THE FIRST SHOT.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13095, 21 April 1908, Page 6

THE FIRST SHOT.

Tho first shot in the ©lection campaign in Canterbury was fired nt Fairlie on Saturday night. It was not a very loud shot, but it sufficed to set the echoes flying, and we suppose thot from now until "the end of the session there will bo a more or loss inte.'srnittent fusillade, culminating, as usual, in tho month bafore election day in a perfect cannonade of speeches. Sir Robert Guthrie, who broke tho silence that lias lain for many months over politics in. this province, is described as an old resident of tho Mackenzie- country, and tho lessee of a small grazing run at Burkes Pass; politically lie describes himself as a Progressive Liberal, and he intends to contest tho Geraldino seat "against all comers." He seems however to bo "progressive" only in patches. Hie attitude towards tho largo landowners is almost ferocious—almost, to coin an adjective, Lanronsonian. He has advocated the increase of tho gradu- ! ated land tax, so thai tlio present maxi-

with," and he apparently wants the Government to take oil the largo esttrtes at the valuation, under ±he Act of last session. But he regards the Political Labour League's demand for periodical revaluation, and revaluation oil the death of a lessee or the transfer of his interest, as "grossly unfair ' and Sauce for the freehold goose is evidently not sauce for the leasehold gander, and whether confiscation is a blessing or a crime appears to depend entirely upon the tenure under which tho victim holdi his land. Mr Guthrio- spoke of himself as having spent thirty-two years in the backblocks. This no doubt accounted for a- great part of his first address being devoted to the Mackenzie country, and the manner in. which tho large runs should be subdivided. It is nothing to Mr Guthrio if the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the members of the Laud Board do not agreo with him as to the suitability of the district for closer settlement; he does not admit that they know anvthhig of the back country. Ho would not displace any bona fido squatters, but unfortunately in the whole of the Mackenzie country there are, in Mr Guthrie's opinion, but thToo just men. One of these had declared, after going round tho world, that ho preferred tho Mackenzie Country and his own station to any place ho had seen as a home. "It would bo c calamity," said Mr Girthrie, "to displace a man "who felt like that about his "(home." Wo can assure him that love of homo is not confined' to his part of Canterbury, and that numbers of the men whom he- would diepossess of their property "feel like that "about their homes." Is that sentiment only admirable when displayed , by the candidate's friends? -Mr Guthrie had much that was interesting to say about the Mackenzie basin, and if his assertion is correct, that it would in tho future become the orchard , of South Canterbury, it is clear that- popular opinion of tho district needs revising. But tho possibilities of the Mackenzio country in years to come arc hardly current politics; end for the candidate's views on these, wo ehaJl wait until ho next addresses the electors.