Rangitikei Advocate. TWO EDITIONS DAILY THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1912. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10410, 25 July 1912, Page 4

Rangitikei Advocate. TWO EDITIONS DAILY THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1912. EDITORIAL NOTES.

WHEN great political changes occur 16 Is always interesting to ’note the opinions of outsiders, who are likely to view the position without bias, though their knowledge of local circumstances may be deficient. The Melbourne Argus in the coarse of its reference to the advent of the says: “New Zealand baa been accustomed to submit itself to the rule of strong men, giving them absolute confidence and long leases of power. Sir George Grey, Sir Harry Atkinson, Mr Ballanoe, Mr Seddon, and to a lesser extent Sir Joseph Ward, have been men of this type, One of the chief reasons for the downfall of Mr T. Mackenzie, who succeeded Sir Joseph Ward, it considers, Is that he is not looked upon as a strong personality nor as a stalwart politician.” The Argus refers adversely to Sir Josenh Ward’s action In taking “the unusual course of promising to resign in order to ‘dish the Opposition’ and enable another Ministry to bo formed from his own side of politics under a u@w leader.” It continues: “Mr Massey has been regarded as somewhat inclined to conservatism in politics; but New Zealand, which prides itself upon its radicalism, is accustomed .to see the Government meddle with many things not usually the subject c£ Government interference, and the term ‘conservative’ there may apply to a politician of really progressive views. It ia quite possible that the electors ate somewhat tired of seeing the Government dipping ita finger into every man’s pic. An indication ia that direction is given by the fact that Mr Mackenzie left oat of the Governor’s Speech some of the tit-bits by which Sir Joseph Ward attempted to entice the extreme section back into bis fold,” The borrowing policy of the past is condemned, and it points out that New Zealand had at the end of 1909 a public debt of £71,000,000, amounting to over £73 per head of population, as compared with Victoria’s debfe’cf £54.500,000, which is equal to only £43 10a per head. “There is no doubt that has harrowed very freely, and sometimes more Sorpolitioalthaneoonomio purposes. The people asa probably acting wisely in intimating that some breathing time should be allowed before the public burden Is further increased.” Tha New Zealand revolt against leasehold tenure, the Argus says,, mast be sad news for tha Federal Labour Government, which, without permitting Parliament to have a say on tha question, has decreed that the North am Territory ia to be settled on the leasehold principle, or remain an unoccupied desert.

B3T seme the discussion in She House of Commons on the supplementary esymatsßrmßyJba taken as implying that Britain Ja perilously near - war with Germany. Bat, judging from London newspaper comments and facts which’ are apparent I* ia not unlikely that British politicians are following the exarapls®of the German fay creating a sensation to divert public attention from the labour unrest which has assumed very acute form. Though the Rations are rivalling each other in armaments, there ia no apparent cause for plunging into war, especially as Germany at the present time would; find an almost irresistible combination 'against her. At the same time it ia not improbable that some ill-considered speech or foolish action may act as. the spark to start a conflagration which would affect the whole world.

IN previous Issues we have exposed that fraud on the workers known as the National Provident Act, under which money Isgoolleofced from them without the slightest probability of any substantial benefit being given in return. We now observe that it la also a fraud on the taxpayer as is disclosed by the annnal report on the Fund in which the Chairman says: “It is, of course, a unique feature of the scheme that the expenses are paid out of the Consolidated Fund, and not out of ths pockets of the contributors.” In other words all the people have been made to pay tbe cost of running a concern which can only be utilised by that section who earn not more than £4 per week. We sincerely trust that in the interests of both the workers and the general taxpayers the Ministry will order that collections under this Act shall cease and that the Act itself shall be repealed.