THE LAND QUESTION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 15180, 18 December 1909, Page 13

THE LAND QUESTION.

10 THE EDITOR. Si r '--As a rule I can, with every honesty of purpose, give my adhesion to the principles inculcated by you journal, although I may differ when it comes to the method of applying them, but I cannot subscribe to your subleader in this morning's issue of the "Lyttelton Times," simply because> 1 think it is not a fair resume of the political situation at the present moment. I have carefully read over the letter of your correspondent, Mr John Poulson, on the "political situation and your sub-leader dealing with it, and must confess that your critique is not what I should expect to find in the editorial columns of your journal, but rather the effort of a lawyer bent on minimising the guilty action of a client before the bar of justice. To my mind your corespondent has hit the nail on the head in his review of the situation, and if there was a general election next week you would find that the public are with him in his tersely-worded condemnation of the present Government for their lamentable " volto face" on the land question. Possibly it may yet be correct to say that very little interest' was manifested in Canterbury on tho leasehold versus freehold aspect of the land question at last general election, but I think it may bo said also that there was little or no opposition to the leaseholders in any part of Canterbury; hence it was not a burning question. But if it was to become, as it is now, a factor in the making or unmaking of the Liberal Government then we know that the people would give an emphatic answer in favour of the leasehold. No doubt there is. much to be said in favour of the freehold side of the matter, but I have always been under the impression that Mr. Massey and his satellites were the people to work up that phase of the question, and that any Liberal Government deserving the name would protect the people's rights on the land question to the length of going out of office ii necessary in its defence. Evidently the Ward Government are not built of the same material as the Ballance Government, who were ready "to nail their colours to the mast" and abide by the result. ' The present Government are ready to pull their colours down to any shifting breeze that blows, with the result that they please nobody, not even the freeholders. I am delighted to find that the twenty-three, men in the House of Representatives who are in favour of the leasehold have stuck to then' colours when their leaders have so basely betrayed them, and I hope they will continue to block any Bill winch would have the effect of giving the present leaseholders the right of receiving the freehold under any terms whatsoever. It will stand to the credit of these men that they have done their duty under very trying circumstances, and I trust thev will continue to fight the freeholders until there is a general ('lection and the people have given their verdict on the question. In regard to the canteen question, I am again on the sido opoosed to the Government, and no son of mine will be allowed to attend a camp where drink is dispensed either to those over the age of twenty-one years or those under that age. The sentiment of the country will prevent such an infamous act being carried out under the guise of a military regulation, notwithstanding the Government fathering the proposal.—l am, etc., JAMES W. HUNTER.