MR. BASTINGS AT LAWRENCE.

Dunstan Times, Volume 640, Issue 640, 24 July 1874, Page 3

MR. BASTINGS AT LAWRENCE.

Mr Horace Bastings, in his address to his constituents at Lawrence, in refeiiag to the Gold-fields and the Gold-fields Secretary, is reported in the Tuapeka Times: “ If it is wn ng for a Gold-fields member to hold two offices, surely it is wrong for for any other member to hohFseveral ; unless, indeed, they wish to ignore the Goldfields altogether. What is this but a slight upon a large and important interest ? And lam sorry to find that a member representing a Gold-fields constituency could be found who would take office on such terms. 1 have no desire to set up the Gold-fields' interest against any other ; hut, when we hear such remarks as ‘ that the country has been made desolate by the Gold -fields industry of the Province, ’ it is enough to make one speak out very boldly. Why if not, for the discoveries of gold where we now have our townships, munioipalitie s, farms, schools, churches, and al 1 the othei concomitants of civilsation, but for this industry the colony would have been a wilderness for years to come. We must also remember that the clay will come when we shall only be too glad to have recourse to our Gold-fields for the employ ment of our population. Wool and produce may not always be at their present prices ; ami one thing we ought always to endeavor to avoid during the progress of our Public Works scheme, is the concentration of our population in the large towns. [ have noticed in my travels through the Province a desire on the part of many up-country people to become residents of Dunedin everything seeming in such a nourishing condition there. This is to be regretted, because things will soon become bad in Dunedin if every one rushes there. If Dunedin is to hold its own, we must have population in the up-country districts. . . . Then, in my opinion, the policy of any Government should bo to sell no more pastoral land ; hut, as the runs fell in, to divide them into small pastoral farms, running roads through the valleys, giving settlers some fiat and some billy country. By these means, where we have now one man occupying sixty or seventy thousand acres, we would have six or seven families and a good class of settlers, while the produce of the country would be increased to a very considerable extent, and would maintain a largo population, which we must have if we are to become a prosperous community, and raise a race of people attached to the soil of their country. This would be a much wiser policy than borrowing money to bring out a class of immigrants whoso characters, to say the least of it, are very questionable in many cases. In my opinion, we should sell no more pastoral lands. Wc have loft in Otago, at the present time, seven millions of acres of pastoral land, which sub-divided in the manner I have indicated, would, at a very moderate rent, say of six ponco per acre per annum, bring in a revenue of say, in round numbers, 250.0001. per anum—the same acreage turning in at the present time only about 00,0001. per annum I think the agricultural lease system far more preferable than the deferred payment system. There is the annoyance of the ballot, which though fair iu itself, a man may ballot for months, and not obtain tlio block he wishes. I altogether demur to the proposition of the Government to sell the adjoining blocks at 40s. per acre. It is absurd on the face of it to think that a man, Laving ready money, to pay 40s. per acre for land of equal value to what another gets on credit for 14s. (id, It seems a policy, ns far as 1 can see, to drive a man who has got a few hundred pounds out of the country. My plan in the deferred payment blocks would bo this: When there was more than one applicant for any section, let the section bo offered for sale by auction among the applicants. This, I think, would bo acceptable to the people themselves.

In reply to a question, Mr Hastings said he thought the commonages in small runs was an advantage. Ho was not aware how the system had worked in Tuapeka, but it had given great satisfaction at Wakatip. He had become enamoured with the system, and believed it could greatly bo extended to tiro benefit of the Province and the increase of the revenue. He had made provisions in these leases by which all the advantages of the miner’s right were reserved, so far as Jthe leased country was concerned Into the cause of the breaking up of the late Government, Mr Bastings, in reply, said : When the Government met the Council, the Treasurer, Mr 1 urnlmll, stated that he had not the time at his disposal to perform the duties of his office, and that he must resign. The Government then broke up ; but Mr Turnbull immediately accepted office under Mr Hold, when be had no time to devote to his public duties, he (Mr Bastings) was at a loss to know.

Mr Anderson asked if Mr Turnbull ever withdrew the statement ho made about certain illegal appointments he (Mr Bastings) had made?

Mr Bastings said Mr Turnbull withdrew the charges generally, and said ho hud been misreported. Any appointment ho had made ho considered not only legal, hut those appointments were suitable, and when in the charge of a department he would decidedly give a friend the preference, if he considered him a worthy and competent individual. An entire vote of confidence in Mr Bastings as their member was carried by acclamation.