A POLITICAL CHALLENGE.

Observer, Volume XXIV, Issue 29, 26 March 1904, Page 2

A POLITICAL CHALLENGE.

Mr Seddon Throws Down the

Gauntlet,

THE most serious and apparently justifiable reproach that has been levelled against Mr Seddon of late years is that he has become an Opportunist, pure and simple. He is limited by no strict party lines It matters nothing to him whether the side he finds himself on is Liberal or Tory, so long as it is popular with the multitude, and is calculated to maintain him in power. To such a pass has this opportunist policy brought him, that the jibe finds occasional utterance that if Mr Seddon's convictions are not acceptable to the country, he i.s prepared to change them, just as readily as he would change his costume to suit a social function.

This may or may not be true of Mr Seddon and his political policy. For our own part, we think it is an extreme view to take of his attitude on recent political questions. But it is one that is nevertheless held by some of his own political supporters, and certainly by the whole of the Opposi tion. Mr Massey twitted him with it in a recent party speech, alleging that the leader of the Government was invariably ready, when he found himself on an unpopular side in politics, to jump Jim Crow to the popular side. Indeed, Mr Massey went so far as to attribute the unwillingness of the Opposition to declare its policy to the fear that Mr Seddon, in default of a policy of his own, would at once adopt it.

However, if there has been ground for reproach on this score, it exists no longer. Mr Seddon has hardened himself up. He is prepared to stand by the Government policy of the past, and more particularly that part of it relating to land tenure. If the present House declares for the freehold against the leasehold tenure introduced by the Government, Mr Seddon is prepared to appeal to the country. In other wor.is, New Zealand will be asked to decide between Mr Seddon and the leasehold and Mr Massey and the freehold, a choice upon which party feeling is bound to consolidate itself, and to run very high.

Mr Seddon is certainly to be congratulated upon the attitude he has taken up. The leasehold system waa one of the strong planks in the policy on which the Government established its lengthy administration. Under it, large sums of borrowed money were spent in acquiring private estates for closer settlement, and leasing the land on terms highly advantageous to the smaller settlers. Now, after the credit of the country is pledged, and the

leaseholders have acquired homesteads under easy and favourable circumstances, they are not content. They want the freehold. Also, if the Opposition will enable them to obtain the freehold, they are willing to assist the Opposition to overthrow the Government which has made the way to comfort and prosperity so easy to them. How like human nature ! But, however strong public sentiment maybe in favour of freehold tenure in theory, we doubt very much whether public opinion in New Zealand will sympathise with this attempt of the Crown tenants to repudiate and turn to their greater profit a fair bargain made between themselves and the country. The tenants have had altogether the best of the bargain so far. They have been placed upon the land at the public expense, and if they can, by the exercise of political influence, convert their leaseholds into freeholds, they can afford to laugh loudly and often.