Government Measures. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 1950, 9 July 1891, Page 11

Government Measures. TO THE EDITOR.

SlK,— At this important juncture In our country's history it behove* every one to givo due heed to the proceedings of Government, and to aid and assist to the best of their abilities. With this view, allow me to quote from a man of s^und «en»e who was sen*; by a leading Government newspaper to live in Ireland to study the poliiios of that country. .I. I give his words— and they apply to this country quite as much as to Ireland:— "The trouble i» not political, but economic, and if the people would recognise that their interests lie in the measure of their prosperity, and not in the form of their political government, they would ba rid of agitators and much bitterness and disappointment, which in place of advancing tbe country, brings is into a state of dependence and degradation." Tnis is true, for in the pas'; as in the present, there has been a scramble between schemers and professional agitator* of all knds for the " box feat " *wl the reins of power, regardless alike of the danger of upsetting the state cnacli and of tbe safety and the interests of tbe people "

VILI.&&K SETTLEMBSTB H«re, aho, I cm back ray opinion by that of a man who has made tne subject a special study He says : " The village community is really a primi ive institution, not stamped with tbe marks of advaaaetnant or political progress, and is never fonnd a factor in the constitution of nation*. . 'The village community is a product of the backward and not of the forward races of the world, and its pxigtence amid tbe more advanced institutions of civilisation is due to survival, and >jot creation, and represents a phase of economic development through which nil progressive raoes must have passed. This conclusion is arrived at by a comparison of some of the savage tribes in India and in Kngland. Villages in Britain were no doubt the outcome of the feudal system, where the serfs or villains, ns they were sometimes called, were lodged under the protection ol the baron who held the surrounding land, which they cultivated ; the importance of ilia feudal lord consisting as mnch in the number of his retainers as in the extent of his aores. Now the feudal system is abolished the villages have melted away, or have been merged In tbe towns as civilisation and

'mproved means of transit advanoed. So it will bff seen the echeme Mr Ballance advocates is a retrograde rather than an advance idea, and is quite incompatible with an economic lyatem of farming and unsuifced to modern improvements and requirement!. It it not a queition simply of »ettliDg the people on the land, bnt it should be a quettion of hovr the land can be made to support the greatest numbers in the greatest comfort ; and it would be well before breaking up or bursting up estates, as he puts it, to ascertain if they are not more economically managed, from s national point of view, than small holdings, where division of labour aud modern implements are 'not available, without which ourexporo trade— our great source of wealth ana means of employment and oredlt— must p Tlsh, excepting perhaps in the ca§e of fruit, the cultivation of which need not interfere with the produntion of wheat, muttonrand wool, seeing there Is ample room for nil and every industry. There is, however, no room for i be destruction or the curtailment of any export, or our tixei and the demand for labour would immediately tuffer. The polioy mutt be a raising-up one for all classes, and not a pulling-down one for any, which must prove prejudicial to the honour and credit and the material advancement of the country, destroying all confidence, driving away capital, ruining all induUry, and entailing a life of drudgery and poverty upon the people. I notice in Russia, where there is little capital, the charge for a oonveyanoe and a man and three horses for a2O-mile day's journey over a bad road 1 is equivalent ts> 2s 6d of our money, whion is what some men would drive this country to. I would, ! while on this subject, say one word more about village settlement and commons, and would ask if the estates are to be " burst up " who are to employ village settlers? In former times they made a living by weaving, shoemakinjr, and tailoring. Now that is all done in the towns ; and how can a man make any provision for his family (and no doubt he would have plenty to augment the population and" bring wages down) on 10 aores if he consented to live on it? Would it not be better that every man should have 100 aores at least, where there i would be a chance to live and some occupation for h's family to keep them out of mischief ? As to a common for a run for cattle and sheep, it has been found unworkable, as animals of all kinds and both sexes running in it promiiououily proved a bad and unprofitable arrangement, if arrangement It could be called where the land belonged to no one in particular. I shall make only another observation, as the letter is getting much too long, on employing idle men at high wages. Is it possible to conceive anything more destructive to the country than for the Government to encourage men to strike by offering a higher rate of wages than any legitimate industry can afford— to offer 10s a day at the Government stroke, and all know what that is, and the " weak to help the strong"— all are to get paid alike? Who would not be a loafer after this ? There is to be no distinction between the loafer and the honest worker. All are to be paid alike, and so all will work alike— another method of levelling down which the Government understands so wellr-'Where is the money to come from but by taxing the real workers of the country, until their bsoks are fairly broken and i every legitimate industry strangled and the country sunk irretrievably in ruin.— Your*, So., Mangapai, June 24. I. M. Mr Spence's Career. TO THE EDITOB. , Slß,— ln your issue of the 25th ult. a letter appeared over the signature of "Argus." I have long since determined to take no notice of anonymous scribblers, but would, be happy to have a bout with him or her on receiving the name of your nameless correspondent, as I find my contentions are based upon a rook.— l am, &0., . AffDBEW HABVJBT. Waikaka, July 31. ___________________