LAND REFORM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 14222, 19 November 1906, Page 6

LAND REFORM.

It will he satisfactory to the friends of laud reform to learn, that Mr M’Nab has definitely arranged' to commence his promised campaign in Auckland on Monday next. The northern city was selected as the starting point for the Minister’s educative tour before the by-election at ; Manukau was even thought of, hut Mr M’Nah now has a special reason for making the provisions of his Land Bill known to the electors of the district. Mr F. W. Lang, who will represent the Opposition in the approaching contest, has announced that “he approves of the action of the Fanners’ Union in regard to. the Bill,” which means, we suppose, that ho and his party will he satisfied with nothing less than the concession of the freehold at the original valuation.- The Farmers’ Union pronounced its opinion upon the Bill before it had seen the amendments effected in the measure by the Lands Committee and by Mr M’Nab himself, and probably by this time it is disposed to considerably modify its attitude; but the purely political freeholders, who are a good deal more concerned for the great capitalists than they are for the struggling farmers, will not ha turned from their purpose by the promise of a reform that would enormously improve the position of the Crown tenants and at the same time ensure the remnant of the public estate being settled on an equitable basjs. Mr Lang is a very amiable gentleman who was deservedly popular with his constituents and in the House when he represented Waikato in a previous Parliament, but he as .a “good party man,” and would never be guilty of thinking for himself on the land question or any other question that had been finally determined by his leaders. The electors of Manukau and the ©lectors of the rest of the colony are not, however, bound by any similar obligation and wo are satisfied that before Mr M’Nab has completed his tour of the colony a great majority of them will be ready to accept the Land Bill in its entirety. The Opposition has persistently • misrepresented the provisions of the measure, and when the public come to realise that there is no intention on the part of the Government to confiscate the existing freeholds, or to withhold reasonable concessions fron> J the Crown tenants or to treat- anyone with the slightest injustice they will warmly resent the deception that has been, attempted.