What the Paper Say.

Observer, Volume XXIX, Issue 43, 10 July 1909, Page 3

What the Paper Say.

THE country would do well to pass" a special Act for the speedy deportation of the average politician's friends, instead of putting them on its pay-roll as responsible officials. — Christchurch "News." In the present state of the law of libel it is plain that the protection afforded is not adequate, and the law should be brought up to date as speedily as possible. — Palmerston " Standard." ■ • • It is time the unionists discussed the position with a view to puttng labour matters on a more wholesome footing and restoring to workers and employers alike some of the freedom which has been taken from them. — Carterton "News."

If the public and local bodies are going to be encouraged in their generous assistance to the unemployed, it will not come about by unreasonableness on the part of Labour. Illtimed exactions by organised Labour will tie up the purse-*trings of sympathy, and inflict additional hardship on the deserving and undeserving alike. — Wellington " Free Lance."

Cabinet meetings for the next few months will probably be pleasant reunions, at which the chances of the favourite for a bpring handicap will be discussed with greater zeal than any question of high politics. — Palmerston "Times."

If the fact that seven million out of thirty-six million of acres of land are in the occupation of Maoris is going to strangle the prosperity of New Zealand, it speaks very little for the energy of the occupiers of the remainder. — Rotorua "Times."

There is no room for a privileged class in the Dominion, and State servants who have been retired should have no exceptional advantages over the ordinary individual who has had a greater struggle t« survive than the person the Government is taking 60 much care of. — Oamaru "Times."

If the retrenched civil servant is to be put on his feet, and saved from starvation by being put on State land, why not also the unemployed navvy, painter, lumper, or what not ? His necessity is just as great — greater, in fact, for he has been out of work longer. — Wellington " Free Lance."

We may think what we please about Mr Hogg's opinions, but he stands almost if not quite alone in New Zealand, as one who has given up £700 a year which he might have retained by keeping silence on certain public questions regarded by him as of importance to the welfare of the country. — Napier "Telegraph."

A Labour majority is not likely to appear in New Zealand for many a long day, and a Labour minority would simply mean the keeping in office of a corrupt Liberalism for the purpose of squeezing it. Mr Massey may perhaps hope that his hour is about to come. But Mr Massey and his party have never had any real grip of New Zealand. — Wellington " Citizen."

There are persistent rumours — and there seem some grounds for them — that amongst the loudest who are crying out for the utilisation of idle Native lands are a certain number of speculators who hope to reap a rich harvest by the opening up of some blocks. That every care must be taken to prevent these oormorantjs from gorging on the opportunity is evident. — Hamilton " Times."

Owing to the wisdom of our ruleris, it is far better that men, who desire to work, should starve than they should obtain employment by any breach of our labour laws ! — Gambridge "Independent."

The establishment of State Labour Farms is practicable ; it would go a very long way towards solving the difficulty of charitable aid, and would certainly obviate the necessity of making gaol-birds of unfortunates whose only crime is poverty and inability to work. — Dargaville " Bell." •• • •

The Government has had no land policy — it has simply been sitting on a rail ; and it is beginning to find this an uncomfortable business. — Opotiki " Guardian." • • ■

The legislation of two years ago did an immense amount of good by isolating the totalisator and preventing the publication of betting news, and we should like to see it amended now by the abolition of the bookmaker and the reduction of the totalisatox commission. — Christchurch "Times."

• * ■ The vital question at issue now is : " How will Sir Joseph Ward find his unhappy family when he returns from Home four months hence ?" — Kawakawa "Luminary."

The people who complain about" Chinese competition have reasonable remedies well within the law, and have no call to descend to meanness of method, which can produce only bitterness here and abroad, and does not help to solve the problem involved. — Wellington "Post."

We have land in plenty, native and otherwise, ready for occupancy, and only awaiting the cultivator to yield rich and bounteous harvests. But the land is lying waste and unproductive, and the men who might ' be engaged in developing it are idle. And so we have relief works suggested as a palliative, while the larger aspect of the question is ignored. — Blenheim ' ' Express . ' '

If ever there was a state of things that called for the appointment of a Royal Commission, it is the departmental extravagance that even Sir Joseph Ward thinks it necessary in his Government's interests to reduce by a considerable amount. When the Government confess that the state of the Civil Service calls for a retrenchment policy that will save £250,000, it is clear that a Royal Commission which will recommend such a change as will, in the long run, save millions, is urgently necessary. — Wellington "Dominion."

Colonial mothers, well-trained enough when they were girls, and type-writing was not invented, seem to be growing indifferent about teaching their own daughters the arts of making home life a joy for ever. Therefore, the State, directly or indirectly, is expected to find a remedy somehow, by importations of new talent, by extending the scope of domestic instruction in tne schools, or by both. — Wellington "Post."

Our public expenditure has so outgrown the people's needs as to increase taxation enormously. Milions have been wasted unnecessarily, and added to Maoriland's burden of public debt, and a stop must be put to the extravagance of the present Government. — Tapanui " Courier."

Enough stress has not been laid on th© fact that our depression was not due to any fault of our own. Our products ' were as good and . nature was as bountiful last year as in previous yeans. But a decrease in the purchasing power of the people of the Old World at once brought, down prices and inflicted considerable hardship on this country. The fact that our prosperity is dependent on the x prosperity of other countries should teach, us a lesson, of caution, and should, among other things, help to prevent any undue inflation of values. — Napier • Herald."