PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1898. THOSE TABLES AGAIN.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 9303, 6 September 1898, Page 2

PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1898. THOSE TABLES AGAIN.

Had ib nob beon for the unheard of unfairness of the Government) in forcing their limp majority so iuiliob upon tho GadersofHam>ardthewrongofboingaompolled to look on the picture of tho landgreed of one man instead of on that of tho bhreo greatest griiHrouern tho colony has aoen— Sir John Hall, tho Lion. VV. 0. Walker, and tho Minisbur and his relatives— we should nob have returned to a Bubjeob that by this time bho public might bo Hxyen'od to be gotling tired of. But under tho oiroumstancps we <>re jwstl Cod in forcing the Minister for Innd political cWAlo*tions on the notice of th 0 neonle* Oor p»rHamo»taiy correspondent has Ud ub chab Mr Soobie Mtookenaio threw life and intorent into a weary debate on the Financial ibtatemonb by a slashing speech in which ho fairly mopped tho floor with tho Budgob of tho Treasurer and tho lands statement of the Hon. J. M'Konzle Ib is nob difficult to conceive of the accuracy of this when It is romotn bered that Mr Maokoi.zio spoke of th moral slouch into whioh the colony, b bhe administration of tho dovernmen had fallen during tho past bis or seven years. By the simple process of under, estimating revenue and ovoroBtimUltig expenditure, and therefrom manufacturing a surplus, the Soddon Governing;- aotempted to divert tho attention of tho noople from bhe foulness and corruption that might oxiab beneath. But ,it waa in dealing with the Hon. Joho M'KeBZioa boasted land settlement progress tha> the senior member for Dunedin was even more effective. HUd Mr M'Konzie loft others alone it) is quite possible be woul'] hwe boon left aloue bo plant •♦settlers on tho uninhabitable bush lands of the North Island ; but hav'ng gone to war ho miftb take tho connequenoeB. With a magnifioent stroke of oomprehen siveness Mr Soobio Mackenzie pub in four Knee, the result of land settlement for tho last 20 years. Wo cannot do better than give Mr Mackenzie'* own table, which demonstrates the position mosb aoourately: A g ***** 111 llrPi \* < < n fr> \ HaU-AUcinson ... 6 3J31 fiO 3181 iBtout^Vogel ... 4 2301 132 2169 Atkinson ... * 2J20 200 1926 [fiSlio-Seddon 7 21 W 498. 1011 But that is nob all. Mr Mackenzie could have pointed oub that notwithstanding the facilities whioh the Minister of Lands hm had foe fcho settlement of ppoplo on the land undar his Laud for Settlements Act by whioh ho is given large powers for rho purchase of big j estates for closer settlement, for tho j la*b bhree years the forfeibureo and surrenders have been startling in their enormity. Indeed, if tho rate of decline goes on as ib is doing under the admlnis tvation of the lion. John M'Konzie, land .'.settlement wi " bavo ceased altogether. I ©ub lot; us give tho figures token from his 1 own statement*. It 1896 hn claimed t>.> \iave settled 2504 people on the land, but i,a that year there were 891 forfeitures m A surrenders j in 1897 Mr M'Konaie da/mfd to have settled 1735 now settlors, but 314 forfeited or surrendered ; and iu I 1898 tho hoo, gentleman openly avowod | ho put iC39 people on the land, bub 704 either forfeited or surrendered. Ib m*y be saia \Mb the jnumber of forfolburea and samudera' fihows a deoronse; bub the number of new Babblers showa a decline also, and tl'id increase in the decline of forfeitures is greater than the deoline of new settlers, eo thifc tbo proportion of forfeitures Ib every year growing greater than the deoline of new settlers. Unless a ohange is effected th« rosulb wdl be thib very few people will settle on bhe laud ab all. The Hon. John M'Kenzje k'M spoob nearly » million of money in buying land foe closer eettlemenb He h*s «atabliehed new systems, yob It i» manifest that under his new systems (all o'f his fjy/n invention) tho forfeitures and Bu'wendora are greater then under the Byvfteuis promoted by hie predecessors, although joondomued, yob continued by himself. As a land administrator the lion". John MT'Ketuste has nob been the saoceiW we were led io beli«ve. All his eoliomea are eysbems ol raok-ronting and embanwsmenfc. He would rent-grind! sebfclers for 999 years, bub ho eschews the tyBbem Rov himself and family,