THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1891. THE GOVERNOR.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2283, 21 November 1891, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1891. THE GOVERNOR.

We cannot forget the part Lord Onslow played in making the recent appointments to the Legislative Council. The Press of the colony with extraordinary unanimity protested against the appointments ; the Honorable Mr Ballance as leader of the Opposition, also entered his protest and gave as his reason that the then existing Government party were in a minority, and had no right to tender advice. The very fact that the Premier was one of those nominated was sufficient to show Lord Onslow that the Ministry were de facto defunct, and consequently constitutionally unfit to tender him advice. Notwithstanding these facts staring him in the face he accepted the advice tendered him, and made the appointments, and in that way not only did wrong but put this colony to a great deal of expense. The colony must pay the honoraria of these six councillors for life, and in consequence of their appointment the present Government must appoint another six, if not three times six councillors, to enable them to carry their measures. We regret Lord Onslow was a party to this most disgraceful transaction. It is a pity his colonial career, which otherwise would have been unique in point of popularity has this one blot on it. He was misled, no doubt, by the most unscrupulous, corrupt, and designing set of men that ever administered the affairs of any country, and he will doubtless carry with him an nnsavory memory of them. We can find this excuse for him. He fell into bad company, and naturally had to suffer through it. But notwithstanding that we cannot forget the Legislative appointments, we do not hesitate to express regret at learning that he is leaving the colony. If he has made a political blunder he certainly has made up for it socially, in which respect he has shown a clear conception of his duties. The Governor is the connecting link in the chain which binds this colony to the mother country, and it is absolutely necessary that that link should not cause an undue amount of friction. Lord Onslow evidently realises this to the fullest extent; he has done his best to make himself agreeable to every section of the community, he has, so to speak, distributed himself all over the colony, and nowhere has he shown any objectionable exclusiveness. No one could be more affable or less exclusive than Lord and Lady Onslow have been during their time in the colony, and it is no exaggeration to say they will carry with them the 'good wishes of the people ef New Zealand as a whole, when they return to their home. But that is a small affair compared with the services he has rendered to the colony by the way he has advertised our frozen mutton, an account of which appears in another column. That very act of His Excellency is worth many times his salary to us, as '• now that the meat has been pronounced by all to be equal, if not superior, to the best English mutton, it must result in better demand and better prices being obtained for it. The stamp of the mint has now been placed on our mutton, it has got the best advertisement it could possibly get; it has been brought under the notice of epicures and connoiscurs, and the result must be profitable. The advantage now gained ought to be followed up, and this can only be done by the meat growers of New Zealand sending home someone who will look after their interests in a practical way. It is monstrous that our mutton should be sold for one third the price of English mutton when the quality is the same, and if the growers of it act in concert, and with proper intelligence they need not submit to be robbed as they have been in the past. His Excellency the Governor has put them on the right road, and if they do not keep ou it the fault is their own.

MR ELWORTHY'S ESTATE. The Timaru Herald of Thursday morning says : "We learn that Mr Elworthy has. purchased the Messrs Burt's Craigmore Estate, 5500 acres of land and all the stock thereon at a price that has been withheld, but we understand that the amount paid is a very high figure, and shows how valuable land in South Canterbury is." Now Mr Elworthy had we are given to understand about 60,000 acres of land before purchasing this property. He is one of those whom Mr Scobie McKenzie calls the " submerged tenth of New Zealand," the poor unfortunate creatures who are so , badly off at present and will we are told be ruined by the new taxation. Now here is proof positive that the I new taxation will not burst up the large landowners, or injure them to I any appreciable extent. If it were so Mr Elworty would not add 5500 acres to his already enormous estate. Farmers ought to reflect on this. Their sons are growing up : they will soon be requiring some land for themselves, but if men like Mr Elworthy are allowed to monopolise the land in this way, where will they get the land to settle on? No where. The land will soon be all taken up, and there will not be any chance for farmer's sons to get homes of their £

own. They must earn their living as workmen for the large land owners. That is the prospect for fanners sons, and serve them right for not looking after their own interest properly. There is no way of dealing with large estates except one, and that is to compel the owners to lease them at a reasonable rental. By that means the land will be settled in a manner that will be beneficial to the country without involving any financial risks, and no wrong will be done to owners.