WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

Evening Star, Issue 14688, 4 October 1911, Page 2

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

If the native race is advanced enough to occupy the extraordinary place it does in out national government, it is advanced enough, to understand that an official record of births and deaths should bo kept. The probability is that our Native Department is not eager to obtain and publish registration records, which would show a frightful infantile mortality, and thus indict those who are responsible for the manner with which Maori affairs are being handled. But the public should be concerned for the well-being of the Maori people only, and should insist that registration intended solely for the protection of human life should be enforced upon the Maori as upon the European.— Auckland ‘.Herald.’ *■ * » Is the New Zealand that lias proudly boasted of the great legislative advances it has made to lag behind all other progressive countries in the matter of the constitution of its legislative Council?— Westport ‘ News.’ * ■* * To plant settlers in the wilderness without the roads upon which their acooes to a market depends is a cruelty that has been tolerated too long. By pursuing the policy of road-making or railway-building concurrently with the settling of the land, not only will this barbarism be put an end to, but the settlers will be provided with remunerative work to enable them to overcome the initial difficulties of financing their holdings, which, under present conditions, are often insuperable.—Wellington ‘ Post.’ » * » A fact which interested candidates are apt to hurry past or overlook entirely is that since the Liberal party has been in power efforts to grapple with the problem of a fair distribution of taxation have never been relaxed, and that the ideal of apportioning the burden according to the means of the taxpaying classes is now ne.arer realisation than, it has ever before been in the history of the Dominion.— Nelson ‘ Colonist.’ •» * * The fact that there is one member of the native race in Parliament to-day who has for years represented a European constituency,'ami has even filled the position of Acting Prime Minister of the country, shows that there is no bar to natives securing a plane in Parliament under the General Election laws, provided they possess the necessary qualifications : and the position of native aspirants would be improved by the inclusion of natives on the ordinary election rolls. It is quite time that the sysetrn jjf special native representation was abolished, or at least revised.—The ‘ Dominion.’ * * I That the people do not take the Opposition seriously has been clearly demonstrated in the past, and, while every tenant of the State would eagerly accept the freehold of his section at the original value, each one knows as well as Mr Massey that such a thing is impracticable, though several influential organisations are giving it the greatest prominence amongst their political proposals. Southland ! ‘ News.’ * o * Ministers at least may point to the land laws already on the Statute Book and say “ There is our policy,’’ but Mr Massey and his friends have committed themselves to nothing more tangible than j a series of vague promises to give, the | Crown tenants the option of the freehold j “on equitable terms.”—Lyttelton ‘Times.’ * * » While the Government have made, no ! honest, attempt to create a land policy, i the Opposition have put sane proposals j before the country which, if adopted, would foster closer settlement and bring j all available Crown and native lands into ! profitable use,—Palmerston ‘Standard.’ j ** * I There is something to be said in -favor ! of a bolder immigration policy. The ad- i vantages New Zealand has to offer to j those who desire to emigrate from the ! Old Country might be brought much more ; vigorously before public notice in the j United Kingdom. The facilities for reach- ! ing here might bo improved.—New Ply- I mouth ‘ Herald.’ ' I