THE GOVERNOR, THE PREMIER, AND THE LAND.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1255, 15 March 1878, Page 3

THE GOVERNOR, THE PREMIER, AND THE LAND.

(“New Zealand Times.”) There must be a lamentable ignorance on matters political in this colony, or else the people take pleasure in listening to that which they know to be untrue. Sir George Grey, in his stumping tour throughout the colony, has everywhere alluded to large grants of land being given to favored individuals by the Governor-in-Council. However, Sir George solemnly promised to put an end to nil this alienation of the public estate. All dealings in land would henceforth be transacted in the light of day. The sale of the Piako Swamp was constantly dragged up as a frightful result of the secret machinations of the Goveimor and Ministers of the Crown. But the Premier has never on any single occasion alluded to the fact that such power to deal with the confiscated lands were conferred upon the Governor-in-Council whilst he himself was Governor of the colony, and he has also kept back the information that such power was abolished over two years ago by an Act introduced by the very men he had accused of secretly giving away large blocks of the public estate to favored individuals. Major Atkinson called the Premier’s reticence want _of candour. That is a very mild way of putting it. It would require a stronger term than the member for Egmont has chosen to apply to appropriately describe Sir George Grey’s efforts to slander his opponents _ by misrepresenting facts. Major Atkinson, in addressing the electors of Egmont at Patea, a short time ago, said: —“You were told the other evening with regard to the land laws that we must have one fair land law for the whole colony. "We are all no doubt glad to hear the Premier make such a statement as that, and I am quite sure we shall be glad to see such a law. If he is able to make it, it will certainly have my support and I am quite sure it will be supported by the rest of the House. But when you are told in the same breath that the power of the Governor to go into his own council room, with three or four other gentlemen, meaning responsible Ministers, and make laws, is to be put a stop to, I feel the Premier was not treating you with that candour which you have a right to expect, because the power to deal with confiscated lands by regulations or Orders-in-Gouncil was repealed by an Act which I introduced more than two years ago. Therefore, when we are told such a power must not be permitted, you ought to be told at the same time that such a power docs not exist; and you might further have been told that when that power was originally given Sir George Grey was Governor, and acted upon it, and never said a word against it. I should not like to be misunderstood upon the point, because I believe the power to make regulations to deal with the confiscated land, at the time it was given, was absolutely necessary. I believe there may be still occasions where it is desirable that such power should be given to the Governor-in-Council, but not in connection with land. lam only speaking of the Premier’s want of candour in leaving it to be supposed that such a power existed, and that ho is going to repeal it, when it lias been repealed for more than two years.”