Fiat Justitia. New Zealand Tablet FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1875. IT 1S AS GOOD AS GONE !

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 136, 10 December 1875, Page 10

New Zealand Tablet. Fiat Justitia. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1875. IT IS AS GOOD AS GONE !

What is as good as gone 1 The Land Fund of Otago and Canterbury. Of this we entertain no doubt whatever, notwithstanding the sayings of certain candidates and an Act of Parliament that is to come into force at the end of next session of the Colonial Legislature ; that is, provided said Act be not repealed during the ensuing session. The way to look at the matter is this : The Colonial Treasurer wants money. During the session before last, this how. gentleman endeavoured to provide the necessary funds by means of a scheme of National forests. This project proved a failure ; the Proviiicialisb party was then too strong for him, and succeeded in preventing him from laying his hand on the Crown lands. But the case was a desperate one, money he must have, and to provide it, only two ways were feasible. One was the transferring of the lands of the Provinces to the Central Government; the other a land and property tax. The latter alternative- was not to be thought of by the present Government. Such a tax would be the destruction oi" their popularity and prestige. As was only natural, therefore, no sooner was the Forests Bill defeated in the House of Representatives than the Treasurer brought in resolutions pledging the House to abolish the Provinces. Accordingly, in the last session, the Government introduced a Bill to abolish, not the Provinces of the North Is-land, as was expected, in accordance with the terms of the Abolition resolutions, but the Provinces of both islands ; and instead of localising the land fund according to promise, the Abolition Bill contained a clause enacting that the Central Legislature should have the disposal annually of one moiety of this fund, or rather of all that remaiued after paying interest and sinking fund of the debts of the Provinces, and £1 for £1 to the "Road Boards. It was seen at a glance what was meant, and consequently a wholesome dread of their constituents restrained the destructive propensities of raany m embers who were only too eager to throw away the rights and liberties of the irrespective provinces, or it would probably be more correct to say, the independence and property of Otago and Canterbury. These honorable members, therefore, prevailed on the Government to amend their Bill in such a way that provision should be made for localising the entire land fund. A clause to this effect was accorcliugly inserted in the Act. But what is this clause worth % About a year's purchase, no more ! Only permit the land fund to be destitute of the protection anil support of Provincial Councils and Superintendents, and the people may rest assured that- two sessions will not be permitted to pass by, without the passing of an Act to repeal this clause of the Abolition Bill. The moment that sees the last shilling of the loan spent, will also see the land fund either an integral part of the consolidated revenue, or entirely devoted to the payment of the debt and covering the deficit of bankrupt lines of railways. The people may be certain that the present government will never propose a land and property tax, whilst they have the land fund to fall back upon. Under these circumstances, unless, indeed, the ensuing elections should result in the return of a majority of Provincialists, either pare or modified, Colonists may look upon the land fund as on the eve of being lost to the Provinces, and of being handed over to the Central Government for Colonial purposes. To us nothing in the political world can be more certain than this. The harpies are alru.idy gathering for the feast. Many in Wellington, for example, who, during the last session, opposed abolition, are already making preparation for a good haul. It would appear that the opposition of these, last year, was only a manoeuvre to mask their change of front at the opportune moment. Some of her members and candidates and electors have studied drill to some purpose, they are all adepts at the step known as " right about face." Last year Abolition was an evil, and Provincialism a biessing, this year all is reversed. Are these the politicians on, whose faith and honor, the simple people of Otago and Canterbury are about to surrender to Centralism, the unchecked control and management of all their affairs, and to give. up the pro-

ceeds of their Crown lands? What is the word of such politicians worth ? What security can an Act of Parliament give, which is at the mercy of such men ? None whatever. The people who, in less thun six months, have changed from rabid Provincial] sts to determined opponents of Provincialism, are not to be trussed. An Act of Parliament passed by such men is not worth the s paper on which it is printed — the -security it affords as to the destination of the monies accruing from public lands is futile. It is the interest of the people -of Wellington, of all the Provinces in the North Island, and Nelson, Marlborotigh, and Westland, to repeal this clause which purports to secure the land funds of Otago and Canterbury, and nothing is more certain than that they will v ultimately do what is for their interest. Canterbury and Otago may regard themselves, therefore, for the present at least — no one cau guess what the remote future may bring — as specially set apart for the purpose" of producing revenue to provide the other Provinces with the means of paying their debts and building their railways. Their land fund, which by solemn compact, is rightfully theirs alone, will be made common property immediately, and their surplus customs revenue will be sent to Wellington never to return even in part. All this may be eminently wise and jusfc. This is not the •question we are now discussing. Bus we place these things before the electors for their consideration. What we have stated are facts and probable eventualities. If the people are ■content to have abolition pure and simple — if they are prepared to chance the future — if they prefer to be governed from the North Island, rather than by themselves in their own Provinces, well and good ; there is nothing more to be said •on the subject. But if not, they had better be up and doing, there is no time to be lost, and they should reject during the elections now near at hand, all candidates who voted for the Abolition Dill, and all who are in favour of it.