TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 88, 10 October 1912, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY

Hawkes Bay, like some other parts of _„ the Dominion, sufBig Estates : fers from big landWhite and Brown, lordry, both white and brown, and the senes of articles wow appearing in thiß paper will disclose vivytty the twin evils. In Puketapu riding, close to Napier, thirteen occupiers exist where 143 hpltlors might reasonably thrive; and land monopoly flourishes in a much more aggravated form in localities -further south. Again, Maoris own huge blocks— some of them held by whites under leases shortly Uj expire— along the route 'of the Nap'er-Wairoa-Gisborne railw.ay 5 and unless these are secured by the Crown httgo betterment will accrue to them through the expenditure of public money. What is the remedy ? To burst up the big freeholds, one necessary thing is to make the process of subdivision on deferred payment not merely optional (as proposed by Mr. Massey's Bill), but, m the last resort, compulsory; and to acquire the Native blocks the same process should be applied to them. Mr. Massey's important statement in the House yesterday shows that he concedes the latter point, but apparently he still leaves the whole scheme defective by not making it compulsory. In the Financial Statement the Government kid down the principle that the Crown should acquire land in advance of railways, thus securing the betterment} but the European ownet is quicker than the Government in espying coming betterment, and the Maori owner is at least as quick, and is it te be supposed that either of them will rush to the Crowh to sell unless the Government can exercise a compelling force? With the principle that statutory powers of acquisition should be applied to Maori surplus lands, as well as fco European-owned estates, we entirely agree. Sufficient land should be set aside for the use oi the Maori owners them* selves, and the proceeds of the surplus (which Mr. Massey proposes to deal with either by sale or lease) should be vested in the Public Trustee. The interminable investigations of Native rights would then be based upon the trust funds, not the surplus lands, and the latter would play their proper and long-deferred part in the development of the country. If a student it armed with the Defence Act of 1909 and it* Mftke it Plain, amendment of 1910, and ha* two houre to epare, he will be able, with' a little luck, to get a grip of the new Bill, which .was introduced late last night. Some of the new features are plain, because they are distinct from the previou* legislation, but many of the clause* are mere jargon till they are elucidated by reference to the Acte of 1909 and 1910. Of course, the Government has precedent for producing important Bills in this jumbled manner, with no explanatory memorandum, but this is a Reform Government. It is regrettable that the system which Sir John Findlay introduced-— a digest clearly giving the purport of a Bill— wae not continued. By one of those perversities which dietree* the public, tiie Government Printing Office ie used to turn out tons of useless print during session. The people get what they do not want, and want what they do not get. In the present case lack of thought on the Government's part is a public injury. The representatives of morning papers outside Wellington had a sorry task in "boiling" that Bill for the telegraph wires early thi« morning. They could not be expected, at the close of a long day** work, to do justice to the complicated Bill, to themselves, or to the public. Their work would have been simplified, and the public would have benefited, if A helpful explanation had been attached to the Bill, or otherwise given out by the Minister. We know that the Hon. James Allen will give a full explanation when he moves the second reading, and in the meantime representatives of the Press will have an opportunity to analyse the Bill, but it is highly desirable to do everything possible to help the public to have a clear understanding of such a Bill at the outset, _ when the popular curiosity is keen. This is common-sonse which newspaper men know well, and w* are confident that the Prime Minister, who m noted for hi« common-sense, will not deny the importance of the argument. Mr. Maesey will do a public service, and score for his party, by taking care, in the ( future, to have an adequate explanation given out simultaneously with an amending Bin at least " Solidarity ! The ■ new religion, the deathless Hope! Build it "Red" up, wide as the seas, allHumour, embracing | as the blue heavens, mighty as miracles. WHh it all tilings are possible and practicable," says tile Red Federation's official organ this week. The muezzins of this " religion " say that the reopening of the Waihi mines is a "miserable fiasco," that men who chose to lose their liberty have been " speeded to, prison in fear they might do something to arrest infamous scabbery in its traitorous campaign for fattened and avaricious gold-owners," and that the misguided men who are imprisoned by their own will are condemned to a "pauper diet." The high priests _of "Solidarity " are bitterly sectarian. They say that "tha seven deadly sins are as nothing to the terrible sin of scabbery," and it is " scabbery " to re* fuse the dictatorship of the Ultra* Socialists. After all the talk of "heroism " and " solidarity," it is disappointing to find the "solid men" lurk* ing behind the high priestesses, the women of Waihi. It appears that the women are being incited to torment the police to arrest a few of them, so that " Divine Solidarity " may have the human aid of a little more " martyrdom." The melodramatic booming of the " gaoling " of men who deliberately declined to be free, provided they would agree to observe a law fair to all, has not done the wonders expected. The lurid misrepresentation of the facts and the frenzied rhetoric have not stirred the New Zealand public into pressing the Government to surrender to the machine-made demand for the " im* mediate release." Bnt if only a few women could be " gaoled " 1 tf only thd police—" the paid hirelings of the master class," as Mr. Setnple has it—could be goaded into laying impious hands on two or three of the high priestesses of "Solidarity"! How the soap-box would then creak under the gesticulating orator, calling upon "Divine Solidarity to avenge the outrage! Mr. Semp'le says that the police are fat, lazy, and stupid, bnt they have easily seen through the ruso. They are hot helping the mun, who have »tnt the women to the fighting front,

One of the reforms doomed, apparently, . to wait till the Govern* Six Days ment has taken stock Shalt Thou in the recess, is a neLabcur, cessary measure of justice to hotel and restaurant workers, who have long asked in vain for the human right to a six-day week. Mr. Veitch, with good_ reason, complained yesterday of the vagueness of the Government's Labour proposals. This vagueness has tile doubtful merit, of consistency with the amiable generality of the Labour plank in Mr. Maesey's election platform, but we should prefer a definite,' prompt move towards a "square deal" for toilers whose hours are spread over seven days a week. We cannot see any reasonable excuse for delaying this urgent reform for another year. The workers who have been denied the right of one dear day's rest in the_ week naturally smart under a sehse of injustice They have not threatened a fetrike; they have not hoisily given notice to put the public to inconvenience. It seems that they are being punished for their meekness. We have said before, and we say again, that if the jnst treatment of these men and women will add to the total wages account by increasing the numbers on the pay-sheet*, the public must be prepared to pay the difference. If it is fair foi the coalminer and the bricklayer, the clerk and the merchant, to have a six-day week, it is fair for the cook and waiter. We can see no cause for any discrimination between different sets of workers, and the perpetuation of differential treatment is bad public policy, which must react against the public and any Government that pewits the injustice to continue. Of course, it is not practicable for all these workers to be free on Sunday, and they have sense enough not to asfe for such a dispensation. They request one day, to be fixed to suit the employers and the public, and to this uninterrupted rest of twenty-four hours in 168 they have an undeniable right. On reflection the Prime Minister should admit that a Bill to give this relief should be passed this session.