MISTRUSTING THE PEOPLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13487, 14 May 1907, Page 4

MISTRUSTING THE PEOPLE.

It used . to be '■< a ':. cardinal principle of colonial Liberalism toj;trust the people, but the "New Zealand Government are apparently losing faith in its wisdom. The sole . raison d'etre of their endowment scheme in their anti-Freehold Land Bill is that the public are not to be trusted. Unless enormous areas of land are set aside by the State for occupation by Crown tenants on short leases attempts, they tell us, may be made to cut down the cost of education and the amount expended on old age pensions and charitable aid. With every desire to credit Ministers with sincerity ;we find it hard to believe that they are honestly convinced of the reality of the fears they harp upon. Rather*are we inclined to the opinion that their fears are artfully constructed bogeys intended to distract attention from the -true character of their land tenure proposals; They might, just as logically, contend that it is necessary to set aside great endowments for the support of local industries because the people may \ grow tired of taxing themselves by heavy Customs duties for their encouragement and protection. The arguments of Ministers really amount to this, that they have no faith in the future of ; the colony or the character of its people, and that the time j may come when New Zealand will repudiate its : national obligations; and cease to care for its poor and aged, or the education of its young. We protest against these calumniations from the mouths of responsible Ministers ; and we protest also against their gratuitous assumption that the people of the colony,are not to be trusted.