POLITICAL PILOTS

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 3 April 1914, Page 5

POLITICAL PILOTS

Dahn is Coming; The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher is to give a political address at Helensville on Tuesday, April 14th, in the Star Theatre. Cabinet Ministers are at present scattered all over the Dominion —an indication that the troublous times of a general election are approaching.—lt pays to keep a good billet and Sir Joe is lonely. -\- * * Financialistn. Sir Joseph Ward states that Mr. Massey's statement at Nelson that any of the settlers present could have financed the country better than the Liberals did was ridiculous. —It was certainly. But perhaps the impulsive Mr Massey was desirous of- flattering his audience, by crediting them with exceptional genius for finance. A Moot Question. The " Hawke's Bay Herald " asks if it is not time that Mr. Atmore dropped the pretence of independence and owned up' that he was trying to make a place for himself in the next Liberal Cabinet. The inference is that sooner or later the Liberals are coming into power again. Or is it only Mr. Atmore who thinks so ? The Maori Rates. Speaking at Mania, Taranaki, recently with reference to the collecting of rates on the Maori lands of which the Public Trustee held the fee simple, the Ho n. Herries stated that last year the Government altered the act so that there should be no doubt as to its meaning. ,It was intended to apply to all the land of which the Public Trustee held the fee i simple. Mr. Herries further expressed the opinion that the public trustee could safely be sued for the recovery of rates due if he failed to pay. # * # Production of the Land When a serious politician makes a statement of that kind he simply labels himself as being absolutely unpractical and more or less ignorant. The Bulletin would like to know who, under Mr. Russell's scheme, is going to be a judge of what any piece of land ought to pro- | duce. If the member foe Avon knew anything about land at all he would realise that even two paddocks on the same farm frequently differ materially in the quantity or value of their production. Of two farms adjoining each other one will produce a better crop than another though both may be equally well managed, but who is going to say that the one with the lower production is not producing all that it should produce ? Perhaps Mr Russell will go one step further .and set up a standard of productiveness for every farm in New Zealand. The thing is absurd. Aayway. Mr Russell might explain what he is doing with the large block of land recently acquired.by him on his own account. Has he applied his principle to that particular block, and is it producing what it should ? Bay of Islands Seat. There is intense interest throughout the Bay of Islands in connection with the next Parliamentary elections and the fact that there are at present two Reform candidates, Messrs V. H. Reed and J. Wilkinson, prepared to go to the poll. The general impression is that if the Reform vote is split an excellent opportunity would be afforded a third candidate, of carrying off the honours. All sorts of rurrrours are current, and a popular one is that Mr Wilkinson will be offered a seat in the Legislative Council in order to clear the way, for Mr V. H. Reed, the sitting member. There is also talk of Mr J. C. Martin, of Russell, standing as an Independent Liberal candidate. It is recognised that on account of his exceptional ability and very striking personality he would meet with a good deal of support, but as yet Mr Martin is not making any statement in -regard to the truth or otherwise of the ambition which has been credited to him. Some definite announcement on the political position in general is expected to be the sequel of the approaching visit of the Premier (Mr Massey) to the Bay of Islands district — Advocate.