The Tuapeka Times. SATURDAY, JUNE 20,1868. " Measures, not Men"

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 19, 20 June 1868, Page 2

The Tuapeka Times. SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 1868. " Measures, not Men"

We publish in another column a copy of the Memorial to his Honor the Superintendent, which has been drawn up, we 1 understand, by the Opposition Members of the Provincial Council, praying that his Honor will be pleased to recommend to his Excellency the Governor to grant a dissolution of the Provincial Council with the least possible delay. The memorial, as may be seen, is drawn up in very temperate language, and expresses what we feel convinced is the true state of feeling throughout the Province. It is short but' comprehensive; it touches only upon three points — Ist. That the present state of parties in the Council renders it impossible for any Government to carry on satisfactorily the business of the country. 2nd. That Mr. Vogel's Government have retained office by an insufficient majority. 3rd. That the present and future prosperity of the Province depends, upon the faithful administration of the Land Laws, and that Mr. Vogel's Government is likely to alienate the lands of the Province from their legitimate use, namely, the settlement of the present population, the encouragement of immigration, and the construction and maintenance of remunerative public works. It. is almost unnecessary to state that we sympathise .entirely with the memorial, and trust that every elector who has the welfare of the Province at heart will gladly sign it. Paragraphs first and second of the memorial speak for themselves, and as forthe third, every sitting during the

session of Council just closed made the fact more and more evident that Mr. Vogel's administration of the Land Laws of the Province was diametrically opposed, either to the settlement of the present population, or to its increase by immigrationWe have not the shadow of a hope in the permanent prosperity of Otago under the existing Government, and our reasons for advocating a dissolution of the Council can be found in the fact that the Government will require to undergo a miraculous change or belie the whole of their past career, before they will either declare the land into Hundreds, or open up those blocks of several runs on the goldfields, set apart for the carrying out of the agricultural leasing system — a system which has hitherto worked admirably, notwithstanding the many drawbacks every applicant experiences in wrenching from the government his right to a small section, even after he has paid the j necessary deposit to entitle him to ! it. We have on several occasions referred to the opening up for settlement of the rich valley of the Molyneux, from the Beaumont to the Teviot ; we have also referred to the numerous applications for agricultural leases on the runs of Messrs. Smith and Treweek, the opening up of which would bring a large population to that part of the country, where the land is rich and in every respect adapted to agricultural purposes ; and it is because we are firmly convinced that while the present government exists, not a single step will be taken towards the accomplishment of this end, that we advocate an immediate dissolution of the Council. It is very well known that between the Beaumont and the Teviot somewhere about 20,000 acres are reserved for agricultural leasing ; it is also known to a good many people that a deputation from the Teviot waited upon his Honor the Superintendent some months since, with reference to the opening up of that land, or part of it, and the reply his Honor gave to the deputation was very encouraging. It was this, that the land would be granted on the leasing system at a trifling compensation to the run- j holders. Our readers will be almost inclined to doubt our words, although we make the statement upon authority which cannot be gainsayed, that the trifling compensation is as follows: — One squatter, whose run borders the Molyneux, asks live shillings an acre ; and another asks nine shillings. We might ask the latter squatter why he did not add one shilling more to his request, that he might have gone south, by the Mataura, and bought 5000 acres freehold, and thus have got a small run at a gift. These demands, as compensation, are so absurd, that there can be no doubt that the Government and the runholders are simply attempting to befool the people. That a dissolution is urgently required we firmly believe ; and we, can see no necessity why his Homor the Superintendent should not be subjeqt to the same test as the members of Council. The resolutions bearing upon this point brought hefore the Council by the Provincial Secretary, we look upon as nothing else than an attempt to delay the day, which is rapidly approaching, when the great cry of " Land for the people and people for the land," will be responded to by the Government, whether willing or unwilling. So far as we are concerned, it matters little whether we are ruled by the General or the Provincial Government ; but while we have a Provincial Government which is in accordance with the Constitution Act of the country, let it be one to represent the people, for whose welfare it is supposed to exist; not a government like the present one, which only lives to trample upon the most sacred [rights and thwart the dearest , wishes of its subjects. W