THE Otago Witness Dunedin, Saturday, April, 20, 1861.

Otago Witness, Issue 490, 20 April 1861, Page 5

THE Otago Witness Dunedin, Saturday, April, 20, 1861.

The " Airedale " has brought us the long-expected writ for the election of a Superintendent. The nomination ia to take place on the 30th instant ; and the poll, if one be necessary, is appointed for the 17th proximo. There are three candidates in the field : Mr. James Macandrew, the late Superintendent ; Major Richardson, and Mr. Alexander M'Master. We presume no other candidate is at all likely to come forward ; for, as the contest draws near, the importance of the j occasion and the interests involved become more distinct : so that we may take it for granted no one will lightly come forward to mar what it is evident is to be a great struggle of rival interests, and a battle -field for settling the future weal or woe of the community. Of the first-named candidate we need scarcely say anything; it is impossible that the electors of Otago can think of returning him, and were it otherwise, his election would assuredly be disallowed by the Governor, — so that every vote polled on his behalf will be thrown away, and every elector who gives his vote in that direction will have given up his share in deciding the coming struggle. Major Richardson represents the Freeholders of the country^ — Mr. M'Master the Squatters ; and each candidate belongs to the class which he represents. We deeply regret that the Squatters should have deemed it advisable to join issue in the matter, and to have thrown down the glove in a contest the effects of which may be to develope animosities which may last for years. There has been a smouldering fire which only wanted a breeze to fan it into a flame. The Squatters have chosen to

measure their strength with the pe.ople of Otago, and whatever the consequences, the battle must be fought. We have no hesitation in the matter ; we cast in our lot with the men who founded Otago, and call upon them — one and all — to boldly come forward and ward off the danger threatened to their rights and liberties. To do so they must sink all petty differences, and as one man support the candidate who bond fide represents them, and belongs to the freeholding class. It is an evil, but one which is inseparabJe from a small community, that its politics almost invariably partake of a personal character: the mere individual is looked to rather than the principles he holds and the interests he represents. ' Some electors will vote for a candidate because he is a good fellow, though they entirely disagree with his political views ; and oppose a man who really represents them because they have some dislike to his personal peculiarities. We, however, on this occasion, when the importance of the contest is considered, trust that no such ideas will prevail, or Representative Government will become a farce. The only question of the selection which rests upon personal grounds is that of character, and on this point the rival candidates are equally favoured, both being gentlemen of unblemished reputation. It has been objected to Major Richardson that he is an unknown man. Well, whatever weight may attach to that position tells with tenfold effect against Mr. M'Master, who is so little known that it may be even necessary for us to state that he arrived here from Australia some 3 or 4 years since, and was fortunate enough to secure, by purchase and otherwise, a very considerable tract of grazing country on the banks of the Waitaki and in the Upper Taieri Plain ; that he has always been esteemed by his neighbours, but has never taken any part in the politics of the country, and has therefore, as he very truly says, never connected himself with any party — a defect in our eyes rather than otherwise, as it must follow, should he be elected, that he must join some party or rather interest, and it is, therefore, somewhat doubtful what, that interest may be. We have little doubt upon that subject. It is impossible to dissociate a political man from those with whom he must and does act. And, unfortunately for Mr. M'Masler, he comes forward, though he may not perceive it, in the two-fold character of the nominee of Mr. John Jones and the representative of the Otago squatters. Of course, during the interregnum which is about to close, there have been a variety of little political games going on which we have not considered it necessary hitherto to notice. Our readers will remember that Mr. Jones, who has many weighty reasons for taking a part in the back ground of politics, nominated Mr. Morris, and got up a requisition to that gentleman to come forward. After having accepted the offer, he was somewhat shabbily treated by his supporters and withdrew. Mr. Jones was then active on behalf of Mr, M'Master, but somehow feeling, we presume, doubtful of success, he became urgent upon Mr. Dick to stand. This love having failed him, he returned to his old flame, and it having so fortunately happened that certain runholders, amongst whom we believe we may number Mr. J. P. Taylor, of New Province Act memory, and who, as they say of the ladies, was as false as he was fair, being in search of a person to represent them, fixed upon Mr. M'Master, and the two interests having coalesced, Mr. M'Master has received a very respectably signed requisition, and has expressed his willingness to come forward as a candidate, which he has a perfect right to do ; indeed, we may say, was almost bound to do, on such a requisition. But wo call the attention of the electors to that list, and we say that no man in Otago who was not a squatter's representative could obtain the same number of names of runholders to a requisition — they amounting to about forty-five. The mercantile names are Mr. Jones' contribution to the cause, and we fancy may chiefly be found attached to the previous failures, so that some, we fear, will be in doubt who they are to vote for after all. We think we are not very far wrong in assuming that the coming election is to be i a struggle of the rival interests of squatters i and freeholders, and we warn the latter to '■ take heed. Mr. M'Master was so_far a judicious choice, inasmuch as he does not, we believe, go the length of some of his supporters whose names are attached to the requisition. We could put our finger upon several who would not only have no further hundreds proclaimed in Otago, but would go the length of destroying those which at presentexist, and give them out as runs. These gentlemen's views of colonization amount to this, — That New Zealand should be a colony of squatters, sheep, and servants, — that all other classes are a nuisance.

Even Mr. M 'Master's sentiments, though in the most liberal dress for the occasion, are unsatisfactory to us. He says :—

" The agriculturist has nothing to dread from the squatter. The one knows that he can occupy the land only so long as it is not needed by the other. To be allowed to <lo this is the only privilege the squatter bargained for ; and he asks for no other. He knows that his flocks and herds must be driven before the plough, and that he must quit possession as soon as the theodolite comes to herald its approach. "

If we interpret these words aright, they mean the agriculturist shall have no right of pasture on the Crown Land. All he needs is the land he purchases ; and unless he can muster 1000 sheep and buy a run, not a blade of this native grass will he be allowed to have. That is reserved for his betters, who have been fortunate enough to apply for it and get it for nothing. We agree with the sentiment, that the agriculturist has nothing to fear from the squatter, but with the proviso that the former takes good care that the latter does not acquire too much political power. The history of Australian squatters should warn us. The example of Nelson, where the runs have to a great extent; and are still fast passing into the hands of the runholders as freeholds, ought not to be lost on us. The preposterous notions of these gentlemen, that the country was alone made for their use is exemplified every day. In yesterday's issue of our contemporary, there is a' letter from one of them, coolly advocating that he should be allowed to purchase on his run 1000 acres, he does not say whether at 10s. or £1 per acre ; and yet another man cannot buy an acre v/ithbut his consent : a modest request, certainly, with gold diggings staring us in the face. : Indeed, no exclusive privilege is too

great for some of these gentlemen; • Why, it is not above twelve months since Mr. Jones endeavoured to obtain 3000 acres on his run at 10s. per acre, including the Shag Valley, the finest agricultural land in the Province ; and, by-the-bye, it was understood that this land was to have been included in the Hawkesbury Hundred. What peculiar power of eloquence that gentleman used with the late Superintendent we do not know, but, strange to say, when the proclamation came from Auckland, the boundaries were so altered from what had. been understood to be intended to be proclaimed, that the very best agricultural land remained part of the run, and is not included in the Hundred. The land is worth £3 or £4 an acre ; and were there a Superintendent elected who would not consent to withhold it from sale, Mr. Jones would get it. This gentleman has made other attempts to obtain land which it is absolutely necessary for the interests of the community that the Government should resist ; hence his frantic endeavours to get in some one as Superintendent whom he fancies he would have an influence over, or rather to defeat any one whom he knows will be sternly rigid in the discharge of his duties. We again warn the electors to be very careful in their selection. Trust to no promises, but take the man whose interests are identical with their own. So far as the runholders are concerned, our advice will be taken in this respect ; but we have yet a word to say to them : beware of success, it will be but temporary. Retribution will come, and when it does come it will be severe. One triumph will be your ruin. If the question is to be tried, whether Otago is to be the happy home of thousands of families, or a series of Sutherland estates, with absentee proprietors expending abroad the proceeds of the wool grown in New Zealand, we can easily predict the result, even though temporary success may crown a vigorous effort.

A Correspondent has favored us with a rather long and flowery oration upon public morality, as exemplified by the dealing of the Provincial Government with a claim of Mr. John Jones, for certain land at Waikouaite. As Mr. Wilson founds all his argument on the supposition that Mr. Jones claims under a crown grant from Governor Fitzroy, it is only necessary to demolish the superstructure of high morality by removing the foundation. Mr Jones has no grant from Governor Fitzroy of the land in question, and no grant of the land was ever made by him. As, however, some extraordinary notions of this case appear to have got abroad, it will perhaps be as well if we put the matter in its true light. As many of our readers will know, before New Zealand was colonized in a regular manner, whalers and traders from Sydney and elsewhere were in the habit of coming to New Zealand and purchasing hind from the natives. This practice, which at first began with bona fide purchases of small quantities of land, in a few years extended to such magnitude, that the Governor of Australia, within whose jurisdiction New Zealand then was, with the advice of his council, passed a law under which the claims were to be enquired into by commissioners, and crown grants given ; but these grants were in no case to exceed 2650 acres. Mr. Jones, being then a merchant in Sydney, was a large purchaser of lands from the natives. In the course of time, New Zealand had a Governor of its own, and a similar law to the one above alluded to was passed in New Zealand, under which, Mr. Jones's claim was enquired into by two Commissioners, who recommended his having granted to him the largest quantity which Xty law co\ild be given, viz , 2650 ncres, but Mr. Jones did not take his grant. Then a new Governor (Fitzroy) came, who had some odd notions on the subject of grants of land, and he and his council passed a law giving one Commissioner the powers previously held by ] < two. He also appointed a new Commissioner, who he instructed to revise the awards of the previous Commissioners. This however, he had no legal power to do. The Commissioner recommended a grant of 10,000 acres to Mr. Jones, but the Governor refused to give more than. 8000 acres, and ordered a grant to be prepared for that amount, but he did not sign it. Then came a new Governor, Sir George Grey, and he positively refused to sign the grant for 8000 acres, and even sought to cancel those grants beyond the 2650 which had been issued by his predecessor. The Supreme Court in New Zealand decided against the Governor, but upon an appeal to the Privy Council, the decision of the Supreme Court was upset, and the grants declared illegal and bad on a variety of grounds, but chiefly because the last Commissioner had no legal right to reverse the decisions, of the first Commissioners, or to recom- j mend a larger grant than 2650 acres. In the meantime, before the knowledge of the decision of the Privy Council had reached New Zealand, Mr. Jones accepted from Sir George Grey a maximum grant of 2G50 acres, on the understanding that if a new system of award-, ing grants to claimants came into force, Mr. Jones should not be pixyudiccd by his acceptance of the grant of 2650 acres. But no new system has been introduced, for in the Acts of 1856 and 1858, passed by the General Assembly, referring to these matters, is still maintained the principle that no grant was to exceed 2560 acres ; therefore Mr. Jones having got a grant to that extent, has obtained all that he is entitled to. Its a great blessing to be a rich man, every one sympathises with the poor fellow. But a Mr. Green, who was a claimant like Mr. Jones, except that he had been kept out of his land for years, was not a rich man. He claimed some millions of acres, and got some hundreds awarded to him ; but he was kicked about and called a land shark. He declared that he had bought his land for bona fide occupation for ship building, and would have settled in New Zealand tweaty years ago if he could have obtained a title ; and he further complained bitterly that if he were a little ah ark, Mr. Jones was a big one, and that it was the greeediness of the big shark which caused the whole to be harpooned. Mr. Jones has sold many of his claims, and there are still a number of persons claiming under him ; and he has now in his possession a deed of purchase from the natives, of the greater part of the Middle Island, we think including the whole Province of Otago. It is not worth a straw, because the knowledge that such a purchase was being attempted caused the Governor of Australia, Sir George Gipps, to declare all purchases from the natives after a given date illegal. If Mr. Jones's claim after having been allowed to sleep is re-opened, there are ten thousand such claims in New Zealand which ought to be enquired into, and there will be no end to it.

The absurdity of the claim ia however chiefly shown by Mr. Jones having purchased from the Government of Otago, within the last three years, a part of the land which he claims, and ])aid for it at 10s. per acre without saying anything about the claim. Under all these circumstances, -vre should suppose that few persons will doubt the honesty or propriety of the local Government in resisting a claim to land which we believe the claimant states to be worth between £20,000 or £30,000.