THE SQUATTERS’ RUNS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1622, 18 August 1887, Page 2

THE SQUATTERS’ RUNS.

TO THE BDITOE. Siß,-rHaving heard you state that your columns are open for discussion of political questions, I shall be glad if you will allow me space for the following : Farmer’s letter in your issue of Tuesday last is likely to mislead anyone who has not heard Mr Rhodes’ publicly expressed views on this subject. Mr Rhodes stated in his address that he was in favor of settling tha people on the runs, provided the land was good enough to maintain them. He also stated that he was not a nominee of the squatters, or interested in any run. Farmer says “the Government of New Zealand are a humbug.” Mr Rhodes has come forward to oppose the Government, and consequently has views on the subject similar to those held by Farmer. Farmer is of opinion that “we must elect Liberal men, not Squatters’ men,” and from what I have read and heard of Mr Rhodes’ addresses I consider that, judged by this standard, he is exactly fitted for election as fulfilling both the conditions. You, sir, in your editorial on Farmer’s letter, imply that Mr Rhodes is a nominee of the Political Reform Association. I recollect reading Mr Rhodes address in your paper some time before Political Reform Associations were heard of in Canterbury. I am not in the habit of “rushing into print,” but cannot see misrepresentations made which are calculated to mislead the electors without an attempt to show matters in their right light.—l am, etc., Faibplat. [Our correspondent is right. Mr Rhodes went to a great deal of trouble to impress upon the people that he was in no way connected with squatters, but in cross-examination it was dragged out of him that his brother was a squatter, and that he managed his brother’s business. Probably if pressed harder he might have admitted that some of his relations were squatters ? Why did Mr Rhodes go to so much trouble to disown the squatters. They had not been mentioned until he introduced them. It would appear that he was afraid the smell of the squatter still clung to him. “He >ay break, he may shatter the land if he will, But the scent of the squatter will hang to him still.”

Our correspondent is right in saying that Mr Rhodes has pledged himself to turn out the present Government. He said his first vote would be given to tarn them out. That is exactly the great objection to Mr Rhodes. He would turn out Sir Robert Stout and Mr Ballance, and put in Sir John Hall and Major Atkinson, the greatest squatter leaders in New Zealand. The question for the people is, Will they entrust the Hall-Atkinson ring with the squatter question, or will they place their confidence in Sir Robert Stout ? We did not say Mr Rhodes was the nominee of the Political Reform Association, but we say he is their adopted baby. They have openly declared in favor of him now, and our correspondent wants Mr Rhodes to disown them. There must be something wrong about squatters and political reformers when people are so anxious to .disown them. The whole thing consists in this: The importers and money-rings of Christchurch have lent money to the squatters, and they want to extend their leases so as to ensure repayment. For our part we have no dislike to squatters. In fact, we like them so much that we should like to see 10 squatters for every squatter there is at present. There are 92

-tters in Canterbury, and they aqui*- 0 f 300,000 acres eacu have an “ wea eac, ‘ at less than one halrpC 1 ! 111 ? P, er acr e> What we should like is to ihcre'tS 0

their number, because we think they are living too far apart at present. The poor people are leading too lonely a life, and it would be nice to give them company. We expect that very decent people with a good deal of capital would come over from Australia to take up some of the runs, and that there would he a great deal of work in making dividing fences, building houses for them, etc. Would Fairplay like to get the building of a squatter’s mansion?— The Editor]