THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JULY 14, 1891. LARGE ESTATES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2227, 14 July 1891, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JULY 14, 1891. LARGE ESTATES.

The financial debate lias come to an end, and elsewhere will be found the Hon Mr Ballance’s reply to criticism on it. From this it will be seen that a good many of the arguments had already been answered by us in these columns in exactly the same way as they have been by Mr Ballance. He told the Opposition plainly that their resolution about reducing the tax on the necessaries of life was pure humbug; that it was the Grey Government Avhicli had reduced the tax on these commodities twelve years ago, that the present Government would reduce it again as soon as possible, and that that would be much sooner than the present Opposition liked. Mr Ballance made a magnificent speech, according to the special correspondents of several papers, and has completely dumbfounded the Opposition. It is to be Imped that they will now realise their position, and cease offering useless opposition to tlie jrogress of business. Resistance js iseless, so they may as well accept he inevitable; their privileges are icing swept from under their feet,

and the more amicably they go to work the better it will be for them. We have no desire for violent mea- I snres of any kind; our idea is that in J all cases reforms must be gradual to' be effective. Forced reforms must lead to reaction ; resistance to reforms for which public opinion is ripe must lead to violent measures. The Liberal who forces reform injures his cause, but the Conservative who resists legitimate progress commits political suicide. There cannot be the slightest doubt but public opinion is ripe for the settlement of the land, and that owners of large estates must before long be prepared for a change. It is nothing short of madness for them to think that in a country where the one-man-one vote principle is in force, and where the cry for cutting up the large estates is so loud and so persistent, they can defy the demands of the people. Such a thing is inconsistent with common sense, and the sooner large landowners realise it the better for themselves. The principle of progressive taxation on land has now been affirmed, and the next step will be a “ bursting-up ” impost. That will ruin the large landownars and disorganise everything for a time, and no one will bs benefited. It is the business of the large landowners to look to this. They have great interests at stake, and it is not by resisting the popular demands that they can conserve them. We have for years advocated a certain way of dealing with large estates, and we hold that it is the best and easiest way to manage so difficult a question. It is that the large estates shall be cut up into small farms and leased on reasonable terms. If their owners have any sense at all they will adopt this course, for in that way the whole thing will be setttled. If, on the contrary, they decide on resisting every effort to settle these estates, they will, without doubt, be sorry for it.

ILL-ADVISED ACTIONS. It appears to us that the persecutors of the Honorable John McKenzie are ill-advised in the course they have adopted towards him. A day has scarcely passed since he took office that lie has not been attacked by someone. First, Mr Spence, exChief Surveyor for Southland, made a violent attack upon him, but Mr McKenzie completely demolished him. Next came Mr Royds, ex-clerk in the Southland Land Office, but Mr McKenzie took no notice of him at all. His friend, Mr Richardson, however, brought the charge made by Mr Royds before Pasliament, when it was proved there was not a word of truth in it. Now we find Mr Valentine coming to the attack by asserting that Duncan Campbell, the ranger whom Mr McKenzie appointed, had been dismissed from the police force for ill-treating a prisoner. This also proved a lie. Then Mr Richardson made certain accusations against Mr McKenzie, and called for returns to prove them. The returns were produced, and Mr Richardson found he had got more than lie bargained for. The returns proved Mr McKenzie right and Mr Richardson wrong. It appears to us that they may as well leave Mr McKenzie alone. No one attempts to attack him without coming off second best. At any rate, it is to be hoped we have heard enough of the Ranger Campbell now. According to Mr McKenzie, the man was dismissed by the late Government because he was doing his duty too faithfully to please the large land-owners of Southland. He has been reinstated by Mr McMenzie, and they are moving heaven and earth now to get him dismissed. It is, however, certain that

it is not by telling lies about him they will do so. They may as well accept the inevitable, and put up with him, at any rate, during Mr McKenzie’s term of office.