Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

The Southland Times. TUESDAY, JULY 15, 1873.

Theke is probably no evil wholly unmixed with good : no calamity which has not either in its surroundings or result something of benefit. The debate on Mr Stout's want-of-confidence motion in the Provincial Council " has cost the province" (quoting the words of a member takinsr part in the debate) " two hundred and fifty pounds," in addition to the obstruction to public business of which it was the occasion. Great as the cost has been, it is better that the battle should have been fought, and the province may fairly congratulate itself upon the issue. Not only has the strength of parties been tested, and the result shown in a majority to the Go\ eminent in reference to the particular question, but the division has most unmistakeably indicated the mind of the public, as evidenced by the late election?, that the Council should be purged of the obstructionist party in the late session dominant therein. The Opposition has chosen its ground, and skilfully manoeuvred, accepting for the contest a leader bringing to the debate the by no means inconsiderable advantage of having been specially posted up for the occasion. Mr Stout, it is well known, hadbeen previously professionally engaged with reference to the particular matter J on which his motion was based, and there { is no breach of charity in the assertion that he had been retained as a special pleader, and would therefore in the interest of bis client ignore as far as possible the opposite side of the case. Whatever he may have done or said before the Waste Lands Board, it is very certain that before the Council he wholly ignored the principle that in a contract the buyer has rights as well as the seller. It is to be feared that in the position in which Mr Stout placed himself before the Council, some doubt had crossed bis mind as to whether it was desirable to put forward the simple facts connected j with the transaction. There is no doubt but that the motion was intended as a trial of strength, and it may be that the mover argued that to " tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," would alienate from him some upon whose support he confidently relied, because the truth would appear to convey the imputation that they had, to say the least of it, acted injudiciously. A great deal of absurdity, and an accumulation of irrelevant matter, was imported into the debate, seemingly for the purpose of protracting it. It is not unfair actually to say that there was the disposition on the part of the Opposition to waste time by every expedient, although it was well known that the Government was anxious for a division, and prepared to accept the issue. The matter which has been made the occasion of impeding the public business, and which has cost so much public money, may be stated in a few words, as a matter of agreement for pur chase and sale. Mr Donald Reid had admitted the fact that during his Government, to meet an emergency, he agreed to sell to the Hon. Robert Campbell, and to him alone, 10,000 acres of land, being part of the Maere whenua run, of which Mr Campbell then held a lease, and for the surrender of which lease he was to receive compensation, at the rate of two shillings per acre, in consideration of his having allowed the land to be sold. This is all that is material to the issue. There was a bona fide agreeou nt for purchase and sale, and the Hon. Mr Campbe l naturally expected it to be carried out. It is important to bear in mind, as proving the binding character of the agreement, that Mr Eeid contracted with the Hon. Mr Campbell that in the event of any other person making an application for the land, the transaction should be cancelled, and Mr Campbell be restored to his position as a pastoral lessee of the identical land. After this there needs be no argument as to the character of the land, whether auriferous or otherwise ; it is not out of place, however, to mention that during the debate it was maintained by competent authorities, acquainted (as they asserted) intimately with the run, that " a good deal of auriferous land was included in the application." This was, however, denied by an equal number claiming to be equally well informed. There is no question whatever but that Mr Campbell was entitled to the laud» aud if the Waste Lands Board had not declared him the purchaser, the Province would in all probability have been made the defendants in an action at law, which they would certainly have lost. The transaction having been concluded by the Waste Lands Board in accordance with Mr Beid's agreement, notwithstanding a recommendation by the Provincial Council to the Board to defer conclusion, it is only necessary to mention by way of explanation that it was altogether beyond the functions of the Council to exercise any control whatever over the action of the Board. Whether this be right or no, is not the matter now under consideration, but it may be assumed that when the Waste Lands' Board was constituted a body irresponsible to the Council, there appeared to exist suffi- '

f dent reason for so constituting it, Mr Toj.mie stated in tho Couni-il that in giving his vote nt the Waste Lamln Board in favor of Mr Camphell, he had done so without any refwrenee to hui colleagues in the Executive, and the Province has reason to be thankful for hia action in the matter. It is difficult to persuade oneself that a person of the presumed astuteness of Mr Stout, with the advantage of hia lethal education and trained mind, could have really imputed blame to the Executive in reference to the matter alleged, and the explanation of his motion must be looked for elsewhere. There are persons in every community Becking their own advantage by agitation, and to whom all is right that serves their own purpose. The Council by its vote on Mr Stout's motion has made a double declaration, of confidence in the Government, and of disapproval of the tactics of the party ' by whom their efforts for the welfare of the province have been thwarted and impeded. It is perhaps too much to expect that the Oppositionists will, even after the lesson of their defeat, lay aside at once personal and party considerations, I and address themselves honestly to the public business.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18730715.2.7

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Southland Times, Issue 1767, 15 July 1873, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,100

The Southland Times. TUESDAY, JULY 15,1873. Southland Times, Issue 1767, 15 July 1873, Page 2

The Southland Times. TUESDAY, JULY 15,1873. Southland Times, Issue 1767, 15 July 1873, Page 2

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert