The Tuapeka Times. THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 1871. "Measures, -not Men."

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 153, 12 January 1871, Page 6

The Tuapeka Times. THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 1871. "Measures, -not Men."

In a recent issue of this journal we expressed a hope that the Hundreds Commissioners would not l'ecommend a Hundred to be declared on Mr. Maclean's run. We did so, having no faith whatever in the existence of Hundreds on the goldfields. Our gratification may therefore beimagined wben we found the Commissioners had not recommended the G-overnor to pi oclaim that particular portion of the goldfields into a Hundred. Had the opposite course becu adopted, and a

Hundred been declared, the Grovern-

inent would simply have been placing . /compensation money into tho. hands ■ of the runholder to purc.'^s- the fee *- simple of the very land t icy were withdrawing for the beiuir ij.' people who were prepai % ed to (x.v;^ it as lorajide settlers. ( Last week's " G-azetic / • r.tained a pr<clamation which !»<./ •'/ hailed ■nil h rejoicing bye", -^ ."../eka resi dent who really der y> K. )rosperifc) of the district. > \ depasturing license over 17,36 X l •>. -.8 of Mr.

Maclean's run has been cancelled, and part of it thrown open for sale, and parfc for agricultural leasing. We should have been better pleased had the whole of it been thrown open tinder the leasing regulations ; but the immediate requirements of a portion of the proceeds for revenue purposes, we suppose, made it absolutely necessary for the Government to sell part of the land. The plan, however, of leasing and selling nearly every alternate section will prevent speculators and land sharks from depriving the persevering miner and plodding farm servant of making for themselves a home in our midst. We are in a position to inform our readers that the district has not Mr. Macandrew to thank for this handsome instalment of land for settlement. To Mr. Eeid, we believe, and one or two members of the Executive, who have not yet sold their birthright, is due this coup de grace by which the prospects of Tuapeka for two or three years to come have been cheered as by a new rush. By this step, Mr. Eeid has forcibly shown that land on the goldfields can be thrown open without measure, independent altogether of the bastard and deformed Macandrew Hundreds Act. In these remarks we are only giving credit where credit is due> No doubt this land could not have been thrown open without the Superintendent's consent, but his Honour well knew that his refusal would have added fuel to the fire which had already been kindled so fiercely against him in Tuapeka, and rendered his chance of obtaining a single vote in the district, at the forthcoming election, extremely improbable.

We should like to see the leading journal of Otago adopting one course or another with regard to the Superintendence. Any other than a lukewarm Laodicean policy, if ever desirable, is so at the present time. In an article on the Superintendence, which appeared in that journal a fortnight since, the electors of this province were told that if they wished to see Otago ruined, they had better return Mr. Macandrew, as he would 'accomplish that object better than any other individual tliat could be named. We quite endorsed our contemporary's remarks, believing it to be one of the truest things that could be s lid with regard to the retiring Superintendent. But while the " Daily Times " deprecates Macandrew, it shows a degree of indecision in its support of the opposing candidate, which bears a marked contrast to the ! tou iv i- ?A' [ittxl in ics suppot of

'<r Dick at tl'C last election. Is it o ( ;aiu" ' ha' journal can now say " F «"• iHi A\i increased with goods. need of nothing," that iD stands aloof, and has so little to say either for or against Mr. Reid 1 ; or is it thac the " Times " Company Limited are afraid of the Reid policy — afraid that, if elected, he will strike a death blow at sqnatterdom — make the miners and the clodocrats, as the agriculturists have beenteimed, the ruling power in the province] and thus affect the pockets of the Limited Company. Give us, we say, clods in preference to snobs, any day; the former can be utilised, but the latter are nothing but excrescences in the body politic, or parasites sapping the life blood of the country. We never saw it better yet with a Limited Liability Newspaper Company. The editor finds he cannot worship both God and Mammon. He has too many masters looking over his shoulder, and is obliged to write to order, even against his conscience, if he happens to be endowed with such a commodity. In these i*emarks we believe can be found the secret of the milk and water policy of the l< Otago Times." It is not to be wondered at that the " Evening Star " should be going mad in its advocacy of Macandrew or any other body, for what else can be expected — during dog days — from Mr. Driver's mongrel cur. If a man would write independently, without fear or favour, and careless of the smiles or frowns of any man, or class of men, lie must, like Benjamin Franklin, be prepared to exist and thrive on sawdust puddings; or as Dickens has it, on "diluted pincushions." Unfortunately for the editors of the " Otago Times " and the Dunedin " Star," and what is still worse for the province at large,usuch humble fare is too course for the delicate stomachs of these gentlemen.