SUMMARY FOR EUROPE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 9726, 16 May 1892, Page 3

SUMMARY FOR EUROPE.

OUR LETTER HOME, POLITICAL AND OTHER GOSSIP. TEH LANES. An unprecedented record has been made in the settlement of the lands, no previous year having seen 3700 bond fide settlers o£ the right small type settled on the public lands all in a fair way to do well. The first thing to note about that record is the enormous increase it will before long make in the already immense volume of our exports. The next is that the people are determined to turn their backs on the towns and get on tho lands. The third is that they prefer the perpetual lease to any other tenure. Fourthly, the Government which has settled ever 700 people on freehold tenure, either by cash or deferred payment, is not precisely the Government that wants to abolish all freeholds, including those now existing. Fifthly, tho Government has made good its promises to introduce a better administration of the public lands. Against that it has been said that the Land Act is still the Land Act of Mr Richardson. That is exactly where the superiority comes in of Mr Richardson's successor. The special settlement syetem has been used by the latter to put 1741 people on the land, while the former was afraid to use it at any price.

NATIVE LAUDS. Mr Cadmau has made a good speech to the Natives whenever and wherever he has met them. Even Oppositionists when speaking of his work declare that the " snap ” in his speeches reminds them of Mr Bryce’s best days—comment which, considering the quarter it comes from, is the highest praise. Outside the circle of his own immediate friends Mr Cadman is not known; a general idea prevails that he is a quiet colourless sort of individual whose chief ambition it is to lead a quiet life. The fact, of course, is that the quiet demeanour of Mr Cadman conceals much firmness of purpose and practical good sense. He is in fact a shrewd, capable, energetic man with a very quiet way. His frieuds, who have, of course, known this all along, have not been surprised at the speeches he makes to the Natives. Hia treatment of the King not many months ago, and his moral victory ever the Uriwera people, are instances readily recalling themselves to memory. The latest is his answer to the Ngatimaniopoto people’s request to stop land purchase. "Stop a river! Watch the flow and guard the banks” is the substance of the reply. As it is accompanied with a distinct threat about the cost of the consequence of neglect, in the shape of rates, the answer must be convincing. THE LANDS. At the bottom of this question of Maori lands lies the whole question of the settlement of the country. The best of the Crown Land is occupied, the worst is dwindling away to nothing, while the demand for land to settle upon is growing louder and louder from claimants clamorous, and in numbers increasing by process of immigration and by natural increase. Thera is urgency in the demand because it is urgent that the country should be filled up. Now, the Maori lands are in great quantity and great richness. We advocate nothing that is either hard or unprincipled, when we say that the pressure of circumstances has brought the Native land question to this point. The Native owners must be prepared to utilise their lands or to sell them to those who are, and who in utilising them will contribute rates to the cost of equipping the country for settlement. SIR GEORGE GREY. Hail to tho veteran who has done so much during his long life of unselfish energy for the good of his fellow creatures! It is indeed fitting that on his eightieth birthday he should bo the object of a demonstration, proving with the united force of a grateful people, that ho occupies a unique position among them. How could it be otherwise ? That demonstration is honourable to its object, and honourable equally to the country making it. It reminds the world of the great things Sir George has done as explorer, as Governor of three important Colonies at critical periods of their history, as Prime Minister of New Zealand, as the creator of the Liberal Party, as the one man foremost in pushing the best interests of every country be has ruled—national, social, intellectual. Sir George has loved justice always; he has ever lifted up his voice and employed his thoughts for the many; he has never spared himself when hardship had to be endured or obloquy faced. It is something to have had such a man among us. It is something, too, that such a man is appreciated among us. These are the leading facta of the great demonstration in his honour, which has made every newspaper in the land pleasant reading. MISUNDERSTANDINGS. More than any of his contemporaries, Sir George Grey has been misunderstood, and misunderstanding has been in his case, as in all others, the parent of misrepresentation. Misunderstood he was in South Australia, in his first Governorship, but the South Australians to-day unite in revering nis memory, as they proved not many mouths ago when he went amongst them. Misunderstood he was at the Cape by the Imperial Government, to the point of recall; but the Queen interfered in his favour, and, after his service ended, hia ideas of confederation were eagerly adopted, but it was too late, for even the experience of his friend, Mr Froude, proved unequal to the task. Still no name is held in higher honour at the Cape than that of Sir George Grey. Misunderstood he was in New Zealand in his first Governorship, but no one to-day doubts that he saved the Colony by doing the right .thing always at the right moment, and in the right manner. Neither does anyone doubt that, had his views of the systematic treatment of the Native race been carried out, it would have been better for that people at the present moment. Misunderstood he was in Lis second Governorship, but when his term was abruptly and uncourteoualy cub short by Downing street, both Houses of Parliament passed full and most magnificent resolutions in his honour, thanking him for the part he had taken in upholding the interest of the Colony. He is recognised as the Father of our Constitution, which would havo worked more smoothly had hia plan been adopted in its entirety. La-t’y. ho was misunderstood v. Lcn he rsvo’u!. ,■> ■.-.><i the political world by coming out oi ins honourable leisured retirement into the turmoil of affairs. But all are ready to recognise the justice of his aims, the ability of his far-seeing views, the high tone he has always maintained,

the wide horizons he has always indicated. His failing strength does not permit him to take as active a part in the politics of the country as his abilities deserve, but he has come to tho height of honour in the hearts of a grateful people. May be be long spared to enjoy that unique position, to which no statesman has, in any country, attained during hia life. LORD GLASGOW. The latest of Sir George Grey’s successors is coming in very different style to that which Sir George assumed, nearly half a century ago, when he came here as Captain Grey. Other times, other maimers, as the French say. The first man was the sower, the last is the reaper. That the latter will do hia duty by the Colony, and advance its interests, we all hope and believe. It was a graceful thought of the Government to offer him tho use of the Hinemoa for the voyage across the Tasman Sea; and tho idea has proved as acceptable to the new Governor as it was graceful on the part of the Government. Upon the advantages to him we need not dilate. To the Colony it is a distinct gain that its Governor will be brought direct to the seat of Government, making acquaintance with his responsible advisers before anyone else, with the opportunity of acquiring ail the knowledge concentrated at the centre, before visiting the other parts of the country committed to his care. In that way Lord Glasgow will make a more intelligent acquaintance with New Zealand. Ha will begin well, and that will be a good step into the track which leads to a good ending. THE PREMIER’S SPEECH.

It required bo prophet to tell us that the Premier would, at Feilding, make capital out of the magnificent settlement returns. Mr Ballance never takes what -does not belong to him, wherein he ia unlike some politicians ws might name, but on the other hand'he does not neglect to take his due. Neither did it require a preternatural perspicacity to tell us that he would make a fierce attack on the dual vote. The folly of the dual vote gentlemen is simply this —that they have not discovered that in Great Britain the idea that property can ever claim, or have any right to claim, representation is rapidly passing away. To claim at the present stage so vast a share as the dual vote the Conservative Associations would give it, is to court disaster, and that form of punishment which ia administered by political leaders from public platforms. Neither is it surprising that the Premier should Lave alluded to the necessity of borrowing money for roads and bridges. That suggests itself in every line of the handsome land record of the past year. In all probability the rate cf settlement instead of stagnating will, now that the people know that settlement is getting fast on to the land, increase largely. But that implies a demand for means to get the country ready for settlement by surveys, and reading aad bridging. These things were once the monopoly of the political logroller. It is time to devote them to the settler who can make more than speculative use of them. For that purpose we want money, we want it in no very large quantity, and we can get it in the Colony. t - NEW PLYMOUTH. We do nob sea that the New Plymouth bondholders have auy claim because the Colony has changed its system of Land administration. When’they accepted the security of a land endowment they took that risk moat assuredly. But if they have a claim nevertheless, for the sake of argument let ua say, it will not save them, for this reason: in case of their claim being made good, the Colony would have to pay up the difference between cash and deferred payment on perpetual lease rents, in the case of lands sold in the past and to be sold in the future. But that would not make the breakwater a going concern. Their final remedy ia any case is the remedy of coming upon the rates—not a good one we feel sure, as any one in the district would be able to point out to them. There will be hope if the dredge from Oamaru, now at work on the sandbank, should open a channel which will not again be filled up by the sea. Let us hope in the dredge. SIB JOHN HALL. We recognise the old style, which, having grown by stress of many battles to like the veteran statesman, we would nob miss for the world from our political field. At the outset in his Leeston speech we recognise one of the practices to which he owes the continued—and continued means in such cases necessarily increasing—respect of friend and opponent. It is his frank acceptance of the havoc played by the Boundary Commissioners as the inevitable, out of which no one has any right to make any political capital. The rest of the speech is the speech of a political leader who hasnotmuch ammunition. Examining the missiles he has bad to hurl at the enemy in the general action in which, in obedience to the usual practice, he had to engage the other day, we see at once how poorly supplied his cartridge boxes must have been. A man who is driven to claim credit for the former regime because we have a surplus now must be hard put to it, especially when his plea involves the forgetting by him of his Party’s plea that we are galloping to a deficit. It is a brilliant manoeuvre to change the phrase slightly, and use it again as a weapon by accusing the Government of “gallopingto a loan,” but except to gain the admiration of the onlookers of the game it is not available for anything. About the capital withdrawals he said just enough not to discredit his Party, and fell more than that short of saying anything that can injure the Government. Before that part of the position over which the flag of the Council waved he solemnly set up a man of straw (the charge that the Government wanted to “swamp”), and with brilliant strategy knocked it down, but that did no harm to the position. He could not pass the impregnable position commanded by the Minister for Lands, and manned by all that great new force o£ yeomen, without at least a.feint to attack; so he halted, opened fire, ordered an assault, covered the storming column in the regular way, but when the smoke cleared away after he had drawn off we could seen nothing but a vague suggestion that his troops had found the posi;ion manned by dummies and speculators. The “ feint ” had, in fact, taken the shape of a " reconnaisance.” As he retreated from the attack we heard the firm determination of the chief to hold to the freehold principle; bub we know that the settlers have; their option, and' make themselves happy in their choice. ME SAUNDEES. It fell, very appropriately, to the lot of the member for Selywnto replyto Sir John Hall. That Mr Saunders exposed all the Ciivj ia the fc-b c a.ta,ck tf hie o'.! friend goes without saying; that ho pressed his advantage and established the Ministerial position all along the line may be gathered by a perusal of the report of his speech. It was a great opportunity and Mr

Saunders made the moat of it. Sir John was met at every point. His suggestions and innuendos were demolished by facts and figures, and the exchange of cannonades leaves the Government stronger than ever.