Evening Post. MONDAY, MAY 18, 1911. PLATFORM POLITICS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 113, 15 May 1911, Page 6

Evening Post. MONDAY, MAY 18, 1911. PLATFORM POLITICS.

The Press Association supplied a very full ceport of the speech delivered by the Hon. J. A. Millar as Acting Minister of Finance on Tuesday last, but the financial review of the year was properly deemed of such paramount importance that it wan allowed a practical monopoly of space. The five-column report in the * Otago Daily Times shows, however, that there were other poiute in Mr. Millar's speech which would have been worth telegraphing if they had not been tacked on to so large a mass of more important matter. As to the future policy of the Government, there was, unfortunately, no indication. "The Government," said the Minister, "simply asked to be judged by what it had' done. It did not make promisee; its record spoke for it. If -the people considered that that record had been of advantage to the- country, and that the Government had faithfully carried out its trust, they would show their confidence in it at the proper time." This is all very well as fari as it goes, but it does not go all the way. No doubt deeds speak more loudly than words, aad supply in general a much better test ol human worth, but, conceding that the Government has done such good work in the pact as to deserve the confidence of the country, is not the country entitled to some information as to how that confidence is to be used? At present the future programme of the Government is a complete blank. Though two years and a half have passed since the result of the last general election showed that the land question would have to" be faced, the land policy of the Government is still as far to seek as ever, and, in spite of Mr. MSlar'a confident claim, ite record in this respect is simply one of masterly evasion. Is the Governments appeal for the confidence of the people to be based upon its capacity to "play out time" for another three years regarding this vital issue? Mr. Millar and his colleague* should be able to devise some better course than that, remembering tnat Vi they fail to do so there is little chance of Sir Joseph Ward's finding time from the exacting round of business and pleasure involved in the Coronation and the Imperial Conference to devise a sohition which years of anxious thought in New Zealand have failed to jiuf4. Yet it seems probable that, short of some new Imperial issue which the Premier may bring back with him from tho Conference, the land question will be the most momentous subject for the censidwation of the electors a-iid for the sizing up of parties and candidates at the coming elactdoaa.

In that part of his speech which was devoted to replying to Ohe Leader of th© Opposition, Mr. Millar scored some good points. It certainly looks as though Mr. Massey's travels round th© country wera affecting him with some of the some capacity for variation to suit the local need* with which he has often, and not unjustly, taunted the Ministry. How else are we to account for the fact that Mr. Massey has now discovered that the claims of the Otago Central Railway are of sufficient importance to merit the appointment of a Royal Commission to consider the question of it# continuance t The tim© l& surely not very far distant when Mr. Massey entertained a less halting opinion regarding thia sink of public money. It is also clear that when Mr. Massey speaks at Waiau, the Culverden-Waiau Railway assumes a less repulsive aspocb than, when he vinws it from Auckland or Wellington. A more important point rmide by Mr. Millar Teiated to that five-million loan upon which Me. Massey is perpetually harping. "N«w Zealand's credit," said Mr. Massey ab Raglan 'on 15th March, "at the present tim©, owing to the Government's reckless borrowing, is lower than that of any Australian State. Our credit is noi s» good in the money markei as that of Queensland, for instance." In reply Mr. Millar quotes the two last weekly cablegrams dealing with colonial stocks which had appeared before Mr. Massey spoke, and these make it quite clear thai* New Zealand's credit has no need to shrink from a comparison with that of any AustraKna State. As to Queensland in particular, the figures sliow that New Zealand's 4 per cents, stood £2 10s higher, her 3£ per cents. 10s higher, and her 3 per cents. JOs higher, than those of Queensland during the first of the weeks in question; and thai during the second week New Zealand's lead had slightly increased. Believing as we do thab much of Mr. Massey's financial criticism has been sound and helpful, we regret to see him discounting the value of that critioism by such blunders as this. In his review of the work of the session, Mr. Millar gave the place of honour to the National Provident Fund" Act, which really did not deserve it. A small number of thrifty people aro likely to take advantage of this Act and make a better provision for themselves in their old age and' for their wiv«e and families than would have otherwise been th© case. But the embarrassing problem represented by the immense mass of untbrift will be absolutely untouched by the Act,- which is therefore a feeble and hollow thing in comparison with th© National Insurance Bill prepared by th© late Sir Haary Atkinson nearly -thirty years ago and referred to by Mr. T. E. Taylor in a statement telegraphed from Christchurch to-day, or the Bill of Mr. Lloyd George which is now before the House of Commonß. All that can -be done by the spoon-feeding process has been don© in this country, and the Old-ag© Pension Act and tho National Provident Fund Act must now be supplemented by a more statesmanlike scheme on the lines of the two measures above mentioned, which will prevent th© improvident from leaving to others the provision for themselves, th©ir wives, and their families when sickness or old age overtakes them. Among other titles of th© Government to the public gratitud© Mr. Millar mentioned th© Public Debt Extinction. Act, th© Secret Commissions Act, th© Commercial Trusts ! Act, the Stone Quarries Act, and the Coal Mines Act. None of these measures, however, is of a very thrilling character, though some of them are likely to prove very useful. Of the legislation of th© session as a whol© th© Minister remarked that "the object of ©very on© of th© measures- was to better the condition of those affected, which showed that the Government was quite as humanitarian in its views as any Government that had preceded it." This is faint praise, not to say bathos. The Government has don© some excellent things, notably in the sphere of defence, which Mr. Millar, oddly enough, did not mention.; but it will have ,to show before December next that it ha* still the capacity for usefulness in th© future.