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Hokitika Guardian, 15 March 1922, Page 2

The HOll. J. G. Coates remarked as he moved south the other day thnt the timber industry was to he the •backbone. of the district for some time to come. The further south he travels the more lie will see of the timber country, and the more impressed he should ho with the districts resources. Realising that fact he should be one of tlirtse to help fight the battle for Westland in securing to itself the fruits frorii its birthright. As matters point at present, the Government is bent 011 collaring the timber lands, and tiding them u]i with regulations which grow more and more difficult for industry at every turn. This process of prohibition affecting the timlier industry must cease sooner or later. If there were many Ministers of Mr Coates’ mind we believe a more reasonable policy of adimi,lustration would come to pass. Withal the folk, and particularly the millers,' take little interest outwardly in the course of restrictive measures the Forestry Department is enforcing. Even in the late agitation which was successful as far as it went, the fight was left to the local bodies in the main. The result of the repiosentru tions then made was to save flic po* sition for the millers. At Inst !»ir F. D. Bell was brought to realise the injustice of the proposed confiscation of the millers' reservations and at the last moment the situation was saved. Now it is for the people to realise how much the promotion an c j development of tbe timber industry means to Westland, and to strive by every meads in tbeir power to force upon the attention of tho authorities a due observance of Westland’s rights in the matter.

Our Wellington correspondent gives some prominence this week to the movements of the Lender of the Opposion, who is apparently moving round tke Dominion spying out the political prospects. Mr Wilford’s visit to Auckland appears to have been of a satisfying nature. This week he has crossed to Marlborough and gone down through North Canterbury to Christchurch, but his visit there may not he unconnected with the nuptials of tho Member for Westland. Mr Wilford has a pleasing personality and it can he well understood he is a good judge of men. To he successful in politics one must be primarily an optimist. The pessimist is to faint hearted, either to make friends widely or to succeed, Mr Wilford has talents, and in his short term of office in the National Government proved himself a. capable and painstaking administrator. If again given the opportunity of taking office he will prove himself a virile administrator. But as our correspondent comments the Government party is not only strong hut also cohesive. The Opposition elements are very much divided, and on the face of things the Government lias the brighter prospects ahead. To improve its chances, the Opposition has to make good. It proposes to attempt to do so by a political campaign t’o be launched throughout the Dominion. It will not he sufficient to criticise the Government, easy though tho task will be. It will he necessary for the Opposition to put forward a constructive policy and to outline measures by which the present deplorable administrative conditions may be retrieved. Mr Wilford lias a task ahead of him, hut lie is quite capable of undertaking it. As the country is the jury to decide the political issues, Mr Wilford as leading counsel for the Opposition will not he in uncongenial surroundings when he is pleading his case beforo the ipeople.