The Southland Times. TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 1873.

Southland Times, Issue 1752, 10 June 1873, Page 2

The Southland Times. TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 1873.

Befoee the union of the Provinces of Otago and Southland was effected, a Commission consisting of six members, three appointed by the Provincial Council of Otago, and three by the Provincial Council of Southland, met in Invercargill, and after deliberation, drew up the terms of a basis of union. These terms were accepted by the Councils of each Province, and subsequently embodied in an Act of the General- Assembly, under which the union actually took place. Amongst other conditions was a stipulation (clause 11 of the report) that tbe Province of Southland, and such portions of the Province of Otago as should, in the opinion of the Council of the United Province, be geographically connected with it, should be constituted v a Land District, to be administered in lnvercar gill, and by the Land Board known as the Southland Land Board. This provision was specially embodied in the Union Act. This stipulation was acquiesced in by all the Commissioners, and was held by the' Southland Commissioners to be of the highest importance, and was even made by them a sine qua non to the completion of the negotiations. The Report contains the following testimony to the importance of this arrangement : — " The recommendation under clause 11, the Commissioners consider, would naturally suggest itself to the inhabitants of the consolidated Province and to the intelligence of the United Council. The fundamental principles which should, in the opinion of the Commissioners, dictate the action of a wise Government, are the consideration of the moral and material requirements of the people, economy of expenditure, and efficiency of administration. These requisites can be best obtained by affording every facility to the inhabitants of a district to transact their business from a place which is its geographical centre, and with which their interests are identified." No doubt was entertained at the time of the good faith of the Commisbioners in making this recommendation. It was felt however that the United Council might not keep faith with the Southland portion of the Province, which would be in a minority of that assembly. Tbe votes of those Commissioners wbo were also members of the Council, were, however, confidently counted on to carry out the stipulations tbey hud themselves framed, and amongst others this particular arrangement whicb they had stamped with special approval. Accordingly, when Mr Caldeb moved that a Land District should be constituted in terms of clause 20 of the Union Act, embodying clause 11 of the report, little surprise was felt when his motion was opposed by Mr Donald Reid. That gentleman's amendment ingeniously retained the words " Land District," and they, the name alone, were all that was left of the stipulation of the Commissioners. Under an Otago Ordinance it was possible to make a Land District, consisting of certain lands on tbe borders of the late Province, of which the Land Office at Invercargill should be constituted a sort of post-office, for receiving applications for transmission to Dunedin, and tbe Commissioner of Crown Lands empowered to act as postmaster for receiving and transmitting them — nothing more. This was what Mr Reid proposed, and as might bave been expected, the bare-faced breach of faith was vehemently opposed by all the Commissioners, from both Provinces, with the' exception of one, Mr John L. Gillies, who supported it. Mr Reid's treacherous amendment was ultimately carried, to the indignation of the inhabitants of this portion of the Province, and the injury of the district. When taxed with this disgraceful piece of business at his meeting on Saturday evening, Mr Gillies utterly failed to make out any defence of his conduct, although he endeavored to escape from the difficulty by surrounding it with a cloud of words. It is obvious indeed that such conduct admits of no defence whatever. This gentleman, Mr John L. Gillies, is now soliciting the suffrages of the electors of this district as a candidate for the Superintendency of Otago. We have furnished our readers with tbe above narrative of facts, believing that it supplies the best possible commentary on his pretensions, by demonstrating bis utter unfitness to hold tbat responsible and honorable position.