The Timaru Herald. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1877.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 1759, 20 June 1877, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1877.

Mr Richardson's speech to the Christchurch electors on Friday last, was a very peculiar address. The Honorable Member seemed to be m somewhat of a dilemma. He was not able altogether to divest himself of the Ministerial character ; nor did he, indeed, show any desire to do so, whenever it suited bis purpose to display special knowledge. He claimed to be behind the scenes as regarded several topics, especially those of which he thought he could give an account, favorable to the Ministry. Thus, when referring to the County scheme, the stateof the finances, tbe railway receipts, or education, he distinctly claimed to speak ex cathedrd. He did not then find tbe fact of bis having- quitted the Ministry, at all an obstacle to bis explaining their actions or demonstrating their intentions. Whenever, m fact, he supposed his identity with the Ministry would be accounted unto him for righteousness by bis audience, he spoke as a Minister, or at least as one who was entirely m the confidence of the Ministry. There were, however, several subjects on which it is well known the proceedings of the Government are by no means m accord with the views of the Christchurch electors. On all of these, Mr Richardson strenuously disavowed any connection with the Ministry. He was Member for Christchurcb, and nothing else. He was not m the secrets of the Government and had nothing to do with their action. The matters referred to lay between the Government and the representatives of the people m tbe House. AH this may be very adroit, but we do not think it is very satisfactory. Either Mr Richardson was speaking as an ex-Minister, or be was not. If he was, then his utterances t>re hilly entitled to the weight which they must derive from that circumstance. His statement of tbe financial condition of the colony — which, by the bye, had evidently been Tery carefully elaborated

by somebody — must be taken as autbentic. Hi 8 intimation of the measures likely to be m rodiced during the ensuing session, must lie iuvested with th- interest of t\ prelude to the Governor's speech. His ad Ires?, taken as a whole, must be regarded as the most important one of the re^os, that of the Premier at New PlymotiMi not ex-c-ptKl. It, on th« other hand, Mr ■ Richardson was only si>pakirttr as I Member forChristchoreh, lipshouldhave supported that role throughout. He should not haveadopted the disingenuous course ot acting ex-Minisrer when it sui'ed his purpose, and retiring 1 into the more humble character of private member, as soon as the other became inconvenient. The electors and the public would then have known what value to set upon his expressions of opinion, and how far to depend on the realisation of his views. We may be wrong, but we venture a suggestion for what it is worth. We helieve that Mr Bowen having declined to address his constituents, Mr Richardson has been pur forward by the Government, to make an address m their behalf m Canterbury. We hope that Canterbury will duly appreciate the compliment. Mr Richardson's speed), if critically examined, will be found to be a most damning one for the Ministry of which lie was recently a member. We do not propose to examine it critically, because we consider that the very equivocal position which Mr Richardson has assumed, renders his address unworthy of serious notice. We may, however, advert to one or two points, m order to show how feeble a friend he is to those whom he would fain support Speaking of the Couuties Bill, he said that he considered the permissive clauses most unadvisable. He spoke so strongly against them, m fact, that one can scarcely imagine his having been a party to their introduction. Yet he was a party to it. Those clauses were introduced by the Government of which Mr Bichardson was a member, and which would undoubtedly hive been turned out of office, if the permissive clauses had not been inserted m the Bill. If Mr Richardson had such a strong objection to those clauses, as he now professes, why did he not protest against them m Cabinet, or leave a Ministry which insist d on bringing them m ? Mr Richardson actually supported m Parliament the very clauses which he now denounces at his meeting at Christchurch. So with other matters. Mr Bichardson s<iys it was a fatal mistake not to raise the price of lnnd m Canterbury. If he means really that the price of hind ought to have been raised m Canterbury without reference to other parts of the Colony, we must either suppose that he is n fool, or else is lacking m integrity. Does he mean to say that the bond fide settler m Canterbury is to pay four pounds, five pounds, or ten pounds an acre for land which he really intends to cultivate and lire npon, while Mr Thomas Bussell and his kith and kin are to obtain thousands upon thousands of acres m the North Island at half-a-crown an acre, which they only mean to speculate with, as soon as the increase of population shall bring them a price? Is Mr Richardson out of his senses, or does he suppose that the people of this Colony are ? We never gave him credit lor anything above the most ordinary capacity ; but we always supposed he was a tr.nn ol reasonable understanding. His arguments on land questions, however, would lead us to suppose that he wus either wilfully deceiving his hearers, or else that he was void of comprehension altogether. Let us fora moment examine his arguments as to the selling of land on deferred payments. Mr Kichnrdson said he was ■trongly m favor of the deferred payments system, and lie supported his opinion by the fact that great tracts of country had been bought from the Crown at two pounds an acre and afterwards sold by the purchasers at an advanced price, we suppose, on deferred payments. He could not see why the Government should not hare reaped the benefit ol the advanced price. Is Mr Richardson void of intelligence, or does he take those whom lie addresses to he so? People who bong In land from the Crown at ten shillings an acre, have since sold it at a thousand pounds an acre. Hundreds, or even thousands who have bought Crown lands at t^fto pounds an acre have sold it again within a few weeks for double, treble, or quadruple the money. Mr Richardson himself, if we are not mistaken, has bought land at two pounds an acre, and sold it shortly afterwards at nine pounds, owing to a railway having been made to the spot under his own auspices as Minister of Public Works. Yet he prates about land on deterred payments ! We have no patience with such palpable twaddle. We should like to hare beard the honorable gentleman's opinions as to land on deferred payments, before he himself had bought every available acre on the line of the Opawa Railway. If his argument is good, that, because private persons can buy Crown lands and sell them at high rates on deferred payment?, then the Government ought to do so also; then the argument is good that because men. can buy Crown lands and farm them profitably, then the Government can do so also. In a woui, Mr Richardson wholly ignores all principles ot political economy, and all the experience of settlement. He displays a degree of ignorance, prejudice, and paltry narrowness, which is astonishing after his four years'experience of oflhe; and he makes us wonder, if possible, more than ever, bow such an empty man could erer bare been selected for a member of any Cabinet. \