, the committee were of opinion that,
with MOS modification', it may be prudently adopted. 1 hey
andeesteed this proposal to be in substance as follows
That any purchaser of lead in this country having es-
timated the selection of his land to the chief agent of the
association, but being on his arrival in the calory dissatisfied
with the selection mote may, notwithsteneing the resist
Mk to the contrary, purchase is the colony a corresponding
quaotity of land, being at the sum time at liberty to sell
his own selected allotment. It is proposed to limit
this privilege to purchasers sailing with or before
the mein body of calming in Jane next." To
this there appeared to the committee no reasonable
ground of objection subject to sertain conditions with regard
to the practical working of the &theme. The result of this
correspondence was that it had been finally resolved between
the council of colonists and the committee of the lIISOCiaIiOO,
that the measures of both parties shall be so framed as to pro-
mote and facilitate the pursed simultaneous deputise* el
a large body of colonists in the first week of Julie, 1851.
Dr. ROWLEY having read the whole of the corsetuirs•
Lions on both sides, proceeded to observe that a question ded
been raised as to whether 'Makurdi was made fir the caleay
or the colony for the church; and upon this be gemmed an
opinion that no such question ought to mist. He hoped, that
they would endeavour to cultivate good temper towards each
other, and that • proper feeling of kindness, affection, and
brotherly love would be imeendered amongst them.
Lord LYTTELTON Men addressed the meeting, and
stated that, as the nominal head of the Canterbury Assoria
tion, he most cordially approved of the present plan which
had bees suggested by the Melodist, eoioeists. lie, how.
ever, thought that the title they had assumed, M., that of
the " Main Body of Canterbury Colonies" was not strictly
correct, because they would sot be the first who had emi-
grated to the settlement, end it was impossible to say
whether those who had already gone or those who intended
to go, should constitute the main body. (Hear' hear.) He
treated, however, that the colonists who had alreedy de-
parted would be the first of • series of swarms from the
parent hies at home. In reference to the plan of the associa-
tion for the management of the ecclesiastical affairs is
Canterbury, he informed the meeting that the society would
venture to take upon themselves the responsibility of filling
up such offline la the church as it might seem practicable to
them to do at home, and they proposed to carry out this
plan, in concert with the Bishop of New Zealand
and their own blehop designate, who would give effect to the
measures adopted to this country. Upon the question re-
species Weal self 'overtones' in the colonies, lie observed that
he thought that desirable end was more nearly accomplished
then it \Mem yet been. It would certainly be the bedew
of
this moselatko—mere particularly his own—to press that
subject epos the 'Mattes el the Colonial Secretary sad the
wormiest seemly as possible He could safely say, be-
ever, that they had already improved hopes upon the subject,
and he believed that it they were to point out to Lied Grey
Ide wpm which had been made in their sotoey. he would
IN OM* to convince him that there was a soffieent foaa-
dation for him to plant representative institutions, with •
view to place the colony en the footing of a distinct pee-
Time. (Hoer, hear.)
Toe Rev. C. WYNTER read a copy of a despatch which'
hod been forwarded to Bishop Selwyn (New Zealand), in
order to put him in possession of the etolesiesiical arrange
mann contemplated oy the society.
Mr. ADDERLBY produced • letter from Bishop Selwyn,
stating that be was preparing plans of church government in
the colony, by which he hoped to be released from the posi-
tion of en um:institutional march despot, which was as con-
trary to his inclination as to hie principles. Me. Adderley
ooscladed by some eulogistic observations upon the character
and conduct of Mr. Godley, the principal agent of the As-
&mignon, who, he said, had emigrated to the colony with a
determination to do all in his power for the benefit of his
fellow creatures at home.
Dr. ROWLEY then proposed a reallution to the effect
that the arrangements mule fee the departure of the colo-
nifes in Jump mat we entire satisfaction to this meeting,
and appeared well calculated to promote the comfort and
happiness of those who were to form that body.
TM, resoluiion was seconded and carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN thee read • letter from a resident in
the colony, stating that • mats had been opened for the
conveyance Water& between Canterbury and Mime, and
that the general media= of the country had more than
realised his expectations.
A vote of thanks seethes passed to the Chairman, sad
the meeting separated.

Tns WESTMINSTER FREEHOLD LAW SOCIETY
held a public meetleg at the Millman Tavern, Richmond,
last Wedseeder evemag, for the purpose of main( straw-
netts ler the traorsaloim of sebserlpttooe from members in
that locality, Mr. Grinnell in the chair. Mr. SAW* was
unanimontly elected agent fee the dietriet. Mr. G. B.
Dowses having explained the °Meets of the moiety, • number
of thane were taken, ant a Tote otlitooka to the obalrimst
MOM tko procesAlogs.