The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1881.

Temuka Leader, Issue 805, 24 December 1881, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1881.

Mr Vincent Pyke is one of the most humorous members of the House of ! Representatives. His speeches are more admirable for their wit and humor than fm- their stat'-smnlike qualities. Recently he was accused of going too far in denouncing squatters, at which he became annoyed and said “ My complaint is that there are, not enough squatters in Otago, and my desire is to increase their number so that where there is only one now there may be twenty hereafter.” Now this is altogether inconsistent with Mr Pyke’s conduct and we can come to no other conclusion as regards his meaning than that ho was “ poking fun” at somebody. His vigorous onslaught on squatters gained for him his election, and now we find h : m convener of a meeting of members which was held in Dunedin last Tuesda} - , for the purpose of considering what steps ought to be taken respecting the pastoral leases ot Canterbury and Otago, which expire in March. 1882. The squatters have no more vehement opponent than Mr Pyko. He seems as determined against squatters as Mark Twain was against the party whom he sard ho would “grind up into sausages'” and his meaning when ho expresses a desire to multiply their number remains a dark and inscrutable mystery. Whatever little discrepancies may appear in Mr Pyke’s conduct, however, the thanks of . the colony are due to him for ; his action with regard to the run leases 1 In March, 1883 the leases of 5,000,000 i acres in Otago, and 3,000,000 acres in I

Canterbury will expire, and the Govern

ment have advertised these lands for sale on the 11th of February next, that is 13 months before they will be able to give possession of them. Now, in the first place such a course must appear to any common sense business-man to be extremely unbusinesslike. Eight million acres of land to be thrown into the market in one day will lower the price of the land and consequently it will be disposed of at a rate much less than it would bring under more judicious management. Yet apparently this is not the most reprehensible feature of the Govi-rnmnit’s action. In a letter written, by Mr Bastings to Mr Fyke, he says : —“ 1 am distinctly of opinion that it was the understanding of the members of the Otago Pastoral Leases Committee Committee with the Hon ’lie Minister of Lands.that, in accordance with clause 11, the Governor should be advised to notify to the pastoral lessees that their runs will be required for public use. It was also umleistoud that the leases would be allowed to expire by the effluxion of time, and further that there would bo no re* leasing of the. Otago runs until the new Parliament assembled.” It will Iw seen from this that a committee appointed hist session to consider the leases, exacted from the Hon Mr Rnllcston a promise that nothing would'be done in:til the new Parliament was consulted. M- Fyke thus explains the proceedings of that committee “ The Committee of last session recommended that as there were serious omissions in the Land Act of 1877, an Amendment Act should be framed during the recess, Mr Rolleston stated that it

was not necessary to give any notice whatever to the present lessees. It was pointed out to Mr Holies ton that the omitting to give notice would be very unfair to the rnnholders, and ho was requested on two occasions to obtain the opinion of the law officers as to whether or not notice to the present. lessees was not compulsory, but lie declined, alleging that he, as Minister, bad the power to allow the leases to expire by effluxion of time without giving any further notice whatever. But for that statement some

notion would certainly have been taken by the. Otago members to. get the Act amended, and it was simply for that reason that no action had been taken. They were also confirmed in their reliance on Mr Rolleston’s statement by an answer that gentleman gave to a question from M> Maeamlrevy, 'when he stated that of of course Government would careful y consider during the recess «hat amend-

ments were necessary as there was very little doubt 'ho necessity for some amendments would be made appaient. This still further led the Otago members to believe that any direct action regarding the runs would bo suspended till the new Parliament liad had an opportunity of considering the matter. It was with that impression that the members left the House and therefore they were considerably astonished on the issue of the advertisement to deal with the runs in February next.’ 1 Several others who had been members of the Committee testified in an

equally forcible manner that the understanding with Government was that the ! new Par'iament would be consulted w'th j regard to these- lands, and much surprise j and indignation was evinced at Mr Rolleston having violated his pledges in such a manner. Now it would appear from (fuse proceedings that the Ministry are conniving at placing these lands beyond the reach of the general public, and at playing into the hands of the rich before their power to do so is destroyed. Attempts iiave been made to make things look as well as possible, and for that purpose the large estates have been subdivided, but no limit has been made as regards the area of land one man or company may hold. Under such conditions sub dividing is a farce and is no barrier to the accumulation of large estates. But this is not all. With each subdivision of the land goes a right of pre-emption to 320 acres so that a man taking up, say 20 sections, obtains a right of pre-emption to 6400 acres. The next point is one which appears to us an insurmountable barrier to the settlement of the land by industrious men of small means. This is that any one taking up a run mtisq pay 12 months rent in advance and also charges for improvements. Of course such a condition puts the lands beyond the reach of anyone but the rich and show's too plainly tire object of the Government. Their administration so far cannot be characterised other-vise than monstrous, and it will result in arousing bitter party feeling and endless agitation. The class against class cry and its concommittant bitterness of feeling will never end unless the public estate is mannered in a more judicious and just manner than the present Government propose doing. There is no use in mincing matters. It is obvious that their intentions are to open , to the rich a means of accumulating large estates at a cheap price, and therefore wo say that Mr Pyke deserves the thanks of (he colony for his timely exertions in exposing such a monstrous wrong. The meeting, over which he presided, adopted resolutions calling upon the Government to defer dealing with these lands until after next session, and we thoroughly endorse their action. The question is j not an Otago one, it affects Canterbury as j well, and in fact the whole colony, and j consequently we think Canterbury mem- i bers should take similar steps to insist upon the Government staying their hands for the present with regard fco these runs, j

One matter connected with ihe whole affair which seems to be overlooked is that so much land faking into the hands of the Government at the present time, presents nsjlendid opportunity for bringing iiuo the country more capital aid an increase of population. The farmers of the United Kingdom are getting tired of the way in which their landlords aro treating them and are looking out anxiously for fields to which they can emigrate and build for themselves more substantial homes than they can do in the land of their birth. To give these nn opportunity of competing at the sales, advertisements should be inserted in Home papers, and the time extended to such a date as would enable them to send out delegates to this Colony to look after their interests. If this course were adopted in all probability we should have many English farmers will) capital shortly settled in onr midst, and as it is emigrants with capital the colony requires the present opportunity of introducing them should not be overlooked.

| Once more “ Merry Christmass” has j come round with its time-honored asi sociations and long-cherished memories of ; days gone by. To-night, many an anxion 3 thought and many an earnest wish will : wing their (light across thousands of miles . of ec.-an to scenes of early youth, and 1 many recollections of happy family circles ; assembled around the yule log fire will : awaken in the minds of a great number of ! onr readers. Father, mother, i brother. schoohlay companions, and ! bosoms fiionds long forgotten, or perhaps j now no more, will be remembered, and ; many tears of regret at being separated j from them will be shed. Feelings like j these are inspired by this holy seasrn I of the year, and we heartily sympathise | with them as we believe them to proceed j from good impulses, still it should not I bo foigotlnn to-night that we have a great | deal to be thankful for in this Colony. | While onr filends in the Old Country I wade in frost and snow, we in this colony j bask in the rays of glorious sunshine, and j nature yields all her choicest gifts to us. The commercial depression which for the past few years cast its gloom over this Colony is now going, or gone, and bright prospects of peace and prosperity appear in its stead. So far we have eveiy reason to, reroice Wo have everything calculated to make life, happy in this colony', j and ought to praise the Giver of all that j is good for the favors he has bestowed, j But preaching is not in our line and therefore wo shall now conclude by wish out readers the compliments cf the season ‘‘ A Meiry Christinas and a Happy New I Year.”