The Globe. TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1206, 15 January 1878, Page 2

The Globe. TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1878.

The lion, member for Akaroa is about to address his constituents, and no doubt he will lake care to inform his hearers of the reasons which induced him to aid in placing the present Government in power. Under the proposals of the Grey Cabinet the Canterbury provincial district has been singled out specially, and made to suffer. It will therefore Ik* interesting 1o know how the honorable member reconciles the support he gave the Grey party with his views on the land fund. The colonization of the hind fund was a main point in their policy - one on which they were prepared to stand or fall. In the debate on the Financial Arrangements Bill. Mr Montgomery undertook to explain how it was that he supported the Government of Sir G. Grey, which was taking the land fund of Canterbury. He began his explanation by stating how it- was that he could not support the late Government. It was. he said, because there Avas a deficit which the honorable member for Eginout could not meet without breaking a law which he had promised not to break; because he proposed to take the land fund in an insidious manner; because the Government had not the power to lead the House; because they abandoned measures such as the Native Land Court Bill and accepted a totally different policy: and for a great many other reasons. Having given his reasons for refusing to support Major Atkinson, lie next explained Avhy he could not support the proposals of the Government as regards the land fund. Speaking of the Premier's speech on the question, Mr. Montgomery said:—"The honorable gentleman then said that the land fund had had hitherto enormously enriched the people in one part of the colony, while in other parts it woidd not bear the expenses of survey. Then I want to know this : Why should the land fund be taken from that part of the country which requires roads and bridges and be spent in that part of the country where the people will not settle unless the land is given to them for little or nothing? I have also to say that Ido not think that the honorable gentleman's finance is very good; and lien; I would add that, though I cannot altogether support the finance of the Treasurer. I think we havemadea change for the better. I think we now have knowledge which shows us that the ship is drifting upon the rocks, and that we ought to give our opinions as to the best way of preventing her going there. But although I supported the honorable member on crucial questions affecting his Ministerial existence. I cannot support him on this occasion." He then goes on at some length to point out the injustice of making the land, fund colonial, and then concludes, apparently satisfied that he has completely justified his conduct in helping to keep a Ministry in power who have succeeded in robbing Canterbury of her birthright. Had ho been prepared to support the Government on the land question as well, we could have understood his position. But he regards the* conduct of the Government in this connection as nothing short of robbery, and yet he and others wero the means of keeping in power the men who were guilty of this great wrong to the people of Canterbury. He will perhaps explain at length at his meeting the nicely balanced position which he occupied on that occasion.