WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

Evening Star, Issue 15139, 22 March 1913, Page 1

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

We do not suggest tliat Hawko's Bay should be taken as .i criterion, hoeauso wo. know thatin rli.it magnificent, province there are scores; of miles of firstclass country that have never felt, the blade of a . plough, lint nevertheless the fa-'l, tliat there is a surplus ol' farm labor there is emirled in (.•oiisirlera.t.inn in view n f Mr Massey's. proposal to introduce. 2-j.OOO immigrants annually, if Mr Massey lioldly came forth with a progressive policy requiring the Hawko's P,ay squatters either to work their land or else seil it to people who would cultivate it. w<> cot:!.) sic some reasonable prospect of absorbing the whole 'i.-j.noo people annually, provided that (hey were IV, nr. laborers; lint in default of any policy or intention of. the kind, and with the knowledge that the policy of the Government is to protect the great estates ..ol" Hawke's Bay from closer settlement, we sire forced to conchisious t.hat are disnialiv pessimistic regarding Ihese uewi-omcrs.—Welling-ton " Times.' * * •» Plainly, there must he something i!ir;t needs remedying in the branches of trade tlint cry so persistently and yet. so vainly lor U-.hnr. Either the conditions of employment arc not attractive oi- the -,vages are !"«•; than can he earned in other avocations: or perhaps there is ;i combination , : f both those drawbacks. If not these, what then:-' The solution is obviously one for the employers to grapple, with.—Ashhtirtoii ' Guardian.' x .Ve have never been under any misapprehension as to what Mr'Allen meant. We knew that he tentatively offered 8,000 men for service abroad, just as Sir Peddon offered them. Hut the circumstances are entirely different, "lie lioors had no navy to threaten the shores of isolated British dominions, and the reasonable presumption is that, should Britain go to war within this decade, [he ne.\L enemy will be a. leadin;* naval .Power. At such a time,, we cannot afford to scud away thousands of our vigorous young men. This being so. why make the offer ?~ Southland ' News.' * * * When we hear from our outlving country districts that "the curse of reaggrogation _is settling down upon us like a pall." wo may understand that this reaction means more to the Dominion than the delay of settlement and the obstruction of immigration. It means, relatively, the stagnation and impoverishment of the whole country.— Auckland ' Star.' * * * The attitude taken up by Canon Curznn-Siggors regarding the ' presence of spectators at marriages in his church may or may not he opposed to ecclesiastical law, but then; is no doubt that it is- in accordance with the canons of decorum and good taste. "All the world loies a love,-," and a large part ol the world is apparently deeply interested i n ;l bride, hut." that is no reason why a wedding should he made the occasion of unseemly e'ondiiet in the church on the part of people who attend merely out of idle curiosity. Disgraceful scenes have been witnessed at some weddings, the uninvited public crowding to seen;.' admission and ••laniborm - • ■■'■ -•!', ! i:i|(lj-._- dun: . >}■„. J-':ig!-( ~., ~i L lle N.TViie mi as to g;'t a good view of the wedding partv, and it will be an excellent thing if 'the Key! Curzon-Higgors's firm action is imitated by his brethren when occasion d "mantis. —Christ church ' Press.'

AM previous precedi-nit; in Canadian ohsl ruction have been surpassed, and even the friends of the Government begin to fear that the ail.erriai ives an; tin- total paralysis of Parliament or a dissolution. The result is inlinitelv niore disappointing than in the case of the National Insurance Hill. An atmosphere of controversy is a normal condition of measures of social reform, but national defence belongs to an entirely different plane. Jt is the aim of every statesman and every patriot, to keep such questions above the reach of party warfare, and it is nothing short of a calamity that Canada has io face fir.s< ( a parliamentary deadlock and then a General Election over a great Imperial issue on which the Kmpire had been looking to her for a prompt, and decisive load.—"Wellington 'Post.' * * # At present every boat, which is heading for the Dominion has on hoard hundreds of willing workers coming with the idea ol making homes for themselves and their lamilies. It is probable that many of them will have to go through many heartburnings and inconveniences, and be involved in needless expenses before (bey settle down, These drawbacks are avoidable. So far. however, irom taking incieased 1 pains to simplify the problem of opening up new country, it must be confessed that every succeeding Administration lias sivmed to do wor-c than its predecessor.—Auckland ' Herald.' * * * It is no reproach lo Mr .Massey to <-ay that his land policy, except for 1 he raid upon the leasehold, is still nothing more than an array o! attractive promises. |fe pleads.'•„ it ii some show of reason, that he has had no time for anyr.mng else. Hot during in-;t session ol Parliament the nu'nh'c ">-. ill expect to see his promises redeemed, and will not be satisfied if further concessions to Crown tenants are all he has io show at tlm end of the vear. Ho j f committed to somoihing m>:c!, more comprehensive than that, souuthir" much more worthy of the title „f •• Lib,-,-ai " he is so anxious to earn, and no mere party differences provoin „ s hopin-' that he will be as good ,t, his word. " Lyttcltou Times.'