POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3151, 3 September 1892, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(BT TELEGRAPH—SPBCIAL CORRESPONDENT). Wellington, La-it Night. SIB GEO. GREY'S OPINION. I informed you early in the session that Sir Geo. Grey was not at all likely to go to Australia, notwithstanding the carefullyprepared resolution which the Premier got carried by the Houbb several weeks ago to the effect that it was desirable that Sir George should represent the colony at the Intercolonial Conference at Sydney on the Kanaka labour question. It was shrewdly suspected at the time that Ministers were particularly anxious that the member for Newton should not take his place in tliw House this session, and the events that have since transpired fully justified the doubt? that the Government entettiined of the real Liberal leader of New Sir George has not only strongly condemned the Ballanc] Ministry over the proposed Legislative Council appointment', but he attacked them vehemently on their land policy last night. He said that the present occupants of the Ministeriil benches had been the real instigators of the Midland railway c<>nt r act, under which 2,500,000 acres of the public estate had been handed over to a distant syndicate resident in London pnctically free from restrictions, while at the same time they had with their so-called liberalism which was a cruel mockery set aside in Canterbury scraggy bits of ground not enough to support a family through the year and which were in reality farms to breed poor labourers for the large landowners. Sir George went on 11 say that this was continued by Ministers to the present day, and was being perpetuated in their land legislation under which the greatest freedom was left to the rich absentee owner, while the poor struggling settler was tied to the land under conditions which degraded him, because they practically made slaves of himself and his family, and this was done by the "Liberal" party of New Zealand, the party which, while pretending to be the friend of the people would give them their own land only on conditions which degraded them. Sir George Grey's remarks were wnrinly resented by the Minister for Lands in his reply, nnd he denied having ever voted for the Midland Railway Bill. He said he had been informed by the older members of the House that the creition of large estates was solely due to Sir George Grey's land regulations. That hon. gentleman, he remarked, had been a thorn in the side of every Government that had set on the benches, and he (Mr McKenzie) felt grieved at hearing the speech he hud ju«t made to the House. He said that Sir George had never belonged to any party in the House, but his own, and he had never done any good to any party. Lst him bring down a practical scheme, and it would be considered with respect. The heated speech of the Minister for Lands, coupled with the attack made on Sir George Grey by Mr Seddon a day or two ago, shows that the breach between the Government and the member for Newton is complete. THE FREEHOLD TENURE. Mr George Hutchison, who is a strong believer in the freehold tenure of land, spoko warmly on the subject last night. He said, referring to the lease in perpeturty, that for the Minister for Land to talks of giving a lease for 099 years was ignorant presumption. What did they know of 999 years or even 99 years hence '! But let the Ministtrs look back 999 years to the days of King Alfred when the land belonged to i village communities. The pastoral land was then commonage and the arable , and was cultivated in lots among , families. The whole tendency of the last 999 years, faid Mr Hutchison, had been to show that the freehold ' was the best tenure. The Minister, in replying, said he could not legislate for the past or the distant future, but was doing : his best for the present. He strongly defended his eternal lease proposal. i