The Globe. FRIDAY, JULY 5, 1878

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1369, 5 July 1878, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, JULY 5, 1878

" I should have shrunk with shame from some of the expedients which members of the late Government have had recourse to in reference to those sums which they proposed to take, without the authority of the law, from the land fund of Otago and Canterbury, I would have scorned to be a party to such a transaction. I should have known that in those provinces every individual who bought land, and paid his money for that land, had so paid his money under the pledge that it would bo expended upon certain public works which would give value to the property which he had purchased; and. further, that the fulfilment of this pledge was a solemn contract entered into with him by the Government of this country. I should have scorned to break a contract of this kind. People who would do that ivould not hesitate afterwards to break faith with the outer creditor. If they would plunder the people at home, what safety is there for people abroad?''' The man who gave utterance to these noblo sentiments was Sir George Grey, and the present Government, as our readers are aware, became pledged in the most solemn manner, to pay over on April Ist the balance of the Canterbury land fund accruing up to December 30th. That sum amounted to £315,000, and according to law should have been paid to the local bodies three months ago. Not only had the land been purchased on the " pledge that it would be expended upon certain public works which would give value to the property" purchased, but further tho Government were bound by a deliberate act of the Legislature to pay that money over on a fixed day. Not only have Ministers broken faith in this respect; they have, after waiting three months, determined to retain nearly the whole of the £315,000 in their own possession. We know not what legal quibble may bo set up in defence of the course they have taken. In any case they have apparently resolved to break a "solemn contract" entered into between them and tho land purchasers in Canterbury. " People," says Sir G. Grey, " who would do that would not hesitate afterwards to break faith with the outer creditor." Do not the sentiments quoted above by Sir G. Grey apply literally to the acts of his own Government ? Are we then to look forward to the repudiation of our public debt as the next startling act of the present Government ? Such a proposal, according to Sir G. Grey, may be expected from men who would act as the Ministry are acting. They have broken a solemn contract, entered into between the people of Canterbury and tho Government of the colony, and in a short time the disgraceful spectacle will be witnessed of the local bodies having to appeal to the Courts to compel those in authority to keep tho law. Ministers cannot get away from tho fact that, in all that was said and done in Parliament, no doubt was ever raised as to what was understood as " the balance of the land fund." The lion, member for Akaroa, a warm supporter of the Government, took particular care to tell his constituents, months ago, what was legally due to them. There was no talk then of large deductions. It is only of late, when Ministers think they can afford to dispense with the votes of their Canterbury supporters, that these deductions have been brought forward. We must therefore conclude that, conscious of a majority at their back, Ministers have resolved that Canterbury is to be further punished, for daring to distrust them—that they are determined that, since the district chooses to disboliove in their honor and integrity, iho people shall have the most convincing proofs that Ministers are utterly faithless and untrustworthy. This latest act of Ministers must surely have opened the eyes of thoso few here who still put faith in the present Government, What are tho electors of Heathcote doing in quietly allowing their representative to assist in spoiling tho provincial district of £267~000F He told them some time ago that his presence in the Ministry would help to advance then" interests. Yet what has he done for them or the district at largo ? Nothing whatever beyond helping his colleagues to plunder tho province of a very large sum of money, in defiance of law, and of every principle of honor and integrity. We hope to hear that a requisition is being got up calling upon him to resign his seat. The empty honor of being represented in Parliament by a Minister of the Crown is poor compensation for tho wrongs Ministers aro inllicting upon the district. We wonder too what the honorable member for Akaroa has got to say now. When lie addressed his constituents, sover,al months ago, he assured his hearers that, "if \ibo declaration of Sir G. Grey had not been honest with regard to what ho intended to do am re r garded tho land fund, or that which had accrued, many of his supporters would have voted in a different manner." Amongst Ihose, wo presume, ho included himself. Therefore, since .Sir G. Grey's declaration has been found not to hv " honest," wo wonder whether Mr. Montgomery, and those to whom he referred, will coutinuo to vote on the side of Ministers P Now ;iiat they have discovered how greatly they had misplaced their trust, it is to bo hoped that they will lend their aid to remove a Governnu'iit which has been proved to be so utterly unworthy of the confidence of the district,