Page 2 Advertisements Column 6

Otago Daily Times, Issue 362, 17 February 1863, Page 2

they have but-to a limited extent fulfilled the objects 'oft.lieir framers. Speculators have not been deterred from stepping between the bona fide cultivator and the Government; liufc on the contrary, many a poor man has been ileprived of tlie pioee of land, which he Imd applied for witlt'thc full intention of immediate settlement: upon it with his family, through having had to compete for it with a speculator at a Government sale. I :ittribute the partial failure in the working of our Land Regulations chiefly to two causes—lst. The mode which the Provincial Council adopted (bat to which I strongly objected) of attempting to protect the bond fide cultivator from the mere speculator, by means of conditions and restrictions, which 1 then plainly told the Council could never be enforced ; and secondly, the i»ci cased demand for agricultural land, which has induced competition to an extent almost sufficient (with the limited supply of-available land open for sale) to drive the small capitalists out of the market. _ I firmly believe that the only sufficient checks against land monopoly will be found in raising the price to its market value, and the imposition of a Land Tax. ' Apart from the faultineas of oui present Land Regulations in matters of detail, it is quite clear that they haye .been..unequally administered. Sometimes a large quantity of land has becu thrown into the market —at other times land suited for agriculture has been almost unobtainable. The consequence has been that speculators have purchased, knowing tliat they •would be able to realise at. a profit, before fresh land was offered, for sale by the Government. Nothing tends more to defeat the Land Speculator than, to enable those who really require the land for (he purposes of cultivation to purchase direct from the Government. 1 feel convinced that by an augmentation in the price of the land, the imposition of a reasonable Land Tax, aud by keeping the market constantly supplied with land in suitably sized allotments, we shall find the greatest protection from injurious speculation, whilst we shall not be humiliated. by the knowledge that men calculated to become valuable colonists, alter having realised.a competency on our gold fields, have to retire.into neighboring Provinces to obtain land whereon to settle, which they are unable ,to acquire in Otago. ! ■ The-Hundretss system.has no doubt been of much value to the settlers, but I believe it would in the future prove more valuable than it has been if the proclamation of Hundreds could be made to depend more upon the actual .requirements of the people, than upon' the opinions of an individual. Gentlemen, you may rely upon/ my word. * and I hope, also, upon my common sense, that if I am elected, it will be my object to encourage settlement, and I shall not attempt to make political capital by talking about the Land Regulations, and at the same time stand by to see scores of sturdy.intending settlers condemned to seek in other Provinces the land denied to them in this. .No change in our Land Laws com hensurate with our requirements can be effected before the new Council meets. Could it be otherwise we should be dealing unfairly with that Council and. with their constituents, if we refused ta hear them in a matter of so great importance. Let the principles which I have indicated be Inviolately adhered to, and I believe that your new Superintendent, and Council, whoever they may be, will prove themselves as competent to deal wi'h the Land Question as your present or previous Legislators are or have been. There are other questionsof more or leas importance to-which I beg permission briefly to direct your .-attention. The question of Immigration from Great Britain is one of those which perhaps claim our most earnest attention. Our social fabric, such as it. is, has been, mainly raised from this source, and upon its Lcon- . tinuatice must we chiefly rely for a constant, addition to our population of tho?e inclined to permanently settle in the country. The system of receiving guarantees from settlew in the Colon}', for the passages of their friends aDd relations, is especially deserving of. continuaace. Under very slight restrictions, aud with ordinary management, nothing1 enn tend more surely towards a : profitable' occupation of the soil, or the consolidation of society. . , ' Another'question of much importance is an efficient representation of the Province in Great Britain.; So far as arrangements are required for carrying on immigration from Scotland alone, the present agency there is probably all that could be desired. But the Province requires something more. A powerfully influential representation in London is absolutely necessary for general purposes of Provincial interest, and particularly, is it necessary in regard to our public financial transactions, which before long must necessarily be conducted on a large scale. ; Direct Steam Communication with Great Britain is also demanded by our present circumstaiices. Eighteen months have now elapsed sines the discovery of our gold fields, during which: time gold to tlie value of upwards of two and a half millions sterling has been exported from the Province ; and yet it is no more astonishing'than true that Otago is yefc scarcely known in Great Britain as a gold producing colony. The reason is obvious. Our gold, with the exception ot a few parcels shipped direct by the Bank of New South Wales, ha* gone to% England ?r'a Victoria, and has consequently simply swelled the exports of that colony 'he credit even of its production being attributed to Otago. Were regular direct steam communicarion established with Great Britain, we should be enabled to take our proper position. Our monthly direct Gold Export would prove a perpetual advertisement of the Province, which would be cheaply purchased by the payment of a large subsidy. " : Tlie deplorable. condition of our roads, bridges, ferries, and public buildings is a subject upon which I cannot touch without .implying, censure upon our present Government to an extent that I would be* glad ■to avoid. You are, however, probab'y as well acquainted with these matters as I am. You know that another summer has well nigh passed away, and you know what advantage lyis been taken of it to, provide for the necessities of!.winter. I desire to inn,ko no cQiuments upon known facts as they apply to, ■ these subjects; let • them speak with you for themselves. . ■ " (ieiitlpmen, I must now for the present take leave of. you. I have endeavored to be as explis"^ upon those questions to which I have referrQd as ih,s time I have had to place my views before you has permitted. .1 have designedly ecmoealed nothing, aiid if I have not made mysplf sufficiently understood. Lean only repeat ray previous assurance that I shall readily ahbrd the fullest explanation of iriy view,s on any subject if called upon by you so to do. I now leave the matter iv your hands. If you do me the honor to elect me as your Superiutendent, I shall endeavour to justify your choice.: Should you show a preference for any other candidate, I shall be. satisfied that you have acted rightly, I have the honor to v<wH Gentlemen, .■••.' Your obedient servant, • JOHN HYD.E HARMS, Dunedin, February 13, 1863. Lost, Found, So LOST OR STCiLKN from Tuapeka, a Chestnut riding Horse, branded C under half circle, near shoulder. If stolen, £10 will be paid upon ppnvictian of the offender; if strayed, £5 on such information as will lead to its recovery; apply.James Mitchell, Bellamy Station, Tuapjka. - • ■ ■ £2'REWARD. LOST from Pelichet Bay, Dark Bay Mare, Uaok points, white strip on face, D under mane, ofj" side*,; Kejd and Suiter, Walker-street. FJVB'. POUNDS REWARD.—Lost, from look, at Point, Caversham, on the 20th October, a smal blaok draught mare, 4 years (rising 5 years), with nree white feet, white star on forehead, long sv/iU i tail, and mane in good condition. Seen at Look-, out?,'int. on Sunday last, and missed on Monday morning. Any person giving information to John Sibbald, Prince'wstreet, will receive the above reward. FOUND; a Terrier Bitch. Apply to Wallach Brother.-, Maelaggan-street. T7IOUND, in the immediate neighborhood of the JJ Long Ford, Matuura, a Bay Mare, without any visible brands. The owner can have her by paying expenses on application to the Undersigned. It' not claimed .within the space of one month from this date she will be sold to defray expenses. ■ (Signed) AYir-LUM JOHiNSTON, Shepherd on Captain Boyd's R;UA, Matftura.' Dated February 4, 1863. ' ' ii O REWARD.—StoIen, on Wednesday, 26th day 'ob/V of November,-from the residence of W. H. Cutt° j Esq., Anderson's Bay, a Cuttle Dog, large size co or, yellow; with white on the neck, breast and le^,iiiittle rough about the face; answering to the name of Tweed. He was Been to be.led away with a flax string, by a lad of 15 or 16 years of age, who was carrying a bundle of flax, and walking bnre. foot, with his boots hung over hi«. s-honlder, and whet was travelling in the direction of Tomahavi k VaHey, PorioU'ilo, or the East Harbor. The above rev,-ai^ will be paid to any papon giving su,ch mfbauatipa as will lefvd to, conviction of tlie offender, or the t,i covery of the dpg. CAOTIOW. STOLEN, a Clique for £74 12s 6d, dated 29tk. February, 18G3, in favor of Win, Easton, drawn, by Thompson, Taylor, and Co., on the Bank of New Zealand, Oamaru.