The Evening Star FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3921, 17 September 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1875.

Mr Stout is now taken to task by the ‘ Daily Times ’ for advocating the retention by the State of the fee-simple of the land, and charging a rental for its nso, Wo can easily understand from the style in which the subject is handled by our contemporary, that the theory is distasteful to the superficial thinkers whose flimsy essays find place in its columns. In about a similar claptrap manner the proposal was dealt with by Mr Bowen in the House of Representatives. The ‘ Daily Times ’ opposes Mr Stout’s views because if land were not to be sold in New Zealand, and was to be sold elsewhere, people would buy it where they could, for the simple reason that they were unable to do so where they could not 3 and assumes, as a consequence, there would be no emigration to New Zealand. Mr Bowen harped upon the motto, “ the greatest happiness to the greatest number,” as if the greatest numbei of people would be made' happv by having to cultivate land leased to them by a landlord, instead of being leased by the Stota. The ‘Daily Times ’ imagines that in order

to render the scheme successful the nature of man must he changed forgetful, apparently, that the leasing system is proved to be possible, because squatters graze cattle on lease, farmers cultivate ground on lease, millers work mills on lease, house occupiers rent houses on lease and erect buildings on lease, Corporations let lands on lease and draw revenue from them. The difference between the plan Mr Stout advocates and the present is, that if the State were the landlord, rents would be public revenue; whereas, according to existing arrangements, they go into the pockets of a few land-* lords. If, therefore, all the evils the ‘ Daily Times ’ predicts were to be realised, it remains to be shown how many people New Zealand would lose for the purpose of buying land “ on the Murrumbidgee or the Mississipi.” Those who are content to be leaseholders instead of landowners would not leave ; for so long as it suited their purpose they would pay a rent to the Government as willingly as they do to a landowner; and as this class comprises all but a fraction of the population, practically, the reduction of our numbers would be very small. Neither need tbe country much regret their loss, so far as industrial energy is concerned, for they are not producers: they add nothing to the wealth of a country by their labor, but live on the produce of other men s toil—a very ornamental class, but sometimes very obstructive. The discussion of the question is not confined to the Colonies, but has assumed so much importance in Great Britain that it has become a subject of correspondence in scientific journals. An extract or two from the English ‘ Mechanic and World of Science ’ of July 2nd will show the extent to which the investigation is being carried. Under the signature “ Sigma,” a writer says:—

We continually hear of the relations of landlord and tenant, the terms of tenure, &c., and in any endeavor to control these, we hear further a good deal about the sacrednrss ot property, and the impropriety of interfering with freedom of contract. Now the meaning of the principle I have laid down is that all these things are secondary, and that the really important question is, what is the best interest of the real owner of the land—the nation at large ? Let us make it clearly understood that the nation is the owner, and has something to say in the bargains about and use made of the land, that it is not a mere personal affair of the landlord and tenant in each case, but that we have all of us a direct interest and right to interfere (as a nation, of course) in the jegnlationof what is, in fact, our property. * * * * I wrote neither “ against the evns of the law, nor the wickedness of landlords, but simply upon a text—viz., that existing laws made by landlords d > put in their hands powers of injustice, and with the intent also of assisting those who purpose to limit and destroy those powers. This will bo ; fleeted, by giving fixed holdings and compensation for requisite improvements. And this is to bo done, not as an interference with freedom of contract, or the rights of property, but simply that the real owner, the pnolic, may derive moat advantage from the proper cultivation of the ground. * * * As to the right of inheritance, I do not at all sympathise with “Q. A. F.” In fact, I doubt if people ought to be allowed to live at all who do not in some way earn their living. Ido not mean in actual j course, but just that people who tulfal no duty, and have no use in life beyond their own enjoyment, are worthless cum berers of the earth, aud ought to be despised. J-boy belong to the same order as vagabond tramps. Everyone who desires to respect himself, and be respected, ought to measure that resi >ect by the amount of use he makes himself to the world. Land is not the production of man ; mutton is. It is the result of breeding and maintaining. Probably enough tne sheep itself is equally the product of man’s labor as wheat and cabbage are—things never found m pure nature.

Without wasting more time, I may say that my views in no way tend to communism. But civilised .nan has two positions—his individuality and his membership of a community. In both aspects he has rights and duties, and mus * consider both aspects whenever we wish to understand those rights and duties. It is evident that in Great Britain, where impediments to emancipation from landlordism seem almost insuperable, the question is being discussed exhaustively. We give the above extracts more as indications of the state of the controversy than because of the opinions expressed.

tr^ii iere wa<) . a good house at the Temperance Ha.l last night, and the Man-Fish, again created much amusement and wonder among the audience. Tho other members of the company still keep up the character of the entertainment.

The ‘ Taranaki News ’ appeared on the 4ch insc. in a new form. It has recently changed hands, and is now owned by Messrs William hdmondson and Thomas Avery ; and is published as a twelve-page weekly paper instead of a daily, as for sometime past. There were only two charges set down for hearing at the City Police Court to-day Jane Ritchie, charged with drunkenness, and Emily Jane Healey, charged with vagrancy, each of whom was dismissed with a caution. Messrs Flexman and Hickson, J.P.’s, presided.

Members of the ‘’show” profession too frequently remise the economical necessities of the times on the West Coast. We notice by the ‘ Ross Guardian * that, under a distress warrant, a bailiff lateiy so d some theatrical effects belonging to Mr Charles Porting, of the " Star Troupe,” for L 5.

A public speaker at Auckland a fow days ago, dilating upon the easy manner in which squatters acquired wealth, stated that a man whom he knew bought a few pigs, put them out to grass, and in a few years had a station with 15,000 sheep. The orator forgot to mention how the transformation from pork to mutton took place. At the Port Chalmers Police Court this morning, before Captain Thomson and Hr Drysdale, J.P.’s, Hemy Dench, James Madipan, Peter Thomson, George Chick, David W-it’oek, John Middleditch, and John Oliver, were ordered to pay a fine of - s Gd and costa for allowing cattle to stray m the streets contrary to the Town and Poiioo Ordinance.

At the Queen’s last night Mr George Darrell’s drama •' The Trump Card,” was repeated, and passed off excellently. To-night is set apart for Mr Darrell’s farewell benefit and Richard 111. will be produced. The performance is sure to be one worth witnesand we expect to see a full house, which has been the case '"henever Mr Darrell .ms essayed a Shakesperian character.

A practic * footb ,11 match will take place to-morrow at Montecillo between the fifteeh Selected to play against the Auckland foot-

ball team and the undermentioned gentlemen Messrs A. G. Barber (captain), Atkinson, Austin, Belcher, Burke, Brown, Beal, Chapman, Campbell, Cargill, Hope, Israel, Murray, Mills, Maitland, Mondey. M‘Laron, M'Orae, M‘Guer, Sinclair and ■'tuart. Play will commence at 230 p.m. sharp.

The sitting at tbe Resident Magistrate’s Court to-day only occupied halfanbour. Judgment was given for plaintiffs as follows, with costs: Russell, Ritchie, and Co. v. Alexander Thompson, L 5 16s; William Walsh v. Sinke, L 4 9s; Philip Tiltman v. George Fuller, 1,4 7s 6d ; Same v. Davis, L 3 6d—all for goods supplied. Charles Alex. Martin, for whom Mr Lewis appeared, v. John Taylor, was a judgment summons on a claim r of L 4 2s Id. Defendant, it appeared, was abaut to leave for Sydney, and plaintiff, hearing this, took out a fraud summons. The case was adjourned till Monday to enable a settlement to be effected.

Referring to the recent loss by a Melbourne bank of over L 2,000 in notes, ‘/E Jes ’ writes in tbe ‘Australasian’:—“When a bank suffers such a mysterious loss as that which has lately occurred, there are a hundred thousand people who know exactly why it happened. And one of the suggestions T have most frequently heard is that banking work is too much in the hands of inexperienced lads, i remember a veteran detective pointing out one day a little f llow going into a bank on exchange duty, with a black bag plethoric with notes ‘There are men, sir, in Melbourne,” said he, ‘who, if they knew what was in that bag. would think no more of strangling that child than they would of killing a rat I’ Of the business capabilities of these out-door young gentlemen here is a specimen. One of them called after twelve o’c’ock on Saturday at a place of business with a draft on a Melbourne firm—the draft having valuable securities attached to it. Ha said he had instructions to bring back a marked cheque. * I will give you an open cheque,’ was the reply, ‘but you must be aware that it is now after bank hours, and I can’t get a cheque marked for you.’ ‘ Why,’ was the brilliant suggestion, * Can’t you mark it yourself ?’ ”

We have received from Mr Braithwaito this month’s number of the Australasian ‘rfketcher,’ which shows great improvements in many of the plates. Amongst the best are a view of Lyttelton ; a sketch of Beach as it appeared in the year 1836, and a view showing the vast change effected on that spot now ; and portraits of Madame Ristori, the great tragedienne, and Mdlle. lima di Murska, the vocalist and actress.

Yesterday evening tbe Dayspring Lodge, 1.0.Q-.T., Kensington, held its inaugural open hannouy meeting, when, notw thstanding the nclemency of the weather, tbe school-house was filled. \ carefully-selected programme was presented, and executed in a most praiseworthy manner. Several persons at the close intimated their desire of becoming members of the lodge. It was intimated that these entertainments are to be held every alternate Thursday.