THE FUTURE OF THE LAND BILL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 14191, 13 October 1906, Page 4

THE FUTURE OF THE LAND BILL.

It is‘only natural ,that some of our Conservative friends should be jubilant over the postponement of the Land Bill, but there is no ground at all -for the assumption of the “ Otago Daily Times” that the measure has been abandoned. Tbe Premier and the Minister of Lands have made the reasons for the postponement quite clear and however much we may regret their occurrence we cannot dispute their weight or their soundness. Under the most favourable circumstances it would have been barely possible to secure the second reading before the adjournment for the opening of the Exhibition. Fully sixty members of the Jlouse of Representatives would have wished to speak on the measure, and with the time that would have been necessarily occupied .with other matters their speeches could have .easily extended oyer a fortnight. Then Mr Massey was confident of keeping the Bill in committee for at least six weeks, without any assistance from the Ministerial side of the House,, and this, only a week’s adjournment next month, would have delayed its further progress until the end of December. After that there might have been further obstruction of a more or less serious kind until the measure was passed ok to the Legislative Council at the beginning of the new year. The Council could have delayed it hardly so long, but it might have kept it for two or three weeks and then have sent it hack in such a shape that the struggle in the other chamber would have been renewed. Of course, the Government ought jo have considered all these possibilities before it threw down the challenge to the Opposition, but it cannot he fairly, accused of insincerity and feebleness simply because it made a mistake in tactics. It is evident to all of us now that the lateness of the session, and the approach of the Exhibition made it quite impossible to overcome the threatened obstruction without sacrificing all other legislation and ifliperilling the success of a great national undertaking to which the Government is committed, but we are being wise after the event. We can understand: the impatience and even excuse the bitterness of these reformers who are putting all the blame for the delay upon the shoulders of Hie Premier and his colleagues, but we cannot admit the justice of rneir attitude. The mistake Ministers made was in. commencing the task without counting the cost, not in withdrawing when, they found the cost too great. For the ultimate fate of the Bill we have no fear. The reception given lo the Minister of Lands at the Upper Hutt on Thursday evening shows what the Liberal constituencies are likely to think of those members of the House who are afraid to dare something in the cause of the people. We are in-1 dined to believe, with Mr M’Nab, that

the delay is tho very best thing that could have happened to the Bill. When the Minister takes the platform, as he will during the recess, Mr Massey and his friends may begin to wish that they had accepted the measure in its present form. The greater part of the opposition to the Government’s proposals is based on prejudice and misapprehension, and we are satisfied that when they are thoroughly understood they will be eagerly endorsed by a vast majority of tho electors.