What the Paper Say.

Observer, Volume XXIX, Issue 41, 26 June 1909, Page 3

What the Paper Say.

IF the Government ship is so unseaworthy as to be unable, without its captain, to weather a three months' voyage, then we say it is not a safe carrier of the Dominion's affairs. — Hokitika "Times."

The Dominion 'keeps itself white by shutting out Asiatics, and ths power which enables it to do bo is the British Navy ; and yet, strange as it seems, the class who are loudest in their clamour for the exclusion of Asiatics are the very class who object to contribute to the Navy's upkeep. — Waihi " Telegraph."

When all is said and done, and when the record of the unprecedentedly short session is written up, it may be unceremoniously labelled "gas." — Wellington "Free Lance."

Unless the right of the public to use the King's highway without fear of accident is conceded, it is imperative that severe punishments must be inflicted on those who are making the motor-car a nuisance and a menace. — Palmerston "Standard."

Out of a House of eighty members Sir Joseph Ward can claim a following of fifty-one, as against twenty-nine on the Opposition benches, and with such a majority he should have no reason to fear a surprise being sprung upon him. —Stratford " Post."

Before the country can feel safe its resources must be developed, and we know of no better policy of carrying out that development tban the policy of encouraging land settlement. — New Plymouth "-Herald"

The true cure for whatever defects may be proved against control of the Public Service by the Ministry of the day is not the creation ;of an autocracy, but in attempts to educate the people to a proper sense of their duties and of their responsibilities. — Napier " Telegraph."

There is no valid reason why Mr Millar or some other Minister could not have been left in charge during Sir Joseph Ward's absence, and the business of the country have proceeded as usual. — bisborne " Times."

For the average retired Oivil servant the gift of land will prove a very doubtful boon unless the Government also provides him with the capital and the knowledge with which to turn it to profit. The pen may be mightier than the sword, but it makes a much poorer substitute than the ploughshare. — Wellington " Post."

The Ministry is a collection of odd 'samples with very little cohes on. — Napier " Herald." • • ■

The Auckland "Star" says Mr Hogg made no attempt to square his opinions with the declared policy of his colleagues. Could anything be inoreabsurd? The declared. policy of his colleagues! What is it? Who knows it?— Wellington "Dominion."

If the Government of the country were to concern itself a little more in regard to the welfare of employers, it can be taken for granted that it would confer a boon upon the employees. Masterton "Age."

Sir Joseph Ward has gained hie point, and Parliament will not sit, but we are by no means sure that he will not yet have cause to realise that he has made a tactical mistake.. — Invercargill " Times."

The danger against which Mr Massey has to guard is an undue bitterness of speech, which will only exacerbate his opponents, and alienate his friends. — Rotorua " Times."

The people are patient and longsuffering, but the want of a land policy is irritating them beyond endurance, and the uncertainty as to what that policy may prove is delaying the progress of the country and curtailing public and private credit. — Hamilton "Argus."

Should Mr Vaile ever become Minister for Railways he would then be at liberty to put his ideas into practice, but a sense of the responsibility of his position would no doubt nave a restraining influence upon him, which does not now affect him as a free lance. — Blenheim "Express."

To talk of the "yellow peril" in the face of the possible " white peril " in Europe is njere nonsense. The peril of to-day ia not from the yellow race, but from a white one. — Greymonth " Argus."

In a perfunctory way New Zealand has sought to convince itself that it possessed an adequate defending force in its volunteers, but we doubt whether there is a man in the Dominion who could honestly stake his belief in the security afforded by the present system. — New Plymouth "News."

Mr Millar has always been the apostle of economical government, while Sir J. G. Ward has always been the opposite. We should therefore like to see Mr Millar with a free hand to deal with the very ugly position that has been created by the extravagance of some of his colleagues before he joined their ranks. — Jamaru "Times."

Population is an urgent national need, and prosperity for increased numbers is only possible at the present time in this Dominion by having plenty of land available. — Hawera " Star."

The humiliating situation is that neither Sir Joseph Ward nor his following are prepared to trust either each other or their political opponents, and that, with a cynical knowledge of human nature, every care is taken to make party and personal interests secure at the cost of the country's business. — Nelson " Mail."

We have always "objected to a oneman Government, but we expected better than that from the Ward Administration. Recent events, however, have shown this Administration to be of the nature of a dictatorship. — Opotlki " Guardian."

The recently passed land laws we consider are wise and beneficial, and are working very well. Any disturbances that they have caused will work themselves out satisfactorily, if time is given to allow this to be done. — Carterton "News."