THE LAND FUND.

Wanganui Herald, Volume X, Issue 2703, 11 February 1876, Page 2

THE LAND FUND.

(Wellington Evening Argui.)

In Otago the opposition organ, the Daily Times,has openly avowed a policy, and Sir George Grey's literary missionary, who conducts the Evening News, is backing up that policy. It is Ofcago for Ofcago, and, we presume, Auckland for Auckland. A Board of Works for each province in place of a Provincial Council seems to be the limit of the constitutional changes which will suit Mr Macandrew and his party. He also, as representing Ofcago.seems to believe very much in the school- bully's maxim of " What's yours is mine, and what's mine's my own." Everything belonging to or arising: in Otago is to be kept there, and as much more be taken from the rest of the colony as possible. This is just the point on which Otago and Auckland care , sure to split. Auckland has very lifcfclo of its own, and is excessively anxious to share some of its neighbors' property. Otago has a pood deal, but is determined that no one else shall share it. We doubt whether it will be found possible to reconcile those views. Ofcago also seems to be wonderfully obtuse in distinguishing between friends and foes. It tries to convince itself that an alliance with Auckland is without danger to its treasures,that Auckland will be content with the shadow of getting a Board of Works and will never cast even a covetous eye on the substance of th.fi land revenue of the south. This is a most extraordinary delusion. The only spark of colonial feeling to be found in Auckland is in tlxe idea that the land revenue should go into the* colonial chest, - and this even is inspired by the selfish knowledge that in such an event some of the revenue would bo sure to find: its way into Auckland pockets. Otago, however, gives ; Auckland credit for disinterestedness in this respect, but will persist in regarding the central provinces — Wellington- in particular — as cherishing deep and sinister designs to deprive it of this land revenue. Now, although as a matter of abstract I theory and of principle, we believe tlvat ' many of the leading public men of Wellington do hold thai the management of the waste lands of the colony should be removed from local control and administered as colonial estate, they all admit pretty freely that any reversal of tho bargain made in 1856 is practically impossible, aud that their own interests are directly opposed to any such change. Otago and Canterbury arej wont to boast greatly oi their land fund, but certainly the former province at least long has been,' and oven now is, doing its best to squander what ifc is proud o£ terming its birthright. The jobbery and

corruption attending the administration of waste lands in Otago has been enormous. The day is probably not far distant -when. Otago will have 'no such great land rcvenno to boast about or so jealously to guard. In that day it may look northward, and sec Wellington with a lerri tori al revenue which Avill recall its own palmy days. We have in this province more land fit for settlement than Otago has, and our land will bear a much heavier population, as it is richer and more productive. Perhaps within a few years we may find Auckland and Otago united against Wellington in an attempt to have the land revenue delocalised. There are strange ups aud downs in life. In the meantime -we can assure our Otago friends that Wellington does not look with envious eyes on their land fund, although it docs occasionally wonder at the way they are squandering the revenue and dissipating the principal."