PRESS OPINIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 35, 5 November 1907, Page 2

PRESS OPINIONS.

MR. WATSON'S RETIREMENT. As political careers go, Mi'. Watson's has been of short duration, hut few in Australia can match it for the romance that attaches to all -men who lift themselves from the ruck into commanding positions. It is a little more than 13 years since he first entered politics. Before that he was a compositor in Sydney, having learned his trade in Otago, for lie is a New Zealiuider., b£ education. There is a legend' that' 'oiico, being out' of-work, he was for a time a groom at Government House in Sydney, a building which lie visited in later years as Prime Minister of Australia.., The imagination lingers over such a turii of Fortune's wheel, and one hopes the legend is truo. Six years after he first entered Parliament, Mr. Watson became leader of the Labour party, and since then he lias been ono'-'of the makers of political history in Australia. Ho has deserved his place* for he lias 'slioiVir himself possessed of many of the qualities, demanded of a leader—ability, tact, and the gift of winning and keeping friends,-.?. JrJe has had ,10 hold ill check unreasoning and hot-bloodpd supporters who, as Mr. Tillett would say, wanted the earth, and wanted it at once, and • it' is no secret that, though his leadership has never been challenged," there have been, those of his party thought lie was not sufficiently advanced and enterprising. Apart from the charm of his. personality, to which so many- testify, ho lias won by liis moderation the respect - .'of numbers'who scout his 'political beliefs. Ha has never been able to claim nil actual majority in Parliament,-.but"'ho'lias exercised; great iiifluer.ee upon the Governments whom' lie has kept in power. The fact that that influence, has'-sometimes been exerted in directions contrary,..as-we: hold,-to the truo, welfare of- Australia, does- liot affect tho fact that Mr. Watson's- retirement 'will ba a distinct loss to Australian politics.-' The Labour party will continue, and it is better for tho country that its leader should bo a mail'of wise moderation than, as may.:be, a firebrand who thinks'-that social. reformcan best bo achieved by a social revolution. —Cliristchurch "Press."

THE LAND LEGISLATION. The hopes entertained by the Government of the passage of its, amending land legislation this year are now, it would'seem, within measurable distanco of realisation. But : the final enactment of tlio"'proposals is, . we judge, not likely to call for unmeasured transports of delight from.either the Ministry or the Ministerialists. There are those among the supporters of the , legislation who must have an uneasy'feeling that the readiness' with which they have sacrificed their freehold convictions and':violated '. their freehold pledges in'order to "save the face' , of the Government may be disapproved by' their constituents. There are those, on tho other hand, like' Mr. who have confessed to a sensation of.discomfort induced by the belief that the Government has con'ceded a great deal more than was- at all necessary to the : wishes 'of the freehold section of tho Ministerial party. And, above all, there is the growing fear that the bulk of the electors may not be prepared to give the Government and his supporters 'any great amount of credit- for the achievement they have accomplished with" their legislation. .There was, probably, nothing more significant in the speech in which tho Attor-ney-General moved the second reading of the Land Bill in tho Legislative Council than the 'admission that "the.great' mass -of' the people," whoso interests, he affirmed,; -the Government believed it was serving, "turned an apathetic eye" upon tho legislation. .'■ :>' . There was a good deal of truth in tho statement .by,a member of the Lower House that Parliament was legislating for h most. The questions in the consideration of which' several weeks of tho session have been consumed , will be 'reopened during the recess in the pounti'y, and. will be a prolific subject of discussion , in , 'the campaign" 'preceding the general election next .year.' 'Arid it-may perhaps be excused'to the average elector if legislation" which he" regards'as of' a makeshift' description .as- in ■tlio .oase 'of the general ! land laws, or as largely of" the character of ; a sham as , in , the .case of 'the endowment scheme,'fails to , make' any serious appeal "to , him.- But'to'the Government it must be'distinctly disconcerting-that the efforts upon which it has plumed'itselfe are meeting with no other reward from the mass' of the public'than an exhibition of cold indifference. ■ ' ' ' . '"..'..,"

NATIVE LANDS. . ■ The presentation'by. the -'to ■' Parliament in the expiring weeks of a long-;-; drawn session of a measure dealing with the most debated of all.North-Island problems—that of the Maori Lands—is a very typical indication of how we .are-governed. This is a matter which practically does not concern the South Island at all, and. which therefore excites no enthusiasm whatever among the ardent Ministers who' are so much alive'to the interests of Otago, boutliT land, Westland, and Canterbury. As a. con- :,. sequence, the Native Land administration of the Dominion, is ' glaringly, incompetent " and carried' on without the slightest'regard. _. either to the 'true interests 'or the native raco or of the pakoha' , ' population.'. '." .'/'.' Year''after year we have had the same promises, year after year we have had the same ■absence of results, year after year we have;_ seen the-'-'tuilion" methods of Mr. Carroll emerge successfully from the struggle, Hie 'chief defence has. been; of courso, the utterly absurd allegation .that those. who want to open the waste lands of the Dominion:to 'tho _ settled and'to see grass' growing and cattle yielding wheri now, are only bush and weeds, ■ arc inspired solely by the dosiro to rob tho. Maori of his' birthright in tho' interest- oflaucf speculators. This allegation was too; ridiculous to need refutation among'those ■ who knew the. Native Land problem and were.,acquainted 'with tho position of the Mnto.' owner in the , midst of unyielding acres which ; ne could neither work nor sell.", Butitun- ■ doubtedly gained crcdenco among ; boutli Islanders who bad little opportunity 'and - : North Islanders who had no desire, to loam , ; the' truth;' ." . '.' That the Maori' sliould be ; treated as a civic minor until he is. so educated in our pakeha methods as to be able to . take upon-himself al ltho rights, privileges, .and responsibilities of civic adult age, we" can all cordially agree. But this does not mean that special pains'.are to be; t-nken to . secure tho pakeha settler as a tenant upon. Maori lands,'and to dedicate those lands and those rents'for ever to i< hereditary landlord caste. If it is necessary to allow the optional system upon' Crown lands m'prior to-• induce the frcchold-lovmg pioneer to take s"xe and cut a farm out or the wilderness how much more necessary is it to-a low the optional system upon Maori lands which the Maori cannot use himself and which will be idle and weedy unless the pakeha settler occupies them ? It is true that the Native L-ind Bill now beforo the House makes pro- , vision for the selling of some land land-for.;' the leasing of other land, but since tho division is to be made by the Maori Laud Boards with the approval of the Native Minister we '■. are inclined to agree with Mr.- Jennings that very little will conic into freehold occupatioii.—"New Zealand Herald." ,

■• ■■-■ •./ ' THE SESSION. The passage.'of the Endowment Bill rathe) earlier than was expected may encourage tin hope that the prorogation will take place bj the middle of next week, but, looking' at the programme still before'..Parliament, we are inclined to think that quite four weeks will be required to finish the work which the Premier may . reasonably regard as urgent. A . live months' session is not a desirablo experi- , once either for Ministers or for members, but Sir Joseph Ward's insistence upon the House making up the time.it has wasted in senseless play and useless'wrangling, will, have a,' very wholesome offect upon the future con.-.' duct of business. Members will realise that., thu familiar threat to keep the House, sitting..[ until Christmas can amount to something,', more than idle words, and that they will be ;. consulting their own coiirenjeiico by ..taking ' : their duties seriously from the "beginning Of . the session. We do not think that a second lesson will be required. The Premier has.'. shown himself iu earnest about tbo country's business, and whether members like his methods of not, they will try to 'avoid giving him an excuse for keeping theni in Welling- ' ton over another Carnival Week.— "Times." i