AN AUSTRALIAN POLICY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12853, 29 April 1905, Page 4

AN AUSTRALIAN POLICY.

Political necessity has at last compelled Australian politicians to abandon that belated struggle over fiscal issues which has long been the wonder of other communities, and apply themselves to more practical questions. Mr. Reid has been wise enough to perceive that 110 policy of mere negation can avail to counteract the advance of the Labour Party to dominant place in Federal politics, and that his success depends upon presenting a more attractive, because a more serviceable, programme to the Federal electors. In outlining at Adelaide a scheme of national development —to attract men with money from abroad, to develope natural resources, and to keep population in the country and not in the towns—he propounded a policy which has vast possibilties if sustained by intelligent legislation arid wise administration. The value to a new country of the. industrious and capable immigrant who brings only his strong hands 01* his craft is too Avell known to need exposition, but it is universally admitted that the man who also brings sufficient capital to furnish himself, and possibly others, with employment, is much more desirable. The problem is how to obtain this immigrant with capital. New Zealand attracted him once; Canada attracts him. now. Mr. Reid intends that Australia shall bid for him. The greatest compliment this colony can pay to Mr. Reid is to endeavour to prevent him succeeding by our attracting the immigrant with capital to our own shores. As for the development of the natural resources of the country our provincial experience has been that the best way to do so is for the Government to provide roads, bridges, and railways wherever the land will justify the expenditure, and to waste no public money where it is not commercially justifiably and that the worse way is for a Government to neglect a district, as the Seddon Government neglects Auckland Province. Mr. Reid, however, may have other plans more suited to Australia, but whatever his plans there can be no doubt that the only way to keep men in the country and out of the great towns is to make the country districts prosperous and not prosper the great towns at their expense.