THE OMARAMA RUNS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16238, 23 November 1914, Page 4

THE OMARAMA RUNS.

The Opposition candidate for Otago Central has not stood to his guns with respect to the claim that he had discovered "the greatest land scandal in the history of the country.'' Unable to make good the allegations that were brought forward by him he has taken refuge in an inglorious silence. His flamboyant challenge to ourselves has not been prosecuted by him. His inability to proceed with it "places him, however, in an unenviable plight. He undertook to prove certain statements, all relating to questions of fact, or else to withdraw from the contest for Otago Central and incidentally to forfeit & contribution to a patriotic fund. He has made no effort to prove these statements. He has contented himself with putting forward (various assertions, which he said he was in a position to substantiate, but he has not produced any proofs. The fact is that his main assertions are incapable of proof. Mr Bodkin has allowed the case to go against him by default. His challenge to us and hie ciiarge against the Government, which are distinct the one from tfhe other, the former relating to questions of fact and the latter depending upon the inferences drawn from the facts, have resolved themselves into an exhibition of cheap and tawdry theatricalism. If, in the statements he has made, he has been the mere instrument of other persons who imagined that the proceedings with reference to the subdivision of the Omarama runs involved a scandal, Mr Bodkin may be entitled to a certain amount of sympathy in the paltriness of the figure he is cutting, but, however much he may be pitied, it becomes necessary to remind hhn, as an honourable man, that he pledged himself to pursue a certain course if he failed to substantiate his statements to us—and that he has failed to substantiate any one of them. It hae really become incumbent upon him now to withdraw from the contest for Otago Central Otherwise, by the perpetration of a breach of faith, he will be guilty of a more serious wrong than that to which the unguarded use of his tongue has already committed him. He is not tho only candidate for Parliament in the Opposition interest who has endeavoured to make capital out of the Government's action with respect to the Omarama runs. Mr Macpherson, a candidate for Oamaru, has said that the Government, by enabling the mnholders to secure an extension of their lease for a year, had in effect made a gift to them of £10,000 to £15,000. The statement is without foundation in fact. The runholders have not received from the Government so much as a day's extension of their lease. The delay which has occurred in the surveying of the runs for subdivision would, as a matter of fact, render a short extension of lease desirable in the interest* not only of the runholders but also of the prospective tenants. It is only reasonable, when the subdivision of a run is contemplated, that the surveys should be completed sufficiently early to admit of the subdivisions being offered for selection a few months before the expiry of the pastoral license. It is only a matter of justice to tho runholders that such a course as this should in all cases bo followed : it would enable them to dispose of their stock, as it should be disposed of, on the ground. Moreover, the interests of the prospective tenants would thereby he studied. In the case of a property like Omarama, which is all high country running to an elevation of 6000 ft, the stock that is already on the land is that which will be best suited to the requirements of the prospective tenants. An arrangement, therefore, which would enable them to purchase stock on tho property would necessarily be to their advantage. In respect, also, that they have their finances to provide for and that their fencing will have to be erected, it would be to their benefit that the selection of th? subdivisions should take place before the expiry of the term for which tho outgoing runholders occupy tho property. If the Government contemplates that the Omarama, subdivisions shall be offered for selection about the time

at which the current pastoral licenses expires the effect, will be that no opportunity will be afforded to the runholdere to realise their stock on the spot and the new tenants will go into possession and begin to pay their rent before they are actually prepared to take up the subdivisions. This will be unsatisfactory to all concerned.