WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

LABOUR'S REVISED LAND , POLICY. 1 A SOUNDER BASIS. [Special to “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON. April 22. The Labour Party’s new land policy, adopted at tlio conference in Napier this week, is anotlier indication ol the party’s approach to political sanity under the measure ol respon- il.ilily that necessarily devolves upon His Majesty’s Opposition in the House ol Representatives. There C scarcely anything in the policy that would not have been cheerfully accepted by Mr John Balia me in tlm clays when lie and his colleagues were being denuuneed a- ” The Seven Devils of Socialism.” and very little Hint Mr Massey in the later years of his administration would not have regarded as u i 11 1 11 the- ranee ci practical polities. The twelve’ planks of the platform might have’ liecn constructed by either of 1 1 1 c*sc * big men. ('onservation of State lands; recognition ol owners’ interests; compensation for improvements: graduated tax on unimproved values; compulsory acquisition, where necessary, of land (or closer settlement : perpetual lease with periodic revaluations; maximum assistance to or. pa n i sat ions of producers : extension ol agricultural education : adequate supply of cheap fertilisers; development and settlement of unoccupied hind : adjustment ol taxation in business areas, these all are ends for winch progressive politicians of every colour and creed have striven, and their frank adoption by the Labour Party will on far to make that Body a very real force in the affairs of the State. COMPrLMONISTS ANT) I.A BOriITT.ES.

It was stated, apparently with some authority, a. week ago that members of the Parliamentary Labour Party were preparing to ‘•stump” the dairy distriots of the Dominion in support of the ‘•absolute control” ami "pi'icefixiup-” policy of the Dairy Board, h also was stated that those members of the Labour Party who previously Intel voted in the House against absolute control bad given in their adiiesion to Mr Grounds's policy, and that in future they would go "the "hole hog" with the majority ol their party in presenting a unified trout to any •ittempt that might he made to strip •he Dairy Board of part of its authority. Additional colour is now given to these statements by reports Irom the Waikato district that something in the way of a political alliance lias been established between Air Grounds and bis allies and Air llnllaml and bis followers. Air Holland, of course, would be qtifle consistent and logical in joinng such an arrangement—bis acceptance. of a sane land policy does not. debar hint from turning the eonipiilsionists to bis own account —but just how ATr Grounds would jttsily such a renunciation cit his former political professions it is difficult to see. ' THE PATEBSON RESIGNATION. A strange mystery lias surrounded the official report of the meeting of the Dairy Hoard at which Mr Grounds told a long story of the working of the London Agency of the hoard and wound up by moving that the ActingPrime Minister, the Prime Minister himself being absent Iron) the Dominion at the time, should he request'll to recall Air Strouach Paterson, who was then acting as the Government's representative at the Agency. The official report stated that the motion was carried unanimously and since then lias been quoted again and again proof that the allegations against Mr Paterson were uistified by the ciicumstaiices. The word "unanimously” , implied that all the members present voted for the motion a,lid that the hoard was solid in its demand for Alt Paterson's recall. It is certain now that this was not the case and that the motion wn.~. '‘carried on the voices without anyone calling tor a division. That was a very different thing front Icing carried uunuitiinnslv, as Ho one knew better than did the c hairman himself, and the facts should have been made clear at the time. The incident further illustrates the need

•or having the board's meetings open to the representatives ui the public press.

Hurra* axd ctiffsf poi/mrs. .jii t- ;it the moment ii looks ns il tin- Unity controversy. whieli lias not a tinted one wliit in its intensity since tiie nlniiidonmeiit ol price-lixing, miglit ( have a material effect upon tlie next Parliamentary election. So tar the Prime Minister, who lias maintained an entirely dignified attitude in his attempts to promote a hotter fooling between the contending parties, is being riiniidly denounced by both sides. The Waikato section of the C'ompulsionists appear to he in n|icn revolt against the liead of the Government on account of his disapproval of pric otixing. while the free-marketers are blamin'' him for haviii'.< given their opponents an opportunity to imperil the most vital interests of their indiis-, try. Tt is reported from Taranaki that feeling is running so high there that not one of tin 1 lour seats in the province now held hy "Reform is secure to the Government. But similar conditions to these Imre prevailed before. With tlie general election in the far distance both members and thenconstituents simulate independence. They will east off the shackles of party and dedicate their political souls to measures not to men. But when pulling day comes round the great majority of them drop into their accustomed places, automatically a< it were, and (nst their votes again as they had east them before. Party, in nine cases out of ten. is a habit rather than a conviction.