South Canterbury Times, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1881.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2736, 28 December 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1881.

In February next, according to the present Intention of Government, a vast administrative blunder is to be perpetrated, the evil results of which it is impossible to estimate, but which will eclipse in amount those of almost any other piece of political blundering that has been achieved since responsible government was granted to the colony. This is the offering for sale “ at one fell swoop ” the leases of some three million acres of pastoral lands in Otago, under conditions that make the “ alarming sacrifices ” of hard-up outfitters almost legitimate trading by comparison. One stupendous blunder ia the management of our landed estate was made when thousands, millions, of acres were doubled, trebled, quadrupled, in value by the prosecution of the Public Works and Immigration policy, and then allowed to fall into the hands of speculators at their original values. This is admitted on all hands, and yet the recent Legislature appear to have been oblivious of the warning, unable to read the lesson, contained in the disastrous fact—a warning and lesson to be most careful in dealing with the public lands, and with anything and everything tending to affect their disposal. The leases of the Otago runs expire in March, 1883. and according to the law regulating the disposal of them they must he offered at auction at least twelve months before then. A provision of this kind is necessary In order to enable the present and future tenants to make theiv arrangements regarding stock, &c., and the law as it stands, it is |

said, requires the leases to be offered in February. Possibly the Government cannot help themselves. They undertook, and Parliament last session seemed not unwilling to entrust them with the task, to cut up those runs and redispose of them during the recess, and now it has apparently been put out of their power to avoid carryout the programme, let the consequences be what they may. The session of 1881, whatever of good legislation was performed in it, — precious little by the way—will be remembered hereafter as one of the worst, for the neglect of a piece of prospective legislaf ion that should have taken precedence of any other, almost or quite without exception. But it was wasted in wrangling over matters of no vital importance, and in discussing and passing laws that no one asked for but those introduced them, while the vital and important question for that session was left almost to take its chance. Now, when it is too late to do anything in the ordinary course, we have agitations, and must have more agitations, for that to be done at the last moment which should have been done last session. What is wanted is an amendment of the Land Laws, to enable the runs to be dealt with gradually, so that the most can be made of them for the colony. If they are dealt with all at once, the “ cutting up ” of them will be the greatest political farce ever played. There is no class of people in the country able to take up so much land in small blocks at one time, and the result of the process will be that the present holders will, in nearly all cases, get their runs back again, with a tenure far more secure, and at a rental little if at all higher, than their present one. No special prominence has been given to the fact that so large a property is to be disposed of ; no special pains taken to ensure a* good attendance of buyers ; the whole transaction looks more like a mere adherence to the letter of his instructions by an unjust steward who, while so adhering to them, helps his friends at his master’s expense. It is the simplest absurdity to expect that so large a territory—three millions of acres, Jess about a quarter of a millon to be otherwise disposed of—can be profitably dealt with all at once, in the present state of the colony as regards population and distributed wealth. There must be the usual results of forced and hurried sales—old song prices, or rash speculation. A movement has already been set on foot in Otago to protest against the interests of the colony in these lands being ignored as they will be if the present proposals of the Minister of Lands are carried out, and half the Otago members have subscribed to such a protest, but it would seem uselessly. The Minister of Lands appears bent on carrying out the provisions of the law, and Parliament has been prorogued until after the date fixed for the sale of the leases, so that no amendment of the law is possible.

We have no doubt that the tenants would be glad enough to have their leases renewed for a year on the same terms as they at present hold theraand the Government could safely make such an arrangement with them, trusting to be indemnified by the next Parliament for their action. The suggestion has been offered to them, and if they are wise they will accept it. If they are wise,—for if they are not their attempt to dispose of the runs as they now intend will be such a failure that an indignant public will demand their expulsion from the Benches they occupy. The new Parliament ought to have been called together at least in time to have exerted an influence in this matter, and the members themselves will resent their being so exactly shut out from participating in the business as they are, by Parliament being called together for a date a very few hours after that fixed for the sale of the leases.

The member for Gladstone spoke very strongly during his election campaign on this question of dealing with the runs, but we feel certain that he cannot approve of the wholesale manner in which they are going to be dealt with. He wishes, as everyone, we suppose, except the present holders and their friends, do, to see them cut

up, net nominally on the maps of the Surveyor’s office, but really, and this he will not see as a result of the February sale.