THE LEASEHOLD CAUCUS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 762, 10 March 1910, Page 6

THE LEASEHOLD CAUCUS.

The political quietude that tie public has enjoyed since the beginning of the year lends a special interest to the conference of "leasehold" members of Parliament in Christchvtrch to-day. We must confess, however, that the reports which arc current concerning this interesting little caucus are not such as might have been' expected from the ferocity with which the leasehold wing opposed the Land Bill of last session. It is said, for example, that the Christchurch members of the caucus are anything but anxious for publicity: they fear that if they speak loudly or firmly they will arouse the freeholders to activity, with results anything but pleasant to the leasehold cause. Of course the leaseholders must . be supposed to know their own business better than anybody else, and it is not for an outsider to complain if they think their holy cause too hopeless to sustain anything but injury from being I openly and; vigorously pushed. We never did believe that there was any real and desperate earnestness in the terrifying threats that came last session from the leasehold extremists. Nobody who considers the political careers of the Liboral insurgents can .believe that thoy are of the stuff that to a finish for a-£xkcyjle..

Me. Laurenson may in his heart bo Eassionately attached to the "leaseold," but he was anything but fierce last session. His zeal in -this as .in other things has been very effectively cooled by his appointment to the position of Government Whip. He may be relied upon, if he attends the caucus, to impress upon his colleagues the great unwisdom of enthusiasm and keenness, for it is his business, as the Liberal Whip, to discourage any movement that may embarrass a Government which has a vacant Ministership to bestow on somebody. Me. Laueenson's task will not be a difficult one. For his allies are for the most part of a sort that will meet him more than half way; unless we are mistaken they are very willing indeed to be convinced that it is unwise .to make a fuss.

Few people really believe that the "leasehold" movement can ultimately succeed. It has no basis in logic, justice, or national expediency. But what the freeholders must remember is that logic, justice, and prudence are in no way essential to tne adoption of any policy by an Administration which aims only at maintaining its hold on the reins of office. At the 1908 elections, as at 'the 1905 elections, the country returned a majority of freeholders to the House. Yet what has the Government done in the way of giving effect to the popular will? ,It hopes to remain in office by playing on one party against another ; and the sooner the freeholders make up their minds to end this in-, tolerable situation the better it will be for them and for the country. In some respects the leasehold ' caucus holds the position which is held bj the Nationalists and the Labour party in Great.Britain. The Nationalist and Labour parties were led by the fervour of the Government's oratory" to believe that the Lords would be smashed without ■& moment's delay; and they are now in the position of agonised backers imploring the Government to get into the. ring. In the same way the heroics with which our own Govern ment announoed that it had nailed the leasehold flag to the mast encouraged the leasehold party to believe that it was in earnest. And now the. deluded victims <af the eloquence of 1906 and 1907 are holding a caucus to decide'what is to be done. The freeholders in the House will , be very foolish if they do nib realise that the,holding of the caucus and the counsels of caution that it is receiving point to the arranging of a fresh tricking of the freehold majority, in the country;