The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday, July 14, 1904.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 426, 14 July 1904, Page 4

The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday, July 14, 1904.

To those who take an interest in land settlement in New Zealand the present agitation for the freehold will bring back memories of byegone days, with their bitter fights between land grabbers and settlers; and the recrudesence of the old disease is not at all a matter for surprise. "Without, at this stage, committing ourselves to a support of the land-nationalisation policy, we propose briefly to point out the real object of the present agitation on the part of the Conservative party in this colehy. The movement is undoubtedly an attempt to undo the good work accomplised by the late Sir John M'Kenzie, to whose memory a grateful country has erected, on the hill behind his little farm, an imperishable monument that stands as a beacon to warn us against the folly of permitting the land-grabbers lawyers of . this colony, to and fat at the Sir Jaekled the land question had perhaps the hardest battle to %ht ■that was ever faced by a New of the Grown. He it was who upset Mr Scobie Mackenzie's p|lisjfbf ladling out the land like tea or take it " prinopie|#iat permitted so many men lands of the colony, to the detrimei^B^^P^P'if settlement John M'KeDziP^^pp^ff:Jiwo experiences of the optional system, and he found that under* it a man of means could get '* dummies" to take up sections with a right of purchase, and that the latter would subsequently buy the land and transfer it to the capitalist. We have heard of one instance in which a Government official who " dummied " about a" dozen suburban sections of from 20 to 25 acres each, and held his dummies under mortgage until they purchased, when he got the lot transferred over to himself. He thus succeeded in driving away the people who wanted homes in the district, and now he sits, like Bobinson Crusoe, "monarch of all he surveys." This beautiful business is not possible now, because under John M'Kenzie's Act such a man must take a back seat. It is indeed wonderful how the Conservative party manage to shift their principles to suit themselves ; as witness their attitude on | this question. They actually propose I to give a man who has taken up a 999jetib' le> p, t\~ (• -y) 12s Gi or 153 cnpifcal value, tie light to purchase at; that P'ice, although the land may have in the meantime risen in unimproved value to perhaps double or treble that amount. What a bountiful harvest would be raped by the capitalist were such a sinister system given effect to by law; ftr he could buy land at 15s per acre, and sell out at perhaps £2 per acre, and speedily assume all the airs of a blo»ted aristocrat, With such a system in vogue, we would be treated to the spectacle of Jones buying up Smith and Robinson ; Thomson buying up Jones and a few others ; until presently Moses comes along and scoops up Thomson ; so that instead of the land being occupied by a prosperous lot of small settlers it will revert, back into large areas. It is high time that another John M'Kenzie > came to light in New Zealand—the country is crying aloud for him, and it needs him badly. Our House is mostly: a conglomeration of town theorists and lawyers—all of whom are thoroughly UNacquainte? with the needs of the people regarding j land, while the latter party are especi-s ally interested in bringing about the j Freehold, with its attendant deeds, transfers, litigation and mortgage fees. If they had any real desire to help the people they would attack the indefeasible long leases granted to some of the runholders in Central Qtago, and assist to unlook the fine grazing areas at present in the hands of capitalists. Central Otago, particularly, is badly in need of a live Parliamentary repre* sentative who has a proper grasp of the land question, and one whose ideas on this subject arp attuned to principles that make for the welfare of the great bulk of the people. The attitude of the member for Mt Ida (Mr Herdman), for example, suggests the idea that he is possessed of talents and ideas that

peculiarly unfit him to voiee the*st on the kLd question-or, for that matter, on any qaea tion. Mt Ida\ champion invariably content. L^, riouse to the accompaniment of de. nsive laughter-while his cTßtiTuent; keep growing older and ladder wiSS, for him to burst up tU™2. J? Conservative supp^. >?s*j" the freehold i« a dodge of caiSE and money-lender and we w tt say that,,,,,, and? a everyone of them-waot t Farmers Union of New j, |X becoming a landlords' league t£ signs a re tco appareQfc JffJ, The J* this connection, i 8 tfc* *«*&*« significant the fact that primtr" amongst Otago's delegate TTh Umon, 18 a SoutherQ «JJ of^^ his Conservat sm f whilst L™Si !? zrr™" Mr *^X£„" than whom no better v„„_ ,2 to watch the movement. We Xl* own warning, and would iL ji"? the Liberal motto,

29th. pn,r ' on *nday,Jttiy^J Otago Centra" <* *• £2O and coste. within the laTt few mofthr° ad °° aTfaM " > sun." Heow; B aSutMS?. ,Ulder . ood ' ( » ought to know! M,OW * cw » °* '*.•*« additions to <L towTSr **• t * d ** te » open a forwardicg andTen«S\sX **" tneOphir ™Hwa/4«ML% # Z, a, Trk survival of the fittest a Taouats in the amen corner 1 A»» «» evil gemusJbas invented* Siiale eoSSSf tion box. When you put g a £ nß !°*?2& arrived in London safely, VUOBW r. »»Te Thb Alexandra Golf m«h h«M - . . foursome mateh was a good winners,were Mrs,Tom_Bn anTltfV J * O'Kane (sort, Mr andMw F VmSf 7 f and MrsWkieand Mf?/Ji a f { Mr J. (7 pts) Uein R for We are pleased to learn tfcat th. «i... Amateur Dramatic dub . fa£jVKS Alexandra in the early mrt dSt*l£sF when they will Sft Not such a fool as be iooks.^ ceeds of the entertainment wM) be jLSEd oyer to the Alexandra Fire Brigade. Mr J Nomub, manager of the " lWeka Times." announces himself as a oaad&*£ for a seat on the Bdncatio? BoSJ. to Nome has, had considerable experSce J matters pertaining. to school SSFJ& should make a worthy represeaSftw We commend hj« candidature to the So«ab2 consideration of country school oommSSJ The secretary of the Central Ot«ro *w ting Club (Mr L Ryan) lisfrom Mr G Reid, the Club'sdjES'rtth! Wellington Conference, atatfce tlL* JK Center Otago Club woW* g*f 2? & totalizator permit available for Otaao ?£• wire tt . s o stated "that CcmfeiSnee wu applying forext a permite, and if saooessfal the Club would get the third, miVQOmm Youth, yoa sally to the strife To witto Fate and earn your Mtiac. Take this adviee to goard your life,«~ Be brave, not rash, and all forgiving. Treat well your foe as the' a frfend. In deed be strong, in thought be pare • And foremost, your Good Health defend' By using Woods' Great Peppermint Oare Thkbk are big nominations for the three vacant seats oh the Education Beard Besides the three retiring members (Viesars J Sim, Peattie, and Marshall), the Re? p B Fraser, and Mesari J Norrie (Jawrense) «q<| A M'Kerrow (Hamwden) are staadiofr, Lobd Plw bt», being a nerabes of the Masonic. Order, was,. the recipient ef feater* nal greetings from.. Grand todm of Hew Zealand, at the hands of the Right Boa S J Seddon, P.G.M, Mr H Williatoi; and Mr Geo Wilson* District Grand Bnner* I intendant, Wellingtoni His Bxeel:ene/n. ceived these distinguished brethren oordi. mlly, and expressed a desire that they shoakl bear his hearty good wishes to all craftaara in his jurisdiction, \ -* r?™ Thk first' show under the auspices of tea recently-formed Central Otago Pesltra Club, to be held in the Alexandfttewa hail oa Saturday, July 33rd, gives emTOteouea of being successful to a dogree exoecdisn the antjcipatiqns of the moat sanguined the promoters. Already liboot 1W mMh have bean received, many coming tnm distant parts of Otagd, and before the day fixed for the closing of entries, it may be expected that the number of exhibits will assume very large dimensions. Inteadlac competitors should note that entries for Dlassesl, and 2 (poultry and cage birds! close on Saturday next. A PROMieiNa ysnng Auckland medical nan, Dr Go'die, has just died. The • Star » tays a notable feature in bis ewer Was his sonnection witblftheßlingamife'wreok Ha vas coming back to Anokland from a visit o Sydney when the wreck oooarred. and it a vas he who cut the first raft free from the <J hip. The party reached the Three Kings afely, and endurißd»Oj»Bidelrable hardships wi h iJ e . re -J mitigatedTby )r Goldie's medical skill. It is believed by is family that in the terrible events of •hat rreck the seeds of consmsptjon Wtveeawtt i the, doctor's constHntion, for he tras for ays in his we£ clothes without any protoe* ion or change. Fneamonia always results firosa * old or an attack of iolueaaa, %9-nberla J n , g Oough Remedy qvidkty urea these ailments and oovnfeereotf ny tendency toward pneumonia. 1$ i made especially for these a&d eSm* ar ailments and can always be deended upon. For sale by W. Theyen nd-Son../ <i 'tM* -''