Mr. Locke at Patutahi.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 1007, 3 December 1881, Page 2

Mr. Locke at Patutahi.

(Communicated.) Mb. Locke addressed the electors at Patutahi on Tuesday evening. Fortytwo persons were present. Mr. G. L. Sunderland was moved into the chair. The candidate traversed much of the ground as at his late meetings, but introduced a few matters which he had not previously referred to. He went fully into the question of his proposed settlement of the long-disputed settlement of the long-disputed question of joint tenancy. He said if those who had expressed so great an anxiety to deal with the subject on a satisfactory basis, would only unite and petition the Supreme Court, the difficulty would be disposed of within six months. The rest of the lands in the possession of the Natives, which had passed the Court, should be divided ; and to effect this object a Court should sit con-W tinuously until the whole of the work was completed. It was absolutely necessary that sufficient powers should be given to the judges for making subdivisions, and he would never rest, if elected, until this was accomplished. The land under the 17th clause of the Land Act, 1767, should be divided in the same manner, but of course subject to existing leases. This done, no further difficulties would exist. Tho speaker then referred to the halfmillion of acres in Cook Countv now in the hands of the Government, purchased by J. A. Wilson, Capt. Ferris, Capt. Porter, Mr. J. P. Hamlin, Mr.

Gill, himself, and others. He proposed they should be opened up by means of arterial roads, when such portions of them as were suitable for agricultural purposes should be sold in convenient-sized sections,upon a liberal system of deferred payments; while other portions should be cut up and leased in perpetuity, leaving suitable areas to be surveyed and used as ■commonages. The remaining portions might then be disposed of for pastoral purposes. A little over 200,000 acres at Wairoa were still in the hands of the Government, which he proposed 'should be dealt with in a like manner. The Waste Lands Board at Auckland had only disposed of 80,000 acres of land up to the present time. The speaker then described the nature and bearings of the Road Construction Bill, and much regretted it had not become law. He did not object to the Homestead System ; but he had heard that in the North the scheme had not answered the purpose is was intended to serve. Still that perhaps had occurred through circumstances which might not apply to this district, and he would give his attention to the matter, with the express purpose of assisting the measure, if it would be shown as likely to answer. Mr f Locke condemned the system proposed by Captain Porter, of assisting farmers with money raised from loans. The scheme was quite impracticable, and would never pass into law. The money borrowed would have to be paid back, both principal Cand interest, and increased taxation would be the result. He believed more on the independence ef farmers working out their own ends than relying upon any charitable aid afforded them by the Government, and Captain Porter had himself stated that three millions of money would require to be raised, of which he admitted one million would never be returned. Mr. Locke strongly, urged the necessity of a Waste Lands Board being an elected body, and placed within our own electorate. He believed that the people here were much more capable of dealing with their lands than a Board -attempting to do so at a distance. The candidate expressed his surprise that Captain Porter should have stated that he (Captain Porter) had settled the difficulties which had existed with respect to the Patutahi lands. Captain Porter, in the same building he was now standing in, said that he had purchased 20,000 acres, at 10s. an acre. The speaker said that it could be seen by his (the speaker’s) printed reports, furnished as far back as 1869, that he had urged upon the Government the necessity of buying out Native claims, and that the Wte Sir Donald McLean >-had acted on that suggestion, and had given £IO,OOO in liquidation of all Native claims to the block. Mr Locke proceeded at some length, in reference to land purchases, which ■do not bear, materially, on the election. Mr Locke condemned Sir George Grey’s policy, and expressed a sincere regret that the Crown and Native Lands Rating Bill had not passed the Assembly. He expressed his surprise that Mr McDonald had stated he had not voted against its second reading, and read a copy of the Rules of Parliament as follows :—“ He who votes for an amendment, the object whereof as to kill a Bill, votes against the Bill.” Therefore, in voting for the amendment, he opposen the passing of the Bill. With respect to the proposed loan for the breakwater, if we had not been able to pay the interest the County would have been responsible, but the -district would have to pay eventually. The candidate touched upon other subjects, which our want of space prevents us from publishing. Mr. Burgess moved a vote of confidence in Mr Locke, which was seconded by Mr Bee, and carried, there being •only three dissentient voices.