OLD PETER PIPER ON THE LAND LEAGUE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 38, 31 October 1868, Page 3

OLD PETER PIPER ON THE LAND LEAGUE.

(To the Editor of the Tuapeka Times.)

Sir, — I should be greatly obliged if you could possibly enlighten me oh what are the intentions- of the Land. .League.! <Not being invited I "am not in the secret, and I cannot, gather from the proceeding up to this .point; how much "it intends" to 'accomplish. I ' d^f't blam£fthe:£a^or l |if the "T/riap*eka "TlmeV' or" any other man/Hfer neglecting to send me an invitation; 4t»twouJ4^be-equally wrong to give ' "you credit for all the good done in the neighbourhood as tp^charge you with. all'tHe omissions. 'I believe in every man getting, land for his cash,' if he! ; wishes toTras ; "aa'd; "I"'be]|e^e also irt the< seller .selling a'tea-fair pneb as long as he has any land for< sale; and if, • Itibat! is 'jyour.. object" — or rather the object of the. League — then I cordially . agj.^e, wit L.it sp far-, what-about I Jjdi ;tnef .mexiibers s'.5 '. .what are you going to do with the many thousands which your subscriptions 1 S&tf auiounfc "to when you get every! j' man Jack "in Ota^Q (§x.cejptjng.the' • squatters^TO-jdnrydu^? youMhtend to apply the proceeds to the .. -purchase -of -4he leases of -certain runa which it might be desirable to obtain ? ilf-thatihpthe-'eaise;' then'you;lare good fellows indeed, .and r you deserve the of Otago, and of the people generally. ..Q^.lxaY&jco.u. another object in view — ;. in the- bringing "out" of certain* ■ M.jg:@.^B iw^Mpj'fse^OC^op'r^Bjit the in(-eresi,s of their constituents on tho uoldfiolds ? I presume that •if i r-jos*^ .'Vf-utr.-men are so cc*jr)i].»t as ,t;Of, j ikvc-w z sop at. ttic Ij'-jbJ 1 * ni^ithcy U$ jzL^mihti^fltfmiJJzik&Ll w&veramentf

(I place the former of the Governments first, as they are, despite their short comings, the better of the two) they can be bought out of their present position. I don't Bee that" you Cap cajole or them 'of 'their.. position. We have-known' 1 gentlemen of high honoufi-«pho would, and have, refliffnedj*u.pQn »«,#.> requisition- Jifti-rjg presented to tnenr to do so, wnen thojt> ceased to^'^r^sfflQ.^tgei^Qjid^'and wiu^ of their constituency. But those gea : - noi' *any .likeTjthe.m, JterTSTtsylr^ been in ..ptago-r^have; aiev.er jßnj'oy^d* the, sweet) br.ead ,andl butter of ,ou# Provincial. Executive. ' There is. still a' thirjl idea, if neither' of the v two former ones are , on the "card," and that is this :* "to employ a first-class, upright, •honest man .'(none., of your travelling pedla,rs) to go through theßrovine'o:to -agitate -the question, . and •to form branch land leagues all over., the - Province. _ I -believe, in a healthy agitation on a public, .question of I 'this nature, and thi^'is one* in wh'iel^ \ we^are ailimmediately interested. " "WTien'onde the elective mind gets' hold. 'of t a great question' like.' this,' they J cari put 'any peddling schemers to iiight. Any man who has a- hoof ; "or wishes to have any, join the Land League-; every 'merchant, every banker, every citizen of Otago -who fmay hav.e ,-it t in-. contemplation some day^ to become a landed, proprietor, jdr who may be inclined to send for their friends from the over-peopled, land-lock n ed homo ' country, all, every one should join, arid give' their mite towards' bringing <■ 'down 'tHat great influence whicVhaia obtained ' so much of I;he .public-atate. ■_■ .It>;is the same influence which has depopulated large villages in the Highlands of Scotland,, and trans'formedlarge tract's of "country into .huge sl^eeg walks deer parks. And' such will" be the case in Otagd if the electors are.-careless and-apathetic. Tho prosperity of our Province de- : .pends much -on the-, produce' of) ; 6ur goldfields ; but our very existence is' at • stake in- the- withholding' of- land frpmjthe, market.; . .are interestpd ' in keeping every shilling in Otago; and: tbe Groye^nment should > bid as as possible, irt order _ to., induce "capitalists remain with us ; ' The 'Government should not wait' ''for a ' pressure from without in this matter ; [■they should rather takei the 1 , lead and Qpen ,up the ; -give^eyery child born in the country forty acres. If this plan were adopted, and 'if your Land League is powerful enough to bring it about, we snail yet be a people f '< grbat; glorious,' • and^-fitee I ."— I f '<am,

,;• ,-'-,. ' ; QiiD Peteb Pepeb.c "Wetherstones Braes, ," 4( p Oct. 28, 1868.,