THE MINISTER OF LANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1902, Page 2

THE MINISTER OF LANDS.

SEVEEE CRITICISM

(By Telegraph—Special to "Star.")

CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday

The "Lyttelton Times" is particularly severe on the Minister of Lands on account of an assertion made by him at Lawrence on Tuesday to the effect that it was impossible for the Government to acquire land for settlement purposes, because the owners of suitable properties demanded unduly high prices, and that when the matter was submitted to arbitration the judges sided with the land-own-ers, with whom they had sympathy. The "Times," after declaring that the Minister of Lands is not so eminently successful, makes a statement that he can afford to disregard the ordinary canons of decency in his utterance, and that his administration of the Lands Department has been deplorably weak and inefficient; that of all the members of the Cabinet he undoubtedly was the least competent and the least progressive. The "Times" also says: "The Minister of Justice the other day had to administer a sharp rebuke to an irresponsible officer of a Labour Union, who made an attack upon a Judge of Supreme Court, and now we have a Minister of the Crown making a charge quite as serious and quite as ■unwarranted against the administration of justice in the colony. If the adjudicators in land cases are to be liable to attacks of this kind by the Minister 'of Lands, we shall soon have them declining: to consider any case in which his department is interested. The colony is already tired of the gross mismanagement and lack of energy in the department, •and the public are in no mood to pardon the wild and baseless assertions of the Minister." DUNEDIN, this day. Apropos to the Minister of Lands' remarks at Lawrence re land settlement at Tuapeka, the "Star" says that the Premier made the greatest mistake in his official career when he took Mr. Duncan into the Cabinet, and unless he effectually puts the stopper on the foolishly indiscreet utterances of his colleagues he will yet have cause to regret that he was induced to make such a palpably stupid appointment. After cordially approving of the "Lyttelton Times'" strictures on Mr. Duncan's utterances, the article concludes: "So mischievous are the charges and insinuations of the Minister against the administration of justice in the colony that decided action should forthwith be taken, and Mr. Duncan politely requested to resign his portfolio. If the Premier takes the right view of the extreme gravity of the situation he will without hesitation adopt this course. It is not the case of a valued public servant committing an isolated indiscretion, but of a weak and inefficient Minister letting his tongue loose and trying to cover his incapacity by grossly defaming His Majesty's judges In respect to the execution of their duty.