THE H.B. TRIBUNE. TUESDAY, JULY 23, 1912. PROMISES FOR THE FUTURE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 187, 23 July 1912, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. TUESDAY, JULY 23, 1912. PROMISES FOR THE FUTURE.

Speaking at Woodville last night on the occasion of the social tendered to Mr. Escott, M.P., the Premier said he would not at that stage disclose the Government policy, but he nevertheless gave a very interesting forecast of what may be taken as the essence of the Reform programme. Notwithstanding the fact that Sir Joseph Ward complained that there were no farmers upon the new Cabinet. it will be seen th.at Mr. Massey is out with a farmers’ programme. Government promises to give tt rude shock to those who prophesied that land monopoly would be encouraged. The Premier made it plain last night that special attention would be given to land settlement, and he added with sound common sense that the best way thejcould serve the country was to increase the number of producers. This fact has been lost sight of a good deal lately. and the Ward Ministry, notwithstanding vain boasting, did very little genuine work of land settlement. True, grievous lamentations were raised with regard to the failure of the Lands for Settlement Act, hut nothing va"s done to effectually open waste Crown and Native lands to the people. Mr. Massey promises to alter this. He expresses the hope to be able to give every man an opportunity of going on the land, and judging from other remarks he hopes to put them on their holdings under better conditions than have prevailed! in the past. In the first place he intends to give security of tenure, and it is to be hoped that bis efforts in this direction will finally settle the land tenure problem in this country and bring back the feeling of security which lias uei'ii absent from the public mind for many years past. Hitherto no one lias known what tomorrow would bring forth in the shape of land legislation, and consequently uneasiness prevailed and discontent ran high in many quarters. Now the country knows what to expect, viz., the straight cut right to acquire the freehold. The Premier lias also premised improvement in the valuation system by exempting improvements and to introduce a better system of reading, t’nquestionably there has been necessity for sanity in cur reading as applied to the opening of land for settlement. Air. Massey has not made any definite statement as to the method lie proposes to adopt, but it is to bo heped that he will see the lack of wisdom in pushing settlement ahead of proper commun’cation. This has been done, in the past in a way which entailed great hardship on the settlers and loss of revenue to Government. The Reform Premier is.also on the right track when promising I

greater attention to agricultural education. It is undoubtedly necessary that New Zealand farmers should be placed in a position to ac- ! quire the best possible instruction. ! The day of scientific farming i< upon I us. competition is keen, and wo ean- | not afford to drop behind. Mr. MasI sey also received a number *>f deputations in the afternoon, and it will ■be seen by the telegraphed report that the people of W oodville had a good budget of requests to place before him. To one of these requests we are sorry to see Mr. Masey lent an. apparently, favourable ear. We refer to the request that forest reserves should be thrown open for settlement. The reply of the Premier was that he ‘‘would make en- | quirios and if possible open them lor close settlement.” Me believe that any such policy would receive hearty condemnation from the great bulk of the electors throughout the Dominion. The country ran well spare this land for the preservation of forest scenery and the provision of natural parks where the people in years to come may find some traces of the beauty of primitive New ZeaI land. The promotion of settlement is doubtless wise, but it would be I nothing short of ruthless vandalism i to destroy the national parks and r- ■ serves which have been set aside for the people. In every quarter of the Dominion the progress of settlement has left a devastating hand, and the people are awaKenmg too late to the fact that communities have been robbed of their natural beauty spots. Hence we find a growing desire to save areas of natural bush and acquire parks and picturesque holiday resorts for the people. Mr. Massey should read from these signs the! unpopularity of any proposal to rob the people of their forest reserves. Judging from the reply made regarding the Gorge road, a Local Government Bill is to be introduced which will make provision for the maintenance of main arterial roads. It is gratifying to know that the change of Government will not prevent this important legislation coming before Parliament ,and it is sincerely to be hoped that political turmoil will not interfere with its passage on to the Statute Book. Taken as a whole the promises for the future made by the Premier are most encouraging and will put good heart into his followers in the House and country. The concluding words of the Premier are worth noting: ‘They could not make the people rich or prosperous without work, but they hoped to give equal opportunities to all to make the chances of life better.”