The Evening Star THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2380, 17 November 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1870.

The first debate of a session is usually supposed to supply some slight index to the course likely to be run. The opinions of the now members especially are looked for, as very often on them v*ill depend the fate of the Ministry of the day. Wo do not think, however, much could be aatbeml on that point yesterday from the debate on the Address. The usual courtesies wcnuili6om.<]_4bo usual number of objections raised to things said and things unsaid ;

the bidders fol olKce moved amendments, which neither other bidders for office nor anybody else seconded —so they fell to the ground ; and after a somewhat dull debate, the Kopiy to the Address was voted, and the work oi the day brought to a conclusion. Hut it must not bo supposed that this somewhat dreary affair was without its significance. It had this advantage to those who look forward to being again elected; it enabled them to pour forth their eloquence in the hope of hilling the popular taste, and gave an opportunity to them to bid fur future honors. Looking forward, therefore, to the end of the session—-which however may be more distant than at present appears and regarding the sitting in the. light of a manufactory for a hustings cry, the few words dropped give ns the cue to what may be anticipated. Truly have many keen observers said that were it not for the generally acceptable condemnation of the Land Laws of the Province, many aspirants to legislative honors would not have a ghost of a chance of being returned. Those laws are the scape-goat upon which to lay all the sins of omission and commission of all the Ministries, past and present. No matter how contradictory may he the evils, they are referable to the bad laws, Those laws wore bad, we, are told, before the Act of ISbfi was passed. Those who had to report the debates that preceded the passing of that Act, know how carefully each clause was weighed —what wordy fights there were about almost every sentence —how night alter night the Council strove to bring out the most perfect specimen of land legislation the world had ever seen. What wonders this Act was to achieve I It was to be the harbinger of peace and prosperity between clodocrat and sqnattocrat, ano were henceforth to lie down together, the lion with the lamb. Who would have thought that in four short years a new generacion of legislators would have arisen, who, by the aid of some old ones disappointed with the result of their own work, would discover that all that had gone before was waste of time and talent, and had to be undone ? Consistency of thought or argument is nothing with this class. Mr 1 isn may say in one breath that it would bo better to give the land away than to have no population, and in the next condemn selling it in Southland at ten shillings an acre instead of a pound. No doubt he can reconcile the two ideas, for he says the whole of our land legislation lias been bad. Air Iho.mson may complain of depression of trade through closing the land sales for eighteen months, and yet regret the Government did not delay taking steps to sell the land until they had obtained his permission : no doubt lie, like our new Citv member, can reconcile the two ideas. In fact, it seems a somewhat odd thing that all the party with which those gentlemen arc identified condemn the Act of 18GG for closing the land against settlement, and the Hundreds Regulation Act for providing the means of opening it up. lor eighteen months there have boon no land sales of any moment ; and now that they are to be resumed, under conditions mainly dictated by the present land agitators, they cry against them as being premature. We never for a moment defended the Act of 18G6, nor the Goldfields Act of 18GG. They have their defects, no doubt—wo never knew a land law that had not. What we object to in the present agitation is the mixing up that which affords a remedy in the same condemnation as that which rendered remedy necessarv. The party that Air I homfjoy leads has been the ohstructne party. They have been too clever. They threw obstructions in the way of opening up- Hundreds excepting on conditions which would have given the use of large areas of country which they did not purchase, and which they wanted to use rent free ; and when that land was sold on the terms prescribed by the Act of 18GG, which they sav thev were content with, they petitioned the General Assembly to interfere. In compliance with their own request the General Government did interfere; but even 4hat did not suit, for they did not get the lolly they cried for. It is to the credit of Air Enin’s Government that they have not been blind to their obvious duty ; and we hope the land brought into the market will prove to the elcctois at large, before the election, how little ground there is for condemning the Hundreds Regulation Act.