THE BATTLE FOR THE FREEHOLD.

Opunake Times, Volume XXII, Issue 773, 15 September 1905, Page 4

THE BATTLE FOR THE FREEHOLD.

Three years ago before the last General Election, we (Masterton Times) said that there wasmne thing •worth fighting for in New Zealand, and that was the freehold. The battle of the freehold is virtually won, and hence the exceedingly small interest now manifested by the settlers of this district in politics generally. Time was when the Premier fought against the freehold, and there was a danger of losing it. Then settlers got their backs up, and the Premier, when he found that he had alienated the support of the farmers of New Zealand executed a masterly strategic movement which has placed him in a position to support the freehold. Now-, like the Prophet Balaam, he is blessing the very title he went out to curse, and is, prophet like, allowing the National Ass, to speak for him. The battle of the freehold is won, and settlers no longer worry about their land titles. Quite recently the Premier included the freehold title in that weird Bill of his for Workmen’s Homes. He, by doing this, distinctly registered his decision to maintain the freehold title. Some of the Labour Unions object on principal to rccept the freehold title for Workmen’s Homes. It is possible that they recognise that it is not worth twopence to them, for under the Bill a man would have to pay, say, twenty seven pounds a year for twenty-seven years to get a freehold, and he is not such a fool as to do this. But undoubtedly the action of the Premier in tendering them a freehold closes their lips, if they accepted it, from saying anything more about the farmers’ freehold. They would sooner have their liberty to raid Naboth’s vineyard 1 But, without the aid of the Premier, they are powerless, and the battle has gone against them. Only one leader of a party, Mr Tom Taylor, champions the leasehold. His party is but a small one; and, however much we may admire the ability of its leader and his prowess as a giant-killer, it is pretty certain that he will never

become Premier of New Zealand. ‘ Mr Butherford, an avowed supporter of Mr Seddon, said this very week: “ The Premier should make a straight-out pronouncement in favour of the freehold. The freehold had to come, so why should the Premier be stranded on the shoals of tho leasehold ? He (Mr Butherford) was a freeholder straight out. He would sell every acre of land with the exception of certain areas fer national parks, etc. ” We hardly expect the Premier to make this straight-out pronouncement j but no one would be surprised if he were to do so. He has crossed theßubicon already, and the freeholds is safe for some years to come.