The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA : FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1890.

Clutha Leader, Volume XVI, Issue 831, 20 June 1890, Page 5

The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA : FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1890.

Ik consequence of misconceptions that iiave got abroad regarding the purport of the address recently delivered by the Hon. Mr Fergus at Queenatown, ■and the extent to which his utterances have been misrepresented, he has ■deemed it advisable to ipnt himself right with the public. With this viewhe has, through the medium of the press, given, full explanations on the several points of public policy treated of by him when addressing his constituents. In doing this he has only done a wise and right thing. It is the duty of every representative Government to take the public fully and freely into confidence, and it has been a blot upon every Ministry that has yet had control of the affairs of the Colony that they have allowed party interests to come between them and a full understanding with the. pnblic. It has been the practice for Ministers to keep their policy and actions as secret as possible so as to prevent their opponents gaining an advantage before the battle-ground had been selected and the forces mustered. In this way the interests of the public have too often been sacrificed merely for party nnd personal purposes. So far as Mr Fergus is concerned, however, he has been thoroughly outspoken, and has plainly explained his opinion regarding the points with which he dealt. We publish elsewhere his explanation on one of these points — viz., the roading of Crown lands. Our readers, especially those in the Catlins district, will read this explanation with interest. They know that in the past the present -Government have dealt fairly, if not liberally, with the district. . True they iiave not pushed on the railway with the promptitude that was expected, and it is difficult for people to understand that the delays that have been allowed were necessary seeing funds were provided and ear-marked for the work by the loan of 1886. However, work has again been resumed on the railway, and provided it is now pushed on to completion we will •all be quite willing to overlook tind forget the past. The Government have done a good 'deal in the way of supplying funds for making the ordinary roads to and through the district. And Mr Fergus' explanation indicates an intention of carrying out yet heavier works in the locality — viz., a macadamised road through the forest from Catlins to Waikawa. We quite agree with Mr Fergus that it would be the height of folly to put small settlers, or, indeed, settlers of any sort into this bush without giving them the means of communication with the outer world. It would he bad policy on the part of the Government— it would simply be throwing away the public estate, because without roads it would only sell at a mere nominal price, whereas were suitable roads opened up before sale the land would bring in a handsome revenue, while at the same time the purchasers would be able to live and do well upon the land. Many years have elapsed — we should not like to say how many — since we have advocated the opening up of all Crown lands by roads prior to sale, charging the cost against the revenue to be derived from their sale. Many advantages would accrue from the adoption of this policy. Tho land would bring a much higher price, while the purchasers would be able from the first to utilise and profit by. the land. Roads have to be made sometime or other, either before or after sale, before the land can be profitably occupied, and it would be better for all concerned that they should be provided before sale. This would, of course, necessitate funds being raised temporarily to meet the cost of the roads, but we can see no objection to this being ■done by the issue of debentures payable out of the proceeds of the sales of the lands benefited by such roads. This is wteit Mr Fergus proposes to do, and so far as the lands in this district referred to by him are concerned, he cannot too soon put his scheme into practice.