MR GEORGE HUTCHISON.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 7737, 10 June 1892, Page 2

MR GEORGE HUTCHISON.

(Manawatu Standard.).

It is amusing to notice how this political turncoat is oopying tho platform methods of the Tories he is prepariug to associate with next aession in dwelling upon the injustice done to the poor working m»n by the proponed land laws, and at tho same litre decrying these vory men when they hare the audacity to become memberi of special settlement associations. No district in the colony has seeu more of these settlements formed than ws havo in Palmeraton, and we are sura that the members will be ahjo to form a Iruo estimate of the nature of the politician who slanders thorn in the way Mr Hutchison did at Normanby hot Saturday. Ho said— "The associations were formed :n this way : Soce energetic individual weno round imd collected a number of signatures, and from each cither got or was otherniso provided with a sum of 10s in respect of eii»h, until ho had obtained a maximum of 55 members, and thnt wai sufficient to take up a block not exceed11,003 aores. Tho Os per head wai lent to Wellington, and tho association was allowed to indicate roughly the partioular block of land that it wished to take up, and as soon as possible the Ministry proceeded to have that block surveyed into sections averaging not more than 2CO acres, but as they had heard, in fact not more than 140 aorcf. No practical test of the system had yet beon applied, but as far as he could ascertain the cost of laying off those small sections would be very expensive; and whilo those who drew good seotions would endeavour, not with great succast, to make homos for themselves on such miserable areas, thoso who drew inferior sections would not waste their lime in going upon the land, preferring to forfeit their 10s. The scheme must fail owing to the initial difficulty of tho area being icalequate for the maintenance of a colonist," If there was not much moro truth in Mr Hutchison's charges against the members of the last Ministry than there is in this extract iL does not say much for the veracity of the member for Waitotara. As far as Iho Associations formed here ore concerned, \vn say that the assertions arc absolutely untrue, and we are convinced the sumo can be said of thoao formed in the part of tlio Wiutotira electorate where that member received his strongesttupport, viz , Hunlervillo. It sroms a pity that a man in such a responsible r osition should have so little regard for tho ordinary ethics of public life as to slander many of his constituents who .lie endeavouring to obtain tho independence ho prates about, and wo much mistake the eettlcri of this coast if they do nof send t' eir present member to the rightabout after uext election.