FRIDAY, APRIL 31, 1871.

Dunstan Times, Issue 470, 21 April 1871, Page 2

FRIDAY, APRIL 31, 1871.

The squatting interest is in the ascendant once again. This time they have seized upon the reins of Government, in the persons of Mr. E. ■ : B, Cargill, for Provincial Secretary, Mr. G. Turnbull, for Treasurer, Mr. C. E. Haughton, Land, Works and Goldfields, and Mr. D M'Arthur, without efiice. The question of the settlement of the people upon the lands is further off a solution than ever. The goldIfields have been tacked on to I and and Works, but what Mr. Haughton’s duty "will be with respect to them, we have yet to learn, though little to expect, beyond what personal advantage may he desire to turn us to, for most assuredly we shall be sold to the highest bidder whomever the opportunity occurs. * You may know a man by the com. pany he keeps ” is an old and trite saying, and there can he no mistake ns to the intentions of Mr. Macandrew, judging by this standard He has surrounded himself with squatters, is pledged to the pastoral interests to a certainty Messrs Cargill and Turnbull nre squatters to the backbone, nnd only lack, the opportunity to convert the whofe of the Province into a sheep run. meii is their motto. Mr. Haughtoif’s principles and interests are those of the strongest party He is a supporter of every majority and Government whenever.it has 1 the least chance of success. He pays due regard to the loaves and fishes, and we may truthfully say spreads his' .political net to oatoh full evoa of the smallest size,

If this Government manage to continue in office for only twelve months the . squatters will have all they want, and i good bye to settlement upon the grid ■ fields—goodbye to the opening of land [ at the Lindis, Wanaka and Hawea ' (iood bye to the opening up of land m> iler the Dunstan Ranges, nnu the many happy homes that might bd made there —and we may add good bye to a 1 prot- , p-rity in general Ol Mr C rgill’s good intent! ns towards this disirici we have already had a spice, Hfe 1. tter to the Daily Times —‘f te village of Clyde’’ is well known to our reader... The liberal parly have a great battle to fight, and it is to be hoped that when the Council meets, they will sink all minor dif ferences and wrestle with the enemy as one man. Never before was the goldfields interest placed in such jeopardy The enemy has made a bold stand this time. They do not propo.-e to do their work with hirelings, they have brought their best men forward to the contest, and wiih^ theSexcep lion of Mr. Baughtm have R largepersonal interest staked upon the i3j-ue.\ The squatting party and the liberal party is pretty evenly balanced, the latter having but the small majority of four as near as we can calculate, therefore there is no time to lose, and constituencies will do well to support liberal members, that the present Government may be ousted from office with all due haste as soon after the pmetjng of the Council apossible. Those meqfbei? who pledged themselves (o lib sal principh s upon the hustings have the, opportunity before them to redeem their promises, and the country expects and demands their fulfilment. The opening up of land for settlement in the Dunstan district is of such vast and primary impor'ance, that all those who desire to see it prosperous must not relax in iheir exertions umik their demands a.e acced'd to. Taken! as a whole the Dunstan is the most im • portant goldfield ui the Province. The ■coveted metal isVoWunder every variety of while ihe total yield makes up tnorAthan one half of the published escort returns. The district has never received that attention from the Government which i s imp > r . tance demands. It has been their policy to divide it by embroiling the people in trifling local squabbles, so that their attention might be divided from the true channels of prosper fy, and which consist in demanding unanimously the taking away of land from the squatters, and settling people upon it. We are happy to say that designs of the evil one are Wipn\ig to be seen through. are'already unanimous questions of district importance, and we opine that Cromwell will not be hostile to measures affecting the general good It is the broad principle Deepening up the lands that we have to fight for. The squaiters friends and the miners’ enemies must be struck down by our united blows, which can only be done by the propl. of the district being unanimous. A division of the spoil may afterwards he made, when Clyde, Alexandra, and Cromwell will each ob\a^ v their fair shaie. The ousting Ministry must he acnomplishea a* any price. It is a question of sheep or men. These are the only two alternatives to chose from. Selection is therefore an easy matter.