THE PREMIER ON THE LAND QUESTION.

Evening Star, Issue 4052, 21 February 1876, Page 2

THE PREMIER ON THE LAND QUESTION.

The telegraphic summary, good though it was, of Sir J. Vogel's speech at the banquet on W-ednes lay night L&t, did not do the hot. gentleman j uetice ji many particulars. "We there* fore give iu fuil his remarks on the above question;— I leave the question 0* separation and cose- to another, which I think haL* equally been made stalking horse without respect the real question at 18800—1 re'er to the compact WMe in 1856. I! believe that all that has been said respecting this' compact has been said with the view Q* creating a feeunpr against the abolition of Provinces; but Ido not think the North Island can look upon that come pact as having operated prejndlcionfily to its interests. Have not roads been made from one end of. this island to the other under the authority oC loans contracted on the responsibility of the whole Colony, and has not the other inland agreed that at the expense of the whole Colony the best landed estate that could be purchased should be '• purchased for the benefit of this island P 1*700,05)0 - had been devoted by the Legislators for thd> acquirement of this estate. I trash that neither the arguments of one side nor ef tbe bther Will operate 'against the plaa'of having one Oovenuneat, one finance, and an extended system of local government lor the Colony* Bat 1 don't lock Upon this ohuige as one of Unmixed good. It throws Legislature a very lame amotfttt of additional work, which aometimM it wflihave.avery great deal of difficulty in performing. It was* however, a change that it was impossible to avoid. b . ea over the FroTinces, forget that difficulties will arise of very large outstanding floating debts to the little Provinces which the Celony will have to the burdon or deal with the matter. But, gentlemen,- I have already expressed an Opinion Iha a change is necessary. _ In fact I have dons more than that. 1 have Mid that I deemed it impossible ■ for any gentlemen who occupied a seat oh tha' Ministerial benches to ignore that fact. I think mere never was a time when it was more dutiable that able men on all sides should cb-qperate in *»«d.mg the beat vernments; Although the General Government has ' done Provincial work for some tiuri past there can be no doubt that the change itself involves a vers - concenjed, to heaHhe differences o! opinion which

conviction, bnt rather from personal disagreements. Meanwhile the interests oUthe Colony demand onr first .consideration. It is impossible for ns, in looking over the Provinces, to overlook one thingr that is—the administration of the land laws. I hear people quarrelling over the distribution of the land fund; but it sometimes strikes me that the more important question is the administration of the land laws, and that is a question which has now-to be dealt with by the Central Legislature. It is not a question of the destination or the land fund, bnt a question of the administration of the land laws. They should be dealt with in a liberal spirit, which would keep a check upon monopoly, and to the fullest possible extent allow the lands to bo thrown open, so that everybody who wishes to live upon his own land may do so.