NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1887, 23 October 1913, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

It is perhaps just as well for 'the member for Wairau that his utterances attract little attention, for his attitude and speeches on the Land Bill would not be likely to win him very wide approval amongst his constituents. While professing belief in the freehold, his attitude throughout was in direct antagonism to 'that form of tenure beinir granted' to any existing leaseholder. In the very confused speeches which he from time to time delivered during his efforts to prevent the Bill becoming law, he sought to reconcile his inconsistencies. It is difficult to follow his reasoning, but apparently he thinks amongst other things that presentday settlers are not as deserving as the carly-tirne settlers. This may be his opinion, and some tnay agree with him, but it surely cannot be advanced as an argument against the freehold. If the freehold is a good thing for the country, why should the settlers of to-day, however undeserving the member for AVairau may consider them to be, be prevented fronl securing what it is in the interests of the country they should have? No doubt Mr, M'Calmjm will have some glib explanation ready for his constituents, who elected him in the belief that he was an out-and-out freeholder, but lie will not find it an easy task,to explain away his votes on the Land Bill.

The German press has given a very unfavourable reception to Mr. Winston Churchill's proposal for a "naval holiday." The newspaper comments are described as a mixture of indignation, contempt, and pity. The French papers aro naturally more polite in their criticism, but they give the suggestion very little support. France, of course, Eces tho problem from her own point of view, and cannot shut her eyes to the fact that the moiiey Germany might save by building fewer battleships ' would probably be devoted fo increasing the strength of her army. The more one looks into the holiday idea the less one is impressed by it. It is not practicable. One German newspaper doelarcs that any battleships built or paid for by the Oversea Dominions must be counted as part of the British programme, and that Britain must not build against Austria and Italy. The Mother Country could not possibly tie her hands in this way, and in any ,£ase the general tone of the German press shows that it is quite useless for Mr. Churchill to proceed any further with his proposal. Tho British Government must go straight on with its building programme, and leave Germany to regulate her own naval expenditure without outside advice. Britain can run no risk, for sea power is of far more vital importance to her than to Germany. "There are two ways," writes Mr. Balfour, "in which a hostile country can be crushed. It can be conquered, or it can be starved. If Germany were master in our home waters she could apply both methods to Britain. Were Britain ten times master in the North Sea she could apply neither method to Germany. Without a superior • fleet Britain would no longer count as a Power. ' Without any fleet at all, Germany would remain the greatest Power in Europe."

In view of the great importance of tho dairy indusfay to New Zealand and tho recent criticism of some of the butter and cheese sent to the London market, it is very satisfactory and reassuring to learn that our exhibits have clono remarkably well at the Islington Show. The Piume Minister read a cablegram from the High Commissioner in the House of Representatives Yesterday, announcing that Taranaki cheese had won first, second, and third prizes, and that New Zealand makers had secured the first place and other awards both for salted and unsalted butter. Tho Islington Show is one of the most important dairy shows held in Britain, and tho verdict of the Home 'judges is most gratifying and should prove an excellent advertisement for our products. Coming at the present moment the good news is, as Mil. Massey remarked, "particularly gratifying," and should go a long way towards re-establishing the reputation of New Zealand dairy producc.

Tiie Leader of tho' Opposition is plainly trying to live, up to the role, cast for him by the Radical tail of his following. His behaviour in tlm House yesterday afternoon was most amusing, particularly on those occasions when he assumed his most bellicose manner and shouted intimation of his violent intentions if the Government dared to fly in the face of his warnings. Amongst other things he "dared" them to attempt to pass the Defamation Bill, a measure which brings the antiquated law of libel of the Dominion up-to-date on tho lilies of the English and Queensland statutes. It is easy to understand Sin Joseph Ward's opposition to this Bill, because it repeals the iniquitous clause inserted by his own Government, which enables a person sued for libel to be dragged before a Magistrate for trial, and prevents t'ne person so charged from proving the truth of the alleged libel until he had first proved that the publication was in the public interest. It. is not necessary to review the circumstances undor which that I

clause was inserted in the Bill of 191!, nor to enlarge upon the injustice of gagging a defendant'and preventing him proving the_ truth of a publication and justifying himself with the public until lie had proved to 'the satisfaction of a Magistrate that it was published in the public interest—a question which,above all others should be left for a jury. Silt Joseph Ward no doubt has his own reasons for wishing to curtail the liberty of the press in the matter of publishing reports on questions of public concern; but, so long as he is Leader of the Opposition, lie should really not attempt to emulate the style of the Paynes and the Isms of his party when addressing the House. He owes something to his office. He fell foul of the Judicature Bill later in tho afternoon, and protested at the top of his voice against the proposed appointment of additional Judges, demanding to know what the Judges thought about it. For some reason he pretended to believe that it was customary to put forward the arguments in support of a measure on its return from a Committee, whereas he and everyone eke knows that the Second Reading stage of a Bill is the time for explanation and argument. it was an instructive afternoon despite tho time wasted by the Leader of the Opposition, for it showed that Sir Joseph Ward is feeling the pressure behind'him, and is being forced to adopt the tactics laid down by the extremists of his party.