Deputation to the Premier.

Patea Mail, 11 February 1882, Page 3

Deputation to the Premier.

Sir G. GREY & NEW PARLIAMENT

CUTTING-UP OTAGO RUNS.

A deputation headed by Sir George Grey and Mr Sheehan had a lengthy interview with the Premier and the Attorney-General at Auckland on the 4th instant.

Sir George Grey said they were anxious that the sale of Otago runs, advertised for the end of February, should be delayed till after the new Parliament had met and considered the whole matter. He thought the new Parliament would deal with the runs on an entirely different system from that at presented contemplated. Mr Hall replied that the deputation was asking Government to do what the law said it should not do, and that law was the Land Act of 1877, passed by Sir G. Grey’s Government. It staled that 12 months prior to the expiration of the leases of the runs in Otago, those portions of the runs which it was decided to again lease for pastoral purposes in the ordinary way should be leased by auction. Now these leases expired on March 1, 1888, and therefore Government were bound by law to put them up for sale before March 1 this year. There was some misapprehension as to the character of the land which was now to be dealt with, and also as to the tenure which it was proposed to give those persons who might become leaseholders. He had seen some statements in public prints from which it would be supposed Government were going to lock up land that would be available for agricultural settlement. That was quite a mistake. The law prescribed that such portion of land as was available for agricultural purposes was to be first of all set aside. This had been done. Then the pastoral lands bad been classified, and the better class were not open for re-lease, but had been cut into blocks for sale on the system of pastoral deferred payments, and it was only the residue, or inferior class of lands, that would not be dealt with. The proposed leases would be not longer than 10 years, and probably the majority were for five years. The Government would retain power to take for sale any portion of the newly-leased lands on giving 12 months’ notice. Did

Sir George Grey propose a different

system ?

Sir George Grey: Oh, no, sir. I only propose that Parliament should have an opportunity of considering and of dealing with this question, in which the whole 'of the people are interested, and especially people in humble circumstances. I only ask that the new Parliament should have an opportunity of considering whether another method should not be adopted of dealing with the runs.

Mr Whitaker and Mr Hall, in replying, pointed out that they were bound by the Act of 1877, and the people of Australia and New Zealand had been invited to attend the place of sale at a given date. Sir George Grey retorted that a telegram could easily be sent announcing the postponement of the sale, and Parliament could be immediately called together.

Mr Whitaker said Parliament could not be assembled sooner than March.

Sir George Grey contended that Parliament could be assembled within ten days. Ho felt sure that if this method of disposing of the runs were pursued it would allow capitalists to become possessed of them. He felt it to be one of the greatest hardships that had ever been inflicted on the country. No one would run the risk of journeying to Otago when he was unaware of the conditions.

Mr Hall: Any man of business would go upon the run and look at the improvements for himself. Sir George Grey : They have bad no time.

Mr Hall; They have had notice since December, and that should be enough for any man of business. Sir George Grey said the advertisement in its vagueness was enough to make one laugh.

Mr Hall remarked that a man of business would have acted upon it instead of laughing at it. Mr Hall

continued that he would lay the views of the deputation before bis colleagues. Sir George Grey: 1 shall now ask you to present a petition to the Governor, as this matter appears not likely to be settled for some time, praying him to assemble Parliament.

SUMMONING PARLIAMENT - A CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION. The same deputation referred repeatedly to the question of an early meeting of Parliament. Sir George Grey said it was constitutional usuage that when a new Parliament was elected it should be called together at the earliest possible moment.

Mr Hall regretted lie had to differ from Sir George Grey on this point also. He did not think that constitutional nsuage required any such thing. Sir George Grey then handed to Mr Hall the following petition. “ To His Excellency the Governor of New Zeaiand: We, the undersigned members of the House of Representatives, beg most respectfully to submit for your Excellency’s consideration the expediency of convoking the new Parliament before the end of the financial year which terminates on March 31st next. The reasons for making this application to your Excellency are: That the representatives of the people of New Zealand, elected as they have been for the first time on a wider population basis, should have the earliest possible opportunity of dealing with the finances of the Colony, and of giving statutory effect to the popular will in respect of many important questions which deeply affect the public interest. We desire most earnestly to assure your Excellency that we do not make this application in the interest of any political parly, and we venture, therefore, to hope your Excellency may deem it advisable, for the reasons above stated, to summon the members of the new Parliament for the despatch of business before the expiration of the present financial year.— (Signed) George Grey, Fred J. Moss,

Joseph A. Tole, B. Harris, A. J. Cudman, John Sheehan.” Mr Hall; 1 will forward it to the Governor,