THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1891.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2277, 7 November 1891, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1891.

THE MINISTER OP LANDS. In last Wednesday’s issue of the Christchurch Press there are two leading articles, neither of which had any reference to the present Ministry. We think it right to chronicle this, as it is seldom the Press appears without articles vilifying and slandering Mr Ballance and his colleagues. Is is therefore worthy of record that it gave them one day’s rest, and no doubt its readers will appreciate the novelty. But the Press could not completely ignore the Ministry. It had a note on the Hon. Mr McKenzie’s visit to Oxford, and wanted to know why that district was selected for the infliction of a speech by him. It then went on to make some illnatured remarks about him, and wonnd up by saying that henceforward people would try to get Mr McKenzie to the train in time, so that he would not lose it, and that they would not have to bear the infliction of having to listen to his speeches. We sympathise with the Press. This jpfit to the Oxford district was a severe blow to it. The Press has been painting Mr McKenzie in very uninviting colors, picturing him as a terrible ogre, in fact, and it was very hard on it to find the people at its own door receiving the gentleman with open arms. What greater proof of the popularity of the Minister of Lands need be sought than that on the spur of the moment, without sea- cely any previous notice, a dinner is got up in a public schoolhouse in honor of him, to which eighty residents sit down with him. This is a large number to be present in a country district, and the fact that they assembled at such a short notice proves that they are in entire accord with the Minister of Lands. Then, when it became known that he had missed the train, he was asked to address a meeting ; he consented, and in a few minutes the hn.ll was crowded, and he received a splendid ovation. All this is very hard on the Press, as it proves that it has very little influence. It has stopped at nothing to abuse, belie, and libel the Minister of Lands, but, in spite of all, the people recognise that in Mr McKenzie they have a true friend, who will leave nothing undone to advance their interests. He is undoubtedly greatly handicapped by his Land Bills having been rejected by the Legislative Council. The Bill which affepted Canterbury most was the Land for Settlement Bill. That Bill was intended to enable the Government to purchase large estates and settle the people on them. The Legislative Council flung it out, and consequently Mr McKenzie cannot do as he would like. If that Bill passed he intended to go in vigorously for cutting up large estates, but he cannot do it, owing to the action of the Council. A small measure, however, passed, which will enable him to do a little in the way of settlement, That BUI is “The Educational Endowments and Reserves Exchange Act,” which gives him power to get control of the education reserves by giving the trustees of them land of equal value in some other part of the colony. Under this Act he means to do his best, but most of the reserves are leased, and the trustees may refuse to give l>im control of them. Thus he is beset by difficulties everywhere, but we trust he will eventually be able to overcome them.