The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1874

Evening Star, Issue 3460, 25 March 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1874

Two different meetings have taken place in the Province: one purely political, in which Sir F. D. Bell addressed his constituents; and the other became political through the illjudged conduct of tbe people of Roxburgh in their address to Mr Holloway. We have before expressed our opinion of the Roxburgh policy, and therefore need not again travel over the ground. We are glad to find that Mr Holloway manifests so much good sense as to estimate its factiousness at its time value. Admitting that the people of tbe district have something to complain of, they have more to bo thankful for. Most of those who set forth their political grievances, instead of being in comfortable circumstances in Otago, would have been laborers or servants had they remained in Great Britain. Their real complaint consists in not being able to have everything they want, because the majority of their fellow-colonists differ from them in their ideas of political science ; and, judging by the folly and selfishness of their proceedings, it is fortunate for the Province that, the management of affairs is not in their hands. No wonder Mr Holloway felt somewhat astonished at their complaint when he compared the position of laborers in Otago, earning seven shillings a day of eight hours, with those of Dorset who have to work a week of days of twelve hours long for that sum; although provisions are double, if not treble, the price at Home. Our politicians seem to think that all that is needed is to cut up the country into small farms, bring an agricultural laborer and his family to Otago, and put them upon one of them, as if fences, cottages, and com would spring into existence as soon as the man, his wife and children, set their feet on it. Mr Holloway; has the good sense to see that it is better to work for seven shillings a day for another, than for a man to starve on a piece of ground requiring an outlay of capital, not in his possession, to make it fruitful He has penetration enough to «ee that the Roxburgh grumblers are men of capital, disappointed because another has bought what they wanted 5 and ffom the

straightforward remarks he made in reply, we do not think he is likely to become the tool of a political party, who, in true dog-in the-manger style, would prevent others from sharing in the abundance obtainable in the Province, because they themselves have not been able to get all they wanted in the way of land monopoly.

Sir F. D. Bell’s meeting was of a different character. He met his constituents to tell them what he thought of the last session of Parliament. He does not appear to have had much to tell, so in his usual plausible style he alternately praised and blamed the Ministry. He was not very clear, or the telegraphist has not done him justice, in his condemnation of the Provincial Borrowing Bill. He said it was surrounded by sufficient safeguards; thatproperty could only have been taxed to the amount of one shilling in the pound for local improvements, and therefore ample security would have to have been given for any loan; but yet he opposed the Bill, and should do so again. When Sir Francis said the opinion of the country was adverse to the Bill, we are not prepared to say it was not; but we believe, if that be true, the reason is that the country not only did not understand the Bill, but that it did not suit men of the class to which Sir Francis belongs; and they, like the Roxburgh people, fancy they have interests apart from those of the public. That was why the Legislative Council rejected it, and why he opposed it. The plausibility of Sir F. D. Bell’s politics showed itself in the manner in which he alluded to the land question. Straws show which way the wind blows, and Sir Francis floated a straw on the air which seems to have suited his hearers, but which should prove a note of warning. We do not know wh<sse system of colonization Sir Francis has been studying, but he told his audience ,Nor could there be any sound system of immigration, unless at the same time they reserved agricultural land for settlement by people coming out from home. Land was fast passing into private hands without any provision for this. They could not do without revenue from land sales, but let them sell pastoral land to produce revenue, and keep agricultural land to settlement. Next session he should try to bring forward some prac tical proposal to give this effect.

In other words, he meant let the large runs now producing an annual revenue of some L 60,000 become, the property of the run-holders, as it would pay them better to pay a pound an acre for them, than to pay the grazing rental and sheep assessment. When pastoral country can be let at fifteen or sixteen pence an acre, or between six and seven per cent, per annum on the value of the fee simple as fixed by the land regulations, men who, like Sir F. D. Bell, can command capital on mortgage at about 4 per cent, at Home would make a very handsome profit by the purchase of the whole of the pastoral land in Otago. But if it be worth a pound an acre to them, it is worth it to the Province, and that fact wonld have become patent enough had the Provincial Borrowing Bill passed the Council. The value of the Provincial estate, is worth considering carefully. A few years ago we sold thousands of acres at a price that, after deducting compensation, cost of survey and other expenses, only left the Province 14s fid, or thereabouts, per acre. Estimating the probable value the grazing rights would have realised, if relet at Is per acre, that would have

been about per cent, per annum. Had the Provincial Borrowing Bill passed, and a railroad or other improvements been required on that property, even at that low valuation money would have been easily obtainable for the purpose, on its security; and yet Sir F. D. Bell considers it right to sell it—of course, at a pound an acre, deducting compensation and cost of survey, &c.