MR. DILLON BELL IN MURIHIKU.

Otago Witness, Issue 490, 20 April 1861, Page 6

MR. DILLON BELL IN MURIHIKU.

(From the Southern News, April 13.)

> Mr. Dillon Bell, M.G.A. for Wallace, met the constituency on Monday evening at the Court-house of this town. There were present nearly 200 persons, of whom many were country settlers, and a large number were unable to gain admittance. On entering the court Mr. B.ell was loudly cheered.

On the motion of Mr. John Blacklock, Mr. M'Nab, of Knapdale, Mataura, took the chair.

Mr Bell said that he stood at last among the settlers of Murihiku, to return them his cordial thanks for the greatest honour that had been paid yet to any one since the Constitution Act came into operation, in having twice returned him to the Assembly without even knowing him personally. For more than 20 years he had been constantly engaged in public matters in the Colony, and he could assure them that he valued more than anything else the spontaneous effusion of their confidence that the constituency of Wallace, which now numbered (including new claims sent in last month) upwards of 350 electors, had placed in him. The good people of Dunedin had amused themselves by sneering at the electors for choosing a stranger to represent their interests : and the first election for Wallace had been referred to by one of the Dunedin members in language which he was sure that gentleman now regretted, and which was not so much an affront to himself (Mr. Bell) as to the constituency. But the electors knew very well what they were about : they had a battle to fight, and thej T set themselves to send a man to the Assembly who wasn't afraid of fighting their battle ; and he might now say, let those laugh who win (loud cheers.) The victory had been gained, and he now stood among them no longer as one of the members of the Province of Otago, but as a representative of the New Province which had by this time been established by the Governor (loud cheers.) He need not remind them of the struggle they had had for the right of managing their own affairs ; but he would briefly refer to the meeting here last year, when the late Superintendent of Otago had come down to play his little game of figures. When he (Mr. Bell) heard by how narrow a majority the resolution in favour of Separation had been carried at that meeting, he was certainly at first taken completely by surprise. But as soon as he set himself to examine the wonderful financial statements of Mr. Macandrcw, he felt satisfied that the settlers had been completely misled, and that when they knew the truth they would resent the deception. For there conld be no justification for the Superintendent of the Province making such statements : in that capacity he was bound to bring true figures before his hearers : and the task which remained for their member in the Assembly was to state the matter in its true light. It was because he (Mr. Bell) had fulfilled that task, that the electors had again confided their interests in his bands (cheering.) Now the financial statement which he had made in the House of Representatives had been cavilled at by many good

folk at Dunedin '; but it had remained uncontradicted to this day, because it rested on official data and signatures which could not be

disputed, and not upon mere inventions manufactured for a political purpose (cheers.) [Mr. Bell then gave the meeting an account of the debates that had occurred in the House of Representatives, and proceeded to detail the proceedings with respect to the Separation Petition which had been sent up.] — First, there were the remonstrances of Mr. Macandrew, and counter-memorials by numbers of settlers who had once been misled by him, but had now signed the Petition. Then the Provincial Council of Otago suggested that it ought to be proved that the signatures are genuine, — a delicate insinuation which must have been peculiarly flattering to the Murihiku settlers (hear and laughter.) Then the Chief Commissioner is sent up in hot haste to make a general protest against the Separation, the Petition, the signatures, the population, the boundary, the New Provinces Act, and everything else (laughter and cheers.) And, last of all, up comes a letter in Mr. Macandrew's own style, in which he jumbles up the Clutha Electoral District of the Provincial Council with the Electoral Roll of the County Wallace, and complacently assumes that the Petition and the " whole affair must fall to the ground." It certainly was great fun to an old hand like himself (Mr. Bell) in politics, to see such a series of nonsensical blunders committed by their opponents ; and he must say he never saw a battle worse fought, or greater ignorance of the subject under discussion shown (hear.) They must not, therefore, give him much credit for winning the battle : it was really nothing but play to him to defeat such moves as were successively brought forward ; and if in the future the New Province had no cleverer enemies than it bad in the past, they need not feel much anxiety as to the result (laughter and cheers.) He thanked them most heartily for their appreciation of his services ; but there was a man to whom they owed far more than they did to him, — he meant Dr. Menzies, whom he expected soon to hail as the Superintendent of the new Province (cheers.) [Mr.. Bell then made some observations on general politics, alluding specially to the Native insurrection and to the necessity which existed for the complete restoration of the Queen's supremacy at the same time that the most merciful consideration was extended to the Natives, and a just maintenance of their rights under the Treaty of Waitangi.] The hon. gentleman proceeded : — With respect to the coming session of the Assembly, he would continue to pursue the course which he had consistently followed himself, and which had met with the concurrence and approval of his constituents ; and he took this occasion to express to the electors the special gratification he felt at the return of Mr. Mantell (cheers), whose political views agreed in the main with his own, with whom he had been for many years united by the ties of private friendship, and whom it was an honour to the constituency to have chosen (loud cheers.) He supposed there would be the same kind of compassion manifested on this occasion by some people whom he need not name, because Mr. Mantell, like himself, did not reside in this Province : but wait a bit — if there was fighting to do, he begged to remind everybody concerned, that Mr. Mantell was just the man to do it (cheers.)— He now desired to turn from more general matters as a political man, to questions more immediately affecting the interests of the new Province and of the settlers themselves. The Governor's proclamation would soon place them in a position where large powers were accompanied by solemn trusts and responsibilities. From merety taking part in an agitation for separating the Province of Otago, they would find themselves called upon to take part in governing a Province of their own : — the task was no light one, and it would never be executed unless they faithfully resolved to do it with honesty and perseverance. There would not be wanting by-and-by — ay, soon enough — croakers to urge the difficulties they had to encounter, and discourage them in the prosecution of their work : even now there were people asking " Where's the money for the government to come from ?" — there were not wanting others who whispered that the Otago Government had been laying out a deal of money lately — that this would, be stopped now, and so forth. Now he wished specially to say two things. First, whatever money had been laid out really belonged to this district — and a great deal more besides — (cheers;) there was a large balance still due, and if they fought for it they would get it : and whatever of that money was spent in the district, depend upon it' would be much better spent by themselves than by the Dunedin Government for them — (cheers.) Secondty, let them beware of suggestions which would lead them to the same injustice towards Otago as had once been practised by Otago to themselves : don't let them cast a longing eye after Otago money. The increasing prosperity of Otago would certainly cause her revenue to be very large, especially the regular Customs' revenue, while for some time the produce of Customs here would necessarily be comparatively small. By all means let them have a settlement of accounts with Otago, and get the balance still due ; but when that was done let them not think that Otago could spend their own money better for them than they could spend it for themselves: above all, let them not hanker after money that belonged to Otago and not to them. Here was the great test of the fitness of a people for the management of their own affairs — to take independence as the richest gift, to be ready manfully to meet whatever apparent difficulties existed, to look these cheerfully in the lace, and resolve to overcome them without looking to pecuniary assistance outside. Let them remember that the Province of Otago, still one of the wealthiest and most important in the colony, in whose single port of Dunedin a custom's revenue was now produced exceeding what was set down only five years ago for the whole Middle Island — let them remember that Otago, in the first year of her existence, was content to appropriate no more than £1990, and managed out of that modest sum to pay not only the charge of its executive government, but of a few public works besides. And when the Otago Province made its start, everything had to be done — laws to be made, the country to be laid out and surveyed, innumerable obstacles to be surmounted. Whereas this Province would start with everything in hand, including the invaluable article of experience : laws ready made, government establishments in practical working order, an excellent system of survey in execution (for which the whole of what was the Otago Province owed a lasting obligation to Mr. J. T. Thomson,) roads and bridges commenced, the country well known in all directions, and above all, an immense tract of level land immediately available for colonization and settlement, well watered, abundantly supplied with valuable bush in every part, ana containing a large proportion of fertile agricultural land in the immediate vicinity of several harbours. What fairer patrimony could be desired, on which to plant a happy and prosperous colony P what more noble task, if undertaken with honest purpose and reverence to God, than the one they had taken voluntarily upon themselves, of governing the colony and of making it an attractive home for thousands of their countrymen ?

There was one subject so vitally affecting the future welfare of this Province, that he would comply with the general request and tell them what his own opinions were, — he alluded to the mode in which the Waste Lands should be settled (hear.) It was quite unnecessary for him to urge that the question of questions with them must be, — how to bring people into the Province ? and it was equally clear that the fund- on which, whether directly or indirectly, every colony relied for the in-

troduction of people, was simply the Waste Landß of the Crown. In order that they should understand clearly what he would presently say to them, it would be as well to refer briefly to the plans under which the waste lands of the crown were disposed of in the several provinces of New Zealand. — [Mr. Bell here explained the principal points in the various land regulations now in force, and proceeded :] — For his own part he had become convinced that the plan now in force in the Province of Auckland was one of the best that had been attempted, and he thought it might be introduced here with a remarkable prospect of success. Under that 83 7 stem the Province of Auckland offered free grants of 40 acres to every adult immigrant from the United Kingdom or other parts of Piurope, and from the United States and British American colonies, who should pay their own passages to Auckland : providing at the same time for grants of 20 acres to the children of such immigrants and for the sale of land at the uniform price of 10s. an acre to all comers. The plan went under the name of the " Whitaker Land Regulations," (having been originally propunded by the present Attorney-General,) but practically brought into operation by the present Superintendent of Auckland, Mr, Williamson; under it thousands of people had voluntarily come into the Province, and successfully established themselves in their new homes ; and if the Maori war had not broken out and given a temporary check to the immigration there would in a very short time have been, not 26,000 people in that province, but nearer 40,000, so rapidly were the people coining out. (Hear, hear.) isovr the danger that had always been predicted as certain from the introduction of this system (and at one time believed by himself to exist), was chiefly that the offer of free grants of land would bring out numbers of people without any means to occupy the land, while the influx of capital to employ them would be altogether checked, so that nothing but ruin Avould ensue. Now at Auckland the result had been, not ruin, but, on the contrary, a very remarkable success. Undoubtedly much discouragement and disappointment occurred to many persons who availed themselves of the system, although they were utterly unfit for making good colonists ; but he coujd assure the meeting, from his own experience and knowledge, that on the whole the system had worked eminently well. It was no wonder that some disappointment had occurred. Most of the best land in the Province of Auckland was still in the hands of the Maories. The General Government bad great obstacles to contend with in acquiring scattered districts of small extent from the natives; and the Provincial Government had numerous difficulties before them in the fact, that the districts so acquired contained generally poor land, hard of access from Auckland by land, more or less hilly in character, so making the laying out of roads a most tedious and expeneive work. There was nowhere a great tract of level fertile land ; and if there had not been such excellent water communication everywhere, the plan could not have been carried out. In spite of all these difficulties, however, the Auckland Government persevered ; and now in several parts of the Province flourishing settlements had sprung into existence, and great numbers of people were established in comfort and independence, and had made happy homes for themselves and their children. Thus far with regard to the immigrants. But another result had occurred unexpected even by the most sanguine advocates of the plan. It was found that these immigrants, instead of being paupers, as had been predicted, brought out with them a very large amount of capital. The capital of each was perhaps small, but when all came to be added together, the total was surprisingly large and the man who perhaps was the most asto-» nished was the Manager of the Bank, who found that every ship brought out thousands and thousands of pounds in small sums, which were immediately deposited with him. This capital, following its natural law, of course immediately sought investment; the value of land already in the hands of the settlers rose ; the customs revenues jumped up at once ; a larger demand necessitated a wider supply, and trade grew rapidly. A larger choice of goods, of a much more varied quality enabled every one to lay out his money to better advantage ; the tradesman, selling more at a time, could afford to take a less profit on each article, and prices became lower accordingly ; in the midst of a great demand in all directions for building material, timber fell in price, for the mills "were doubled in power and more capital applied to bringing the logs to the saw — so that the best heart-of-kauri could begot on $he wharf at from 10s. to 12s. the hundred ; and Auckland became the cheapest place to live at of all the Provinces (cheers.) — These were some of the advantages which had been derived in that Province from its system of dealing with its waste lands ; and tiiis in the face of very great difficulties and drawbacks — benefits participated in as much by the old settlers as by the new comers. In fact, those advantages were after all the natural results of carrying out the one thing needful in a colony, namely the bringing people to it ; the land was made to do its work directly instead of indirectly ; instead of selling the land first and then sending the money home to England to bring out the people, they made one transaction of it ; they made the land itself bring out the people at once (hear, hear.) Now, (continued the hon. speaker,) — now, if in a Province where so many difficulties existed, this system had been successful, why should it not succeed here in Murihiku, where there was level hind, fertile, and bush land without stint ? why should not the plan be tried here of bringing out thousands of people, to give value to land which was worthless without them (hear> and cheers) ? Let the electors, however, not mistake him : there was 1 no power in the new Provincial Council to inaugurate such a system themselves; and certainly the General Assembly would never impose it upon them. He had stated his own views to induce them carefully to investigate the subject for themselves ; and if they determined that it would be wise to try the system, they could apply to the Assembly for power to bring it into operation in this Province (cheers.) He would be ready, if the}' so determined, to bring in a Bill enabling the Governor, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent nnd Provincial Council, to, proclaim within the New Province those clauses of the Auckland Land Regulations which related to the system of Free Grants (cheers.) After referring to various other topics, Mr. Bell again thanked the electors for the spontaneous manner in which he had been twice returned to represent them, and sat down amid repeated cheers.

The following resolution was then put by the Chairman and carried by acclamation :—: — "That the thanks of the Electors of Wallace are due to their representative, Mr. Dillon Bell, for his services in the last session of the Assembly, and for the address he has now delivered."

On the motion of Mr. Bell, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. M'Nab for his able services in the chair. The proceedings, which had lasted three hours, were then brought to a termination.

On Tuesday evening, by request, Mr. Bell again addressed the settlers on the Land question (on which an interesting and animated discussion ensued, comprehending also other subjects of interest to the Province.)

A nugget weighing 377£ oz., was found at Kangaroo Flat, Bendigo, a few days ago, in an old hole, by a boy ; while some of the quartz reefs, such as Eaglehawk, Tarrengower, and Catherine Reef, Bendigo, have been yielding splendid specimens for some time past. — Melbourne Age, March 29.