PRESS OPINIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 34, 4 November 1907, Page 9

PRESS OPINIONS.

NEW ZEALAND SOCIALISM. Tho workers of New Zealand aro awareof the awful squalor ami degradation oitlio lapsed masses in tho Mothorlnnd, and they are dutorminerl that these shall not be duplicated herc.but they are not persuaded that Socialism, as oxpounded hy Mr.. Ben Jillett, is the cure. The Dominion is at this moment fashioning its legislation along what aro vaguely termed Socialistic lines, and tho people' are not frightened of the word as they understand it; but they are not m touch with what is hastily characterised as Scientinc Socialism. We know that a lovo ol human kind inspires the majority of Socialists; we recognise their hatred of injustice, tnoir dosire to right wrongs; but they aro not the only ones, nor is theirs the only way. bo iar as Socialism is a protest against wrong-doing its <>Towth everywhere is commendable, and its energies, if directed along practical lines, would be of benefit to mankind; but so far as it is a revolt against the present social order and an organisation that will accept P( thing short of its own ideal it will not commend itself to the masses of the people who, hy the exorcise of those abilities with which each man and woman is endowed, hnve honourably attained to a position of humblocontent. Nor aro we satisfied that tho manifold agencies now at work to ameliorate tho lot of the weak, the helpless, and heart-stricken will he bettered under the Socialistic regime —Dunodin "Star."

THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

The Premier was on safe ground when ho met tho Bible in schools doputation at W ellir.gton yesterday. For it was not in any way necessary for him to express a personal opmion upon tho proposal laid before him. In reply to the suggestion that Biblo lessons should bo provided in our State, schools, Sii Joseph Ward could only say that chis Government has boon authorised by the people to administer a "freo, secular, and compulsory system of education," and no Government could venture to alter this' system unless it had received a mandate to that effect. . . . We would add that, while we entirely agree with Mr. Fowlds as to the necessity for reserving our schools for secular work, wo think that tho moral and leiigious training of children is chiefly the duty of their parents, and if the parents had a keener sense of their responsibilities in these matters tlioy would bo less anxious to shoulder tlich* privileges on to our already overworked teachers. As to-the general merits of the question, wo hold that Bible teaching in our schools would moan tho immediate revival , of those bitter sectarian controversies that led to the secularisation of our educational system, not to mention tho imposition of religious testa which would infringe the just liberties of tho toachers; and we see no ground for believing that tho deliberate and well-matured opinion of the country on this subject has altered or is likely to alter within any nioasureablo limit of time. —AueKland "Star."

THE LAW OF LIBEL.

A multitudo of instances might be quoted to. show that in many practical directions the legislation of the Tjtiitecl Kingdom is still in advance of that of tho oversea dominions; the Press Libel Law is ono of the mosst noticeable. For in New Zealand, with all its eiiactinonts and experiments, the public press is subject to injustices which liavo been rectified in the Mother Country, and which not only harass the reporting of puolie matter, 'but seriously interfere with tho rights of the people. There is no reason why this state of things should exist in tho Dominion, or why tho protection which is afforded the press in Great Britain should bo withheld from our own newspapers. Jt io no exaggeration to say that the press of New Zealand will compare favourably with the nress of any country in the civilised ised world. . . . Tho . Tress may claim with pride that , in tho past it has boon the means by which Democracy has won to the front; that it made possible tho successful assertion of thoso great democratic principles which are renewing the political structure of British society; and that the great political leaders of the British people, who slowly wrought tluiso wise constitutional changes of which our unprecedented liljorties are tho fruit, could have done littlo hut add to tho lost list of our political martyrs .had it not 'been for the protection flung round them in the publicity fought for by tho press. Political freedom has been won, hut the press, which did the yeoman work in tho.struggle, is still, subject in Now Zealand to 'laws which had their origin ivlicn British kings tried to break the reporter's pencil—fearing it more 'than the rebel's sword—mid when Parliaments unwitting of their destiny tried to stem by repression the advance of Democracy.—Auckland "Herald."

CORONERS' INQUESTS.

'The Coroners' Act of 1567 has frequently been threatened- with amendment, and the periodical bill for this purpose is again on the table of the House. 'J'lie most important feature of the proposed measure is that it authorises the holding of an inquest without a jury, a cluuige in ancient method and custom which can, only be justified where there is a capable and experienced coroner in charge of the case. I'licr is no reason to anticipato that the ordiary inquiry into commonplace and quite mcluliitnliJu fatalities would not bo as satisfactorily .conducted by 'a competent official as by a jury, especially as there is now a wide publieity'given to ail public matters. Whether a country justice of the peace is similarly reliable and'competent is quite another matter; mdst of our justices would certainly prefer to nave the assistance of a jury when they hold a coroners' Court, and cannot look with general favour upon the proposal to leave Me question of summoning that assistance to.their discretion. . . . . What is wanted 'm order to make practical any alteration in the existing law is that the status of coroners shoulc! be raised wherever it has uecomo necessary to appoint special officials enargod with this most important public uuty. The safety of human life depends not merely upon e'ner-' getic and unwearying -olice, but upon, the certainty that the circumstances attending every death arising from other than natural causes, whether by accident or violence, will be carefully investigated. It is imperative that 'there should be no slackening in this preventive work—for coroners' inquests are essentially preventive in their ultimate purpose. Coroners in the chief centres should be adequately paid, should bo most carefully selected, and should bo confined to this branch of our judicial methods. Otherwise there is nothing to be gained and much to be lost by empowering them to dispense with jurors in minor cases.—"'N.Z. Herald."

, SQUEEZING'THE FARMER,

, Thero is a popular impression, which is sedulously fostered by the Socialists" for motives of their own, that the Land and Income Assessment ]*ill passed this session, is aimed simply at the large landowners, and that the man who farms on a modest scale is let off very lightly. This is by no means tho case. As a matter of fact, the farmer who makes a very modest living from his land is taxed more heavily than any other member of tho community. The Government is always prating of its desire to encourage land"settlement, and of its consideration for the fanner, and—it gives practical evidence of its sincerity by making him pay far more than his fair share of the taxation. . . . Why should the farmer be specially singled out for heavy taxation in this way, while other persons, enjoying mi oven uetter income, escape altogether? is farming such an undesirable occupation, and are farmers such undesirable persons that they must oe discouraged, and, indeed, punished, by the State? That this is the view of the Cabinet, as it certainly is of many of their supporters, seems evident from the cruel and unjust clause introduced by the Government into the Land Laws Amendment Hill, under which any landowner is liable to have bis land taken by the Sato at a price consistin gof the taxing value, with a small percentage added. Not'content with levying a land tax based on the fair market value of the hind us fixed by an Assessment Court, the Government liow seek to levy blackmail by preying on the farmer's fears lest his borne should be taken away from him. If this does not "stiffen up" th'e Farmers' Union in view of the next election, that organisation will have failed to justify its existence.—Cliristchimsh "Press."