The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1905. THE GOVFRNMENT'S LAND FOR SETTLEMENT POLICY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11643, 22 August 1905, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1905. THE GOVFRNMENT'S LAND FOR SETTLEMENT POLICY.

■» In a recent issue tho Otago Daily Times, a strong Opposition journal published in the % city of Duuedin, commenting on the land for settlement policy of the Government, frankly acknowledged that it had been a success, whereat the Lyttelton Times expresses its gratification at the change of tone adopted by the Dunedin journal. Our Christchurch contemporary reminds its readers that our Conservative friends were not always so appreciative of Sir John McKenzie's efforts to find homes for the people. It recalls the fact that the Otago Daily Times itself, like the rest of the Opposition Press, was strongly opposed to Sir John's first Land for Settlements Bill, and afterwards discovered that the acquisition of Cheviot by the .State was likely to prove a very costly experiment, and proceeds to quote from Hansard a little history, not very ancient, to show what the views of the leaders of the Opposition were when the Bill was before Parliament. In view of the next general election and Mr Massey's claims to be regarded as a Liberal, and to have the interests of the masses at heart* it is interesting to recall the past utterances of the leader of the Opposition and his friends. Mr Massey was returned to the House of Representatives early enough to take part in the debate on^ Sir John's second Bill, and, with his present, colleagues, Mr Allen, Mr Buchanan, Mr Duthie, and Sir William Russell, opposed it at all its stages. These are the gentlemen who arc now promising the electors that, if they are returned to office at the approaching election they will not -repeal *any of the progressive legislation of the Liberal Government. We can. only say that if- they are sincere now they; must have been very grievously mistaken eleven years ago. AKthat time the present" leader of the Opposition strongly objected to the proposal to take land compulsorily. He even urged that the people were deriving a certain amount of benefit from the large estates. "They produce wool and mutton," he said, "two very important and useful articles, which I feel we can hardly do without." No one appears to have disputed this sagacious observation, and, warming to his subject, he proceeded to demand that "the Tights and liberties of the most important section of the community" should be respected. At that time he would have bought no private estates until the Crown and native lands in the

North Island had been settled, and if words mean anything that is still his attitude towards the land settlement question. Mr Buchanan solemnly predicted that the insecurity of the freehold would do "an enormous amount of mischief ' throughoiit the colony," and Mr Duthie's feelings were simply too intense for words. He could only deplore that the Minister of Lands, instead of consulting Mr Buchanan, who had explained that it was quite impossible for many of the settlers to make a living on Cheviot, had rushed I into a policy that would open "a wide door for political and personal corruption." Mr Allen thought that the settlers who could give their whole timo to farming operations "should be forced tc- go upon unoccupied ,Crown lands," and that money would bo really wasted by the Minister's proposals. The speeches of these gentlemen, SB they are recorded in Hansard, make interesting reading .in the light of the admission of the Otago Daily Times, and they are worth perusal, if only to give us some idea of the sort of land policy we might expect if Mr Masssy and •his colleagues were ever placed upon the Treasury benches. There can be no good in blinking the position. If Mr Massey were ca'led upon to form a Ministry, Mr Allen, Mr Buchanan, and Mr ' Duthie, of course, would be given portfolios, and it would be quite idle to expect these gentle-/ men to renotmce all their former professions of political faith. The country would be plnnged back into the old Conservatism from which it emerged fourteen years ago.