PUBLIC OPINION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16508, 25 March 1914, Page 10

PUBLIC OPINION.

FROM YESTERDAY'S PAPERS

(By Telegraph.)

NEW ZEALAND'S NAVAL POLICY. The belief has been allowed to circulate in Australia and in England that the dominion disapproves of one Imperial fleet as outlined in the House of Commons by Mr Churchill when introducing the Naval Estimates, and this country is being bracketed with Australia as a protectant whose protests the Admiralty contemptuously disregards. Whatever the Government majority may or may not do in this l elation when Parliament meets in Juno this at least is certain, viz., that New Zealand has not so accepted the local navy proposal and that something more than has yet been said will need to bo forthcoming to convince the country of its wisdom. There is simply no room for an intelligent difference of opinion on the relative merits of a supreme Imperial fleet fed bv the free-will gifts of men, money or ships, to bs utilised as the Admiralty may think best, from the oversea dominions, and the proposals of Mr Masscy and Mr Fisher to spend what money we can spare on a Bristol cruiser. The suggestion is so preposterous as to be beneath serious notice. Could there bo a more inept and humiliating—from the New Zealand standpoint—ministerial statement than that of Mr Fisher at Pongaroa on Saturday night.—Dunedin " Star." IMMIGRATION. The need which Australia and New Zealand have of suitable immigrants for their development" .and progress impresses all who visit their shores and study their resources, and the fact that* among all the dominions they are easily the most British in the sense that they receive few immigrants from foreign countries should increase the validity of their claim to a fair share of the' emigrants who leave the Old Country for fresh woods and pastures new.—' 1 Otago 'Daily Times." BROKEN PLEDGES. It is really time to ask how much longer the Government intends to make the strike its excuse for broken pledges unsatisfactory administration, lack of policy and financial muddlement. Tho facts' nboiit the Customs taxation are that when the Tories sought the votes of the people they solemnly undertook to make such reductions in the tariff as would appreciably lessen the cost of living, and" that the promise has not been keot, although the Tories have been through two sessions of Parliament, of which one was the longest on record. Parliament assembled last year in June and the industrial trouble began in October. In the four monMis that had been expired not the slightest indication had been given that the Customs tariff was to be revised during the session.—" New Zealand Times." LIBER AL-LABOUR COMBINATION. Why should the Labour Socialists sacrifice their chances for the Wardists and, equally, why should the Wardists sacrifice their chances for the Labour Socialists? That, however, is a problem for our Labour and "Liberal" friends to settle amongst themselves. If Sir Joseph Ward were wise he would repudiate the Red 1 Federation and its political adjunct, the Social Democratic Party altogether, for an alliance with the forces they represent, even if it were possible, must injure him in M e eyes of a large portion of his old following. As his past record hardly justifies the expectation that he will take a bold course of this kind, we may look forward to some interesting manauxvring between the two parties in tho months to come ere election day arrives.—" Dominion."