WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

Observer, Volume XXXII, Issue 25, 2 March 1912, Page 3

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

WE believe that the Reform party have a mission to fulfil in bringing an improvement in the relations between Capital and Labour. The Arbitration Act has now admittedly broken down, and either it must be radically amended or something must be put in its place. Apart from this, there is much to be done in increasing the opportunities of the workers for social improvement and rational enjoyment.—Christchurch " Press."

We have differed from Sir Joseph Ward on many occasions, and we think that he has made a grave tactical blunder in not accepting the verdict of the country without waiting for its endorsement by Parliament, but we are perfectly satisfied that the administration of the affairs of the country has never been in cleaner hands than his, and that the closest examination of those "pigeonholes " of which we are hearing so much will reveal nothing of which an honest politician need be ashamed. The shameful calumnies that have been heaped upon him without the slightest provocation or a tittle of evidence are a positive disgrace to our public life. — Lyttelton "Times."

Even if Sir Joseph Ward is able to emerge successfully from the ordeal of the no-confflence motion which is confronting him, the contentious and utterly impracticable programme outlined would be impossible to carry out. — Stratford " Post."

Insistence by working men upon fair wages and conditions will always secure sympathy from the public, but wanton attacks upon the rights of the community as a whole will never be tolerated, and will always alienate thousands of people otherwise ready to sympathise with unionism.—Wellington " Dominion."

We do not think that any legislation or any Royal Commission is going to solve the problem of wages and the cost of living. Increase of one seems to necessarily imply an advance in the other, and how to make wages high and the cost of living low is a puzzle which appears to befog both legislators and labour agitators.—Wairarapa " News."

With what assurance, with what conceit, with what absolute defiance of political proprieties, do we find a beaten, discredited Prime Minister submitting a policy of a most bewildering and revolutionary character to the representatives of the people in the hope that by so doing he may secure a temporary political advantage. A greater insult, we venture to think, was never offered the people, of the country.—Wairarapa " Age."

Mr Gilruth goes to the Territory »vith his mind made up that it is to be now and for ever a white man's country, and that the back door must be closed. On the proper policing of the Territory may easily depend the future safety of the whole island continent. Its vast areas will be probably given away to those white men of courage who faced the wilderness and who will face it again. The Commonwealth Government has apparently recognised that Mr Gilruth is of the stuff from which Empirebuilders are made, and on his resource and courage, his learning and his scientific skill, will the country depend for its stream of settlers. — Taranaki " Herald."

It is not by any sudden freak or passing impulse that the country has arrived at the conclusion that the Liberals have been in office too long. This conviction has been growing steadily for years, and it was only the difficulty of finding,, a satisfactory substitute that prevented it from being given practical expression long ago. — Wellington " Post."

The Local Government Bill, which is to be circulated next week, is assured of a hearty welcome, for it is much needed. But it is long overdue. It is more than fifteen years since the Bill was first mentioned as a Government measure, but nothing has yet been done. The Government promises to act now because action has been forced.—Southland " Times."

Nearly everyone is agreed now in Apposing the aggregation of land suitable for occupation in small areas, but there is a right and a wrong way of dealing with the matter. The "Liberals" chose the wrong way ; they turned, not for the first time, in the direction of confiscation. For the taint of confiscation resides in the proposal that, in cases of compulsory purchase, the owner will have to take just what is given him, without having any right of appeal, or any guarantee thai; lie will not be robbed later on.—Wellington "Dominion."

It is a little disturbing to find so high an official as the Chief Justice ready to declare on the strength of one crime-list in a small place, that a system of criminal treatment that nobody who burgles knows anything about, that has only been in operation for a few minutes, as it were— it is a little disturbing, we say, to find a Chief Justice building so wide a conclusion from such a slend«r basis. It argues an irresponsibility and slackness of thought greater than can be permitted even in a judicial obiter dictum.—Wellington " Dominion "

It was only a few years ago that a political party toured the district that lies to the north of Auckland, and received actual demonstration of a splendid piece of country that only required to be rescued from the wilderness state. Why should not a party of members of Parliament and business people of Napier, Hastings, Dannevirke, Pahiatua and Masterton inspect the back country that requires to be developed in Hawke's Bay ? — Dannevirke "News."

Accustomed as the people of New Zealand are to being bribed with their own money and to paying the political middlemen a heavy commission on the degrading process, wo believe that in the present case the device is too gross, palpable, and undraped to fill them with anything but disgust.—Wellington "Post. 7 '

In Home affairs the House of Commons, in spite of the party system\ and the caucus and a drilled mechanical majority always at the disposal of Ministers, does exercise an influence over the processes of legislation, but in foreign affairs the people have not even the satisfaction of knowing what is being done in their name. — Waneanui " Chronicle."

We believe there are many difficulties in the way of improving the Main Trunk service, but surely these could be overcome by the exercise of a little commonsense. The journey is a wearisome one, and might very easily be shortened by hours. The snail's pace at which the " express," as it is termed with unconscious humour, crawls over some of the easiest parts of the journey, is really a disgrace to the service, and there is little wonder that visitors from other lands grumble at our railway management. —- Manawatu ""Standard."