The Dominion. FRTDAY, MAY 31, 1912. A SHADOWY POLICY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1454, 31 May 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. FRTDAY, MAY 31, 1912. A SHADOWY POLICY.

The Prime Minister's long delayed policy speech will no doubt be' read this morning with a good dual of interest, not merely because it is supposed to outline the intentions of the new Government, but because it does actually contain some interesting features. The country resident may bo expected to experience a thrill of gratitude at the prospect- of being enabled to satisfy his craving for fresh iish by parcel post and the mothers of large families may feel a load lifted from their minds at the news that, an effort is to be made to introduce a limited number of "specially selected" domestic servants from Great Britain. Generally speaking, however, Mr. Mackenzie has displayed rather more than the average caution of his countrymen in taking care not to comuit himself or his Government to anything definite. Quite a number of proposals of one kind or another arc suggested or hinted at, but with one or two exceptions they are of a most shadowy and indefinite nature, and in their present form can only be taken as an evidence of the desire of the Government to create the impression that it is actuated by good intentions. It is satisfactory to note that the new Ministry holds, what is probably now the view of at least nine-tenths of the electors of New Zealand, that the obsolete and unsatisfactory Second Ballot system must go. The Sccond Ballot was introduced by the ''Liberal'' party because it seemed likely to afford excellent scope for that wire-pulling and underground engineering for which the party at that time had shown considerable ability. Happily the Act did not work altogether as expected, and the Mackenzie Government has now come into line with public opinion in its view that this objectionable statute should be repealed. Mr. Mackenzie is somewhat obscure as to what he would substitute if permitted to continue in office, and probably he lias no very clear ideas on the point; but we must compliment him, nevertheless, on his willingness to take the first step.

On the land question the Prime Minister was definite enough on one or two matters of importance, but on others again drifted into the vague and uncertain. The reduced limit to the area which it is proposed to allow those taking up Crown lands to hold will not be so strongly opposed as would have been the case a few years back. With proper classification of the land objection to it will be minimised. But when it, is proposed, as a safeguard against reaggregation, to place a blight, on every freehold title hereafter secured from the Crown, the Government is getting 011 to very dangerous ground. Mr. Mackenzie's proposal is that a settler may purchase the freehold of a section from the Crown, but he cannot re-sell it, to anyone who by purchasing it would then hold more land (ban can be taken up by a settler from tli' 1 Cro.'.'ii. That is to s:n, il' A takes up -!00 acre:; of first-class land, which would be the limit he could purchase under the (ioveriiment's proposal, he could not. sell I hat land In anyone already holding any land. A seltler with ;M> acres, or even only 111 acres of land already, could not purchase it. How much will the value of a freehold lie discounted if a man cannot sell it in the open market to the, highest bidder I The proposal to prevent any , pei'boa inheriting mora than a

stated area of land is one which, if ever brought forward in concrete, form, will require careful watching, hut is not worth discussing uul.il the details are forthcoming. The land tax suggestions are of course designed to lickic the ear of the small farmer at the. expense, of llje big. It is part of the fallacy of "Liberalism' 1 Ibat. if i.s

a good thing lo pile up taxation on tiie big man, ignoring the fact that it should lie the endeavour of the Government lo keep down ta.vaI ion on ail classes lo I he lowest possible level. By all menus distribute the liurdcns fairly, hut the tendency is lo set aside lite ipicslion of fairness in the anxiety to win popularity at the expense of Die few.

The reconstruction of the Arbitration Court is put forward as a policy question, but like so many mailers louched on by Mu. Mackkn zie nothing is said that will throw any light on the real intent ions of (he Government, Presumably if means that the Government are willing to pander lo the demands of the Labour leaders for I lie removal of JrncK Silt and to replace him by someone more, acceptable lo the trades unions. The .Social I Humana.; scheme is far 100 nebulous in the form in which it is now mil. for ward to offer any opinion on. The idea appears to ill 1 in SlM'lt ii! ih'ivr the public into joining llie Friendly .Society Lodges by the Hi ale subsidising the sick pay which the lodges provide for their members. The encouragement of those who are prepared to help themselves is commendable,. but Mil. Jlackknzik is so very vague as to the question of I,he cost to the country, and indeed as to the idea generally, that it is dillicult to believe that, the matter has really received any serious attention from the Government. It is not necessary to follow the Pjume i\h.N risteu's speech in detail. The necessity for light railways ilias long been urged, and it is satisfactory to note that he is still in a cautious vein on the subject of borrowing. AVe must defer comment, however, on his presentation of the financial position for another occasion. On the whole the spcech, while not without points of interest, will prohablv be regarded as the most nebulous and shadowy policy speech the country has ever been treated to by a Government fighting desperately "for its existence as the Mackenzie Government is doing to-d,\v.