PUBLIC OPINION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 19 April 1912, Page 5

PUBLIC OPINION.

UXTTY AND THE LABOUR PARTY

"Whether* the adoption of the T. nity programme will have the effect of unifying the Labour Party as a political lorce remains of course yet- to he seen, but that the decision of the party to set itself up as an independent organisation is wise seems to us to be perfectly plain.—"Otago Daily Times. THE DEFENCE SYSTEM.

We would suggest that instead of cryiurr "tyranny" the enemies of defence should devote themselves to showing tliat the opinion of tlic majority is fallacious, that the danger is not real, that the remedy is ineffectual, that the e\ils of the scheme outweigh its benefits. It certainly appears to us that while we tyrannically keep out the coloured races and strive to limit the natural right of man to buy and sell his labour in the most favourable market, while we force our citizens to educate themselves and improve their standard of living and convenience, it is sound policy to tyrannise a little • more and protect our heritage against- its foes. —"New Zealand Herald." EXTRA MINISTERS. Though Mr Mackenzie denies, as he was in honour bound to deny, the suggestion that his is merely a stop gap Ministry, he may regard his two supernumerary Ministers as of the nature of stop gaps, to be dispensed with when his final scheme is ready. Possibly that scheme will provide for the appointment of a number of Parliamentary undeisecretaries, while leaving the piesent statutory number "of fully fledged Ministers unaltered. Such a proposal was mooted some eight or nine years ago in Mr Seddon's time, and it has been vaguely hinted at once or twice since. Is this the idea that Mr Mackenzie has in view? We trust not. Such a multiplication of officers would be quite without- excuse.—•'Evening Post. ' IRISH HOME RULE. The splendid success which has attended the granting of Home Rule to Canada, South Africa, Australia, and Tsew Zealand, justifies the parallel drawn bv Mr Asquith for Ireland. It would, he said, be a bold man who would assert that Ulster presented more diflicultv than South Africa, where Boers and Britons lived side by side in a territory just recovering from an internecine war. The case of the Transvaal not- merely covers, but overlaps the case for Ireland, and answers every objection of the scaremonger. In delegating to Ireland the management- of purely Irish affairs, * the House of Commons will be not instituting an experiment or taking a leap in the dark, but will be extending the operations of a principle which has been followed with magnificent results in regard to other sections of the Empire—"New Zealand Times." —■'