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Hokitika Guardian, 2 May 1928, Page 2

Tirn thought for the times to-day indicates haw true is the .statement that history lias the habit of repeating it--elf. The writer in the Weekly Dress says the chief need of the Dominion to-day is a “Hark to the Land" cam-

paign. It was so in years gone by when the Bnllnnre-Seddon regime came into power, and the marked attention of the Liberal Government to the land question resulted in New Zealand being lifted out of the slough of despond in those years and becoming a leading entity in Empire affairs and Imperial matters. In late years there has I yen an exodus off the land, and the inverse result so far as the general prosperity of the country is concerned can he well understood. Ministers of the day have realised the situation but appear helpless to grapple with the problem as it now presents itself. Of course it is a different problem lo that of the Seddon era in that values are higher, hut relatively conditions are not so very much different. It took a strong man to do what had to be done. Mr Seddon'.x premiership was a vigorous one, and he brooded no opposition. Daly has the .same type of leader to-day, and is henetitting enormously as a nation by the economic result. These two eases should give the Government of the day courage to adopt a vigorous forward policy. The Government certainly has plenty of hacking to put through a definite polirv. And if Parliament were to devote some material part of the coming session to a review of the land policy with the object of making a forward move surely it would he time well spent. Tls> Government- know that to assure the general prosperity of the country greater production for export is essential—is of the first importance. The cultivation of primary exjiorts so material to the well-being of the Dominion might well ho the first and chief plank of any Government policy to be attempted. Ibo whole future of New Zealand is wrapped up in its general prosperity, and it. is for the authorities to see that

administration is brought down to basic rules. Politics in the Dominion will be very prominent in the near future, and it will be for the party with the .soundest land policy ;to make /.lie strongest claim for the electors’ .support. This will be inevitable unless the reigning Government avails itself of the opportunity now in its own shaping.