The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2735, 22 November 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1871.

What will he do next? Such cannot fail to be the inquiry of everyone who thinks about the fate of the Otago Waste Lauds Bill, charge of which was undertaken by Mr Reid, Some people are, now-a-days, ill-natured enough to say Unit our Secretary for

Land and Works could not be sincere in his professed intentions of Land Reform ; and they point to the sale ot the 50,000 acre block as a proof of the elasticity of his official conscience. We do not think this exactly just to MiRetd. He is a striking example of what men may be brought to, when involved in difficulties brought upon them by their own obstinacy and want of foresight. Mr Reid must henceforth give up every claim to even clodocratic consistency. He cannot point to his past career, and say that he has invariably acted upon fixed and definite principles. He is not now in a position on that ground to refuse to carry into operation the Land Regu- ' lations as they at present stand, for he has shewn that when sorely pressed, he can take advantage of even a probably correct interpretation of an Act to do that which he has hitherto been foremost in condemning •ri-to transfer land to a pastoral tenant in perpetuity in one large block. We are quite willing to believe that Mr Reid did his best to get the Otago Waste Lands Bill through both Houses, but we do.not think the_ Otago members, as a body, shewed any great zeal in the matter. In deference to the expression of opinion by the Provincial Council, it was allowed to pass the Lower House without any very serious opposition- The House of Representatives are seemingly tired of these everlasting land squabbles in Otago. If the Bill had had the luck to go; through the Upper House and there had been any likelihood of its leading to a settlement of the question, it would have been fortunate for the Country. But cither through mismanagement, accident, or design, the question never reached the honor of a discussion in the Council. Mr Pater- 1 SON did give notice of his intention to introduce it at the fag eud of the. session, and when he found that the prorogation was to take place on a given day, he asked leave to bring it forward earlier, but was refused, on the ground that it was too late in the session to consider so important a question : so this egg that has been hatching these three years, and has taken form and substance after bitter strife and heart-burnings; which has engaged the attention of so many brains, and put the Province to suck cost in actual and contingent outlay, has been addled and thrown aside. What will he do next ? Will Mr Reid act as any sensible Minister would do, or will he still persist in that crotchety career which has been so detrimental to the best interests of the Province 1 Has he learnt by bitter experience that there are certain Jaws even in politics, that cannot be set at defiance without bringing retribution upon the community breaking them, or is he yet stubborn and unyielding, bent upon further staying the progress of' the Province by refusing to throw land into the market? Whatever sympathy certain _ parties have .with him in this matter,'the position of affairs will not admit of this. Rumor says in whispers, that Mr Reid inclines to have a Special session of advice. What nonsense! Has he not already had sessions of ad vice? Has he not , already gone, .so far as,to appeal even from the Assembly to the people? And what has he gained by it ? The - people shouted and applauded, and did not understand that the;very course on the land question they recommended ■ by their votes, was precisely that which they ought not to take for their owii interests. For three years we have had no faucl sales in small areas: for three years we have had a staff of officials to maintain, necessary, but only half-worked, because of having no Provincial income ; for three years Mr Reid has either refused or thrown impediments in the way of selling land on any other conditions than his own’: for three years the debt of the Province has been accumulating: at the end of three years and during its currency, it has been necessary to sell land in blocks to relieve the Province of its financial difficulties; for three, years trade has languished, development of industry has gone on with halting steps : all this is traceable to the false action taken by Mr Reid and his majority. Had he acted upon the most ordinary business principles, he would have sold land as usual, and taken the necessary steps to obtain such alterations in the law as experience dictated. He would not have pointed to an Act passed by men more able than himself, and said—“ This “ will not work, I will not sell land “ nor permit settlement until you pass “ a better law,” If reform proved necessary, there was no necessity to induce stagnation. Human necessities cannot afford to wait human legislation. They are ordained by higher laws, and these must be submitted to. Has Mr Reid learnt this truth ? If so, he ought to have no difficulty in deciding what to do next: he will either judiciously use the machinery already in his hands—for the good or evil of a land law lies mainly in its administra- ) Uon —ox he will resign,