PUBLIC OPINION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2633, 15 October 1909, Page 2

PUBLIC OPINION.

THE FREEHOLD

The “Feilding Star,” commenting upon the Hon. T. Mackenzie’s bold declaration for the freehold, recalls die case of Mr. Hogg, who was thrown out of the Ministry because he holds views opposed to the Government s policy, and adds : The question that will naturally arise in the minds cl readers of Mr. Mackenzie’s declaration in favor of the freehold to all Crown tenants is, What will the Cabinet do in the matter? . . There can only be one conclusion in the minds of men having a knowledge of constitutional government: that it is the duty oi Mr. Mackenzie to place his resignation in the. hands of the actmgPrime Minister, and assume his place as an opponent of a government imbued with the crudest ideas of proper land settlement and unable to formu - late a policy in connection with the administration of Crown lands, which they can conscientiously advocate as a Ministry for two consecutive years.

The; “Star’s” little joke is rather cruel —for of course, the “Star” is only joking when it suggests that the Ward Government could possibly be governed bv a motive save a desire to cling to office at all costs. Mr. Mackenzie, however, does not seem happy. He is already finding that the sacr.fice of liis old beliefs, when, after prayer and fasting, he decided to join the Ministry, has brought him little peace. Unless the public come to “a right frame of mind,” he told a meeting at Rata, it will be useless for him to waste any more time on politics. In tho meantime the Government’s preparations to abandon its land policy are causing great unrest amongst its friends. Tho Christchurch organ of tlie Government, for example, is prepared to swallow most of its principles but it says that “the national endowments and the renewable leases must be preserved at all costs, even at the cost of a very radical change in the constitution of the political parties of the country.” These he brave words. But we believe that in a verv little time this bold paper will abandon its forlorn project of consolidating the extremists, and embrace the complete freehold doctrine quite cheerfully.— "The Dominion.”

TEACHERS’ RAILWAY PASSES. It would appear to us that it is the country school teacher who should be most encouraged to take advantage of the facilities offered for gaining such higher instruction as can be obtained, because as a rule the standard of efficiency and attainment is not so high as is to be found in the larger centres, to which the more richly-endowed and better trained gravitate by natural process, and where consequently the younger members of the profession havo the advantage of splendid example and more capable oversight. On the other hand, too, the country teacher, cut olf from association with lus fellow-work-ers, is not spurred on by the keenness (J emulation characteristic of large schools, and to deprive him of the incentive to be found in the weekly classes would not make for betterment in this respect. For these reasons we trust that the Minister of Railways will see fit to reconsider his decision, so that the cause of education may not be hampered through undue application of a principle of economy that in its general aspects is so commendable. —"Gere Standard.”

DRINK, A CLEAN SWEEP. When a vast preponderance of the people signify their desire to be relieved from the incubus of alcoholic drink, socially fascinating and otherwise seductive though it may bo, they have the right to be respected. A stage of their solicitude in reference to the subject lias been reached which renders any further trifling with it impossible. It has been argued that there are such places as the West Coast where drink is still so supreme and drinking so popular that it would be improper to effect universal prohibition which would compel its people to abstain against their will. But because a small section of the people prefer to remain steeped in drink, are we to keep a whole nation submerged, though it aspires to reclaim itself? No one will surely tell us that the destiny of our country should be influenced by a community in which the liquor seller is still fetish and where drinking saloons arc, by the majority of its inhabitants, esteemed more than domestic hearth of family obligations. — “Oamaru Mail.”

OUR MAIL SERVICE. For a long time past the people of New Zealand in general and of Auckland in particular have been suffering continual inconvenience and losses through lack of a reliable and speedy mail .service between England and the Dominion, in fact, ever since the SanFrancisco service was dropped our experiences have strengthened our convictions of the inadequacy and futility of all the services that we have so far been able to substitute for it. For the present what is needed is that the country should insist upon the Government taking immediate steps to establish sure and speedy mail connections with England. The Suez service is hopelessly obsolete. There seems to bo no practicable alternative but the San Francisco route, and even if we jvere t<> pay a far heavier subsidy than before, the advantages of this connection would far more than repay in speed and certainty the Dominion for the initial outlay.—Auckland “Star.”

THE DOMINION’S PRODUCE. New Zealand produce may be guarded against unfair treatment and unduly low prices in two ways, by better distributing methods and by preferential trade. That the distributing methods by which our meat reaches the retailer and the consumer arc faulty is common knowledge, and. the Government would do much to assist our farmers if it made a businesslike campaign in the

United Kingdom on their behalf. Preferential trade would steady tho market and prevent our produce from being shouldered out bv the machinations of meat “trusts,” for whose passing generosities aimed at our trade the British consumer would have to pay much more heavily in the end.—“ New Zealand Herald.” THE GOVERNMENT AND THE FREEHOLD. Thus almost the only Ministerial utterance directly bearing on this burning question exactly contradicts what everybody had previously assumed to be the settled policy of the Ministry. Have Mr Mackenzie’s colleagues any opinions on tho point?" If so, they ought to tell us. Has the Government as a whole any opinion on the point? If so, the Acting-Premier ought to make it known at once. Now that the Rangitikei election can no longer be affected by the answer, the ordinary requirements of candid and courageous statesmanship should be allowed luH play. If Mr Mackenzie’s performance at Taihape was a mere “blazing indiscretion,” the sooner it is disowned and ho is brought to book the better. If, on the other hand, the trouble is not Mr Mackenzie’s indiscretion, but the timidity, spinelessness and backsliding of his colleagues, then, a’so, the sooner the’'’ face the inevitable and make a clean breast of it the better. Will Mr Carroll frankly tell us exactly where they stand? And if he does not know himself, will he toll us just how far they have got towards a conclusion, so that others may give them some much-needed help?—Wellington “Post.”