PUBLIC OPINION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10439, 19 April 1912, Page 3

PUBLIC OPINION.

FROM YESTERDAY'S NEWSPAPERS. (By Telcgrapji.) LAND POLICY. While wo could imagine a Government submitting a clear-cut land policy to tho electors, and asking for their opinion upon it, wo could hardly conceive a Government throwing on tn the floor of a Parliament such n.-i tho present a Land Bill which contemplated aaiy material alterations in the existing system. So far as present policy is concerned the business of tho Government is to carry out the legislation now on the Statute Book for" the settlement of Crown lands, tho acquisition and subdivision of communal Native land, the administration of the Land Finance and Land for Settlements Acts. That is their immediate duty.—" New Zea<laiul Times. THE TITANIC. If the Titanic had. been able t» float long enough to transfer all lier passengers to the ships which her wireless appeal brought to the scene of the wreck, tlie world might have had the spectacle of a vessel worth £1,250,000 and cargo still moro valuable, lost for want of ft dock ablo to receive such a giant. Pressure by underwriters and tho force of public opinion may now bring about some changes. .Moro and moro the people have been inclined to favour speed and comfort against the factor of safety, not becauso they do not like safety, hub because they gradually came to lose fear of calamity. But there can be no doubt that the huge sacrifice will stimulate a demand for an international convention of shipping interests for their own protection, as well as for the more important safety of the travelling public.—" Evening Post."

UNITED LABOUR. PARTY'S PLATFORM.

Unquestionably the assembled delegates recognised the land question as of primary importance, not the land question as affecting tenures of leasehold and freehold so miich as the economic bearings of landhokling on the collective position of every unit of society.. There war; no ambiguity. If ever Labour succeeds in capturing the legislative machine private ownership of land will be made impossible, and the ''Unearned increment" be secured by an annual tax on all values created by the public. At the same time, there is no insurrocrtionnry or piratical feeling towards the landowner's real interest in his estate, for all values actually created by him are not only to remain in liis possession, but to be exempt from taxation. Dunediu "Star." A COMMENDABLE PROPOSAL.

In our judgment an effort towards the establishment- of general freetrado between the oversea dominions would be well worth the making, and the adoption of such a reciprocal arrangement between the. Commonwealth and New Zealand a.s that suggested wnild he a step towards the attainment of the larger end. The proposal is recommended by the fact that in both Australia and New Zealand there exists a demand for implements manufactured in the other country, and in view of the overtures that have been made by the Federal Government with respect- to the establishment of closer trade relations with New Zealand it is one which the Government- of tlio dominion need have no diffidejiee in pressing earnestly upon the attention of the. Federnl Ministry.—'Otago Daily Times."