THE COMING MAN.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2364, 29 October 1870, Page 2

THE COMING MAN.

To the Editor' of the Evening Star. Sib—l see the forthcoming election for a member to represent the City in the Provincial Council is likely to be very keenly contested. No less than three candidates offer their services, and each promises to do more than another for the general weal. But it must be admitted, I think, the candidate who promised fairest, and whose card is made the m«st alluring to catch the support of the many, is that of Mr Bathgate. I would wish, therefore, to show a few reasons why that gentleman should get the support of the Dunedin constituency. Modest merit ought never to be passed over. Everyone who has noticed Mr Bathgate’s career in Otago must allow that he has never blown his own trumpet, but that the genius of the man has been so great that his fellow-citiz -ns,. however unwillingly, must admit his claim upon them. One has only to look around to see on every hand evidence of the great ability of the man. The incredulous may ask where are they ? but they only show their own ignorance of the times. I need not to go far for the proof. Can you imagine greater patriotism than to hold the office of the Provincial Trustee in Bankruptcy, and do the work free, gratis, for nothing ? Just fancy the stare of astonishment depicted upon the countenances of those 114—1 had almost said unfortunate—debtors ; but fortunate they must have considered themselves to have fallen into the hands of pawky John, when told by him that they were welcome to his services ; and I have no doubt was added the assistance of his purse also, on the principle of turning the right cheek after the left had its slap. Generous John ! Then, again, look and admire tin successful manner in which every great speculation in which ho embarked terminated. Behold the Bank of Otago ! Whose sagacity founded and fairly launched it into existence ? While under his management it had such unrivalled success, that with the greatest serenity he could resign the office, knowing that any youth could guide the machine he had so skilfully set a-going. Were I a panegyrist of his, I might point to Southland, and say how he can manage railway matters. Look at the wrinkle he gave them. Censorious people might say tha wrinkle was put on his horn ; but you know that is merely a matter of opinion. The tying up of money that was needed to carry on legitimate business might be considered foolish by ordinary men—hut then a genius can never be judged by any such standard. I might also point to every business transaction in which he has had a hand to shew that he has a soul above self; that if

Tie (Sr.liis employers did not reap any benefit, some due else did. That itself is a matter "for Jblie electors to ponder, as they must be aware, at his time of life, there is little chance of his changing his principles; and whatever blunders he for the future makes, they must bo the gainers, on the principle that what he did not get, they must. Let us just consider for a moment what he told the electors the other that we may be able to understand the immense advantage the Province would be likely to derive from the services of such a min. He said the} and he, and all of them—whoever they were —had reason to regr t that one holding his views was not returned at the last election ; and if at the next another unit was not thrown in on the popular side, it would bo a grievance that they would not soon get over. Mark that!

“Personally, he was not ambitions of a seat intbeCouncil”—not he—“although he should feel complimented if they returned him; but if they could get a better man, who could aud would enunciate the measures he conceived essentially necessary to the well-being of the country, ho would be quite content. ” We are then told how delighted he was with the promises made by the present Council in its early days, particularly when he heard such language as—“l will endeavor to initiate measures for the advancement of every interest in the Province.” For his part, he believed in a common interest (most sincere of men); but after such fair promises in the morning, what kind of an evening followed? Were they more prosperous? He said No! and left them to draw their own inferences. Why did he not give us his inferences? By implication he says all the disasters, all the losses sustained by the merchant, the many valuable farms that had been nearly ruined, and the debt contracted by the miners, were all owing to the abuse of the legislative powers possessed by the Provincial Council. Most admirable logician ! But the most alarming part follows —that which caused mo to take up my pen to warn the Dunedin electors of the grave responsibility that rests upon them, the danger must be prevented at all hazards, as it would be an irreparable loss to the country at largo if allowed to occur. He tells us he has thrown in his all in New Zealand ; aud unless the interests of the Colony were better attended to, there would be a stampede. Mark that, sir! Return him, or he’ll go; and then the chance of having such a power in the Council would be lost for ever ! Return him, I say, and theu take your ease. There will be no more monetary crises such as that of 1866 and 1867. That was ent rely caused by their own action. Then his very able and telling exposition of the defects'iu the Hundreds Regulation Act; bow it b ; s put an end to settlement—that is, if there was any land worth settling upon. Many wonder why no la,nd has been sold lately, and blame the present Government But people live to learn, and certainly a powerful teacher has arisen, And mark the pains he takes to inculcate the truth ; hut, of course, if all his statements are not quite correct, it is no fault of his, but of the too great powers retained by the Provincial Council.

We are told with a grave countenance that the Executive costs the Province L 6,000 P';r annum, and of a certainty this must be correct, although the Provincial Council only vo’ed L4,G90, as anyone can ascertain by referring to the records of that body—a slight discrepancy not worth noticing, as the error must lay on the side of the Council. Another little mistake was made, but still showing the pains that had been taken to arrive at the truth, and the obstacles put in the way—l suppose by the Council or somebody tie—it could not have been done for the purpose of misleading the electors nor to truckle to the followers of another ranter, when such objection was taken to the L 14,000 for [immigration purposes. The first item of retrenchment he would go in for would be cutting off that sum. Npw when the Council some six months ago yoted L1‘2,000 for immigration, they little thought that in the hands of Mr Bathgate it would grow to L 14,000. But, then, he is a genhia and great in finance ; and he must be a ma, gician also, as he intends to enable Mr Barnes to contract to do the administrative functions of the Government for one-half that it at present costs. Why not exert his great powers a little further, and put him in the way to do the legislative also ? But I suppose that little contract is reserved for himself ; in fact his tender has been sent in, as he is in favor of giving members a lump sum for their attendance at the Council. So you see Mr Bames is to be instructed how to work the oracle in the administrative, while Mr Bathgate docs the legislative by contract. Electors, rush to the poll, lose no time in returning the man of truth and integrity, who has never told you the half he could do for you, who would despise any candidate, that tried to carry his election by misrepresentation; the man who would give you a liberal land law, and who would begin by having a clean sheet! Mr Bathgate’s large ideas may be learnt from the following queries and answers : What about co-operative stores now? Did it mean your co-operation in this matter ? Certainly not Faugh ! nasty office that of Provincial Solicitor— quite prepared to refuse it. Financial separation ? Approve of it, oev, tainly, but cannot be got, utopian, &c., &c. As a gallant major I would not object to the North Island settler s fighting, if not expected to go and assist. Is it prison discipline you mean ? I approve of the present system. Not I; would take a turn at that bye-and-by, and when I do, Caldwell, look out! a greater than you has arisen. Electors, can you allow such talent and truth to remain in the shade, when the opportunity is now offered to you to get the Province system oiledaye, oiled ? Up and be doing ! Equivocation is to all intents and purposes the same as a lie. Hurrah ! our watchword is Bathgate and Morally !! 1 am, &c , Pharisee. THE LAND LAWS. To the Editor of the Evening Star. Sir— Since you have ended your leading article in to night’s Star with the trite maxim, “ Audi alteram partem," perhaps you will be good enough to allow me to make a few remarks on the land laws, and then you may obtain another “feature” of the “picture ” exhibited in this modern Athens. I <lo not know how you can say that I am in favor of “ settling a pauper farm population on the soil.” I have always been, and am now, opp ised to assisted immigration, believing that it is ho part of State duty to tax the citizens-to provide passages for immigrants. If you, however, mean by the term

“pauper” small, then I must plead guilty to the desire of wishing to see small, in preference to large, • farmers settled on the soil. The question of small versus large fame s has been so ably discussed by Mill, Thornton, Leslie. &c., and so many facts have been {iroduccd bearing out Mill’s contention, that t is unnecessary to enter into any argument on the subject. It is, I believe, a fact that cannot be gainsaid, that it is in Britain alone where the system of large farmers is in full vigor, and that in consequence thereof the Yeoman class is all but extinct, and the farm laborers far worse in position than the peasants of France, Belgium, or Prussia, where small farms are the rule. Accepting the word “small” as your meaning of the term “pauper,” lam ready to grant that you are quite co rect in your statement that the Hundreds Acts do render “remote” the settlement of small farmers on the soil. Aud Ido not know that any weighter argument could be brought against any land law. For rendering remote the settlement of “ small farmers ” to me, means the locking-up of the land the hands of capitalists, and a consequent injury being entailed upon a large number of the community. Regard in g compensation, you seem to ignore the fact that all the pastoral tenants who came in under the 1866 Act were aware of the amount of the compensation to be paid them. And I confess I cannot see what right the pastoral lessees had to demand more. In Victoria, where higher rates of assessment are paid—4s for great cattle and Is or Is Cd for sheep—there is not any compensation whatever paid, and the pastoral tenants are simply yearly licensees Where the hardship is, then, I fail to see. There is another view of the Hundreds Act, which did your space allow, I might quote. It is contained in a leading article of your own, published on the sth August, 1869. The following sentence occurs in it “That the great blessing Mr Macamlrew predicts [i.e., from the operation of the Hundreds Act] would be leaving Otago a Province of sheep runs for ever,” Ik. is somewhat strange that this ugly “feature” of the “picture” did not strike you when you penned your article appearing in to-night’s issue. ” 1 am, &c., Robert Stout. Dunedin, October 27.