THE IMPOUNDED LAND FUND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5475, 14 October 1878, Page 3

THE IMPOUNDED LAND FUND.

(From the Christchurch Press.) Tho chairmen of road boards at their meeting on Monday expressed themselves as satisfied with the result of their action concerning the land fund. The intelligence sent by our own correspondent aud published the other day bo no means gives so favorable an impression of the intention of the Government as the road board delegates seem to have received. According to that statement, the Treasurer proposes instead of handing over tho money direct to the boards to pay a £IOO,OOO of it when certain bonds are rendered negotiable, and “ when the money is obtained” on these bonds. It is scarcely necessary to remark that there is here a very great difference. The Treasurer has actually received the money belonging to the road boards in hard cash. He claims a right to keep £7#,000 of this on account of surveys. We have already said that there may be some reasons why it is not worth while disputing the Treasurer’s claim, and we shall now eliminate this sum from the account. As for the remainder, three things must be borne iu mind. First, it is all, as we have said, in hard cash. Secondly, it has been withheld by the Treasurer against all right aud equity. Thirdly, an impartial committee of the Assembly, after full inquiry, have recommended that it be paid over. The first and third of these statements are matters of fact ; the second is proved by the action of tho committee, and by the course taken by the Government in the •'iipreme Court, where they relied solely upon technical "points of law. Consequently it must be apparent to any one that tho Colonial Treasurer owes the road boards a very large sum ia cash, /But he does nob propose to pay this over as he received it. He promised £57,000 down, and £IOO,OOO when the money is obtained on certain bonds. We confess that we do not see.much reason for jubilation here. The chairmen of the road boards may perhaps think themselves lucky to get anything at all; and it is nob unlikely that this view of the case may be a right one, considering those with whom they have to deal. 'They may rejoice at getting oven only a quarter of the whole claim. If so there la no more to be said. But if they are rejoicing because they expect to get the other £IOO,OOO out of the proceeds of the bonds, they may be doomed to disappointment Every action of the Government in this matter shows that they are determined, if possible, to keep hold of as much as can possibly retain of their ill-gotten spoil. And the road, boards may find it even a harder matter to get their £IOO,OOO out of the clutches of SirG. Grey's Government than they have found it to rescue £57,000 now promised to them. When money is acknowledged to be wrongfully retained, as it is in this case acknowledgedby the Government to he, and is yet not at once paid over, it is difficult to overcome the suspicion that they have no real intention to make restitution. We shall be glad to find our prognostication erroneous ; but until the money is actually in the hands of the road boards, we shall take leave to doubt.