The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, November 9, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1067, 9 November 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, November 9, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

At the Coronation Hall to-night, Mr W. H. Field the Government candidate for the Otaki seat and present member, will deliver his hrst political address in Foxton. Bocal electors have had an opportunity of listening to the other candidates and are familiar, or should be, with their platforms. It now remains for Mr Field to answer the charges levelled at the present Government and to review us enactments during recent years, and otherwise convince the electors that the party of which he has beeu a loyal and whole-hearted supporter is entitled to a continuance of their confidence. Foxton in the past has put up a majority of votes for the liberal Government, but a good deal of dissatisfaction has beeu expressed in regard to the local harbour and railway matters. By the way, Mr Ficju is a keen supporter of an improved railway route at the lower end of this electorate, but we are of opinion that the linking up of the Main Trunk line between I,evin and Greatford or Martou is of paramount import-

auce, not only to this district, but to the Dominion as a whole. We hope to hear Mr Field express himself on the question of closer settlement, particularly as affecting native lauds in this district. The other three candidates in the field have raked the Government fore and aft'and Mr F'ield will no doubt deal exhaustively with their attacks.

Sir Jamks Cakrou., Native Minister, was informed at Devin on Monday night, that within a radius of four miles, Devin had one estate of 10,000 acres, and immediately abutting the borough one of 4000 acres. Was that typical of the native laud policy. The Minister replied that he believed the lauds were under lease. Did the questioner propose to dispossess the Kuropeaus during the time their lease existed ? If he were informed of any laud that is native and is suitable for closer settlement he would look into the matter; “let me know of any idle laud and I will obtain it.” So far as this part of the district is concerned we don’t know of any idle native laud, but there is certainly thousands of acres of native lands now held under lease in large areas which could be closely settled at the expiration of the present leases. It is open to question whether this can be satisfactorily accomplished while the natives possess the power to alienate the laud. There are so many influences at work among the natives in getting them to part with their lauds —and we are strongly of the opinion that the majority of them are not capable of dealing with alienation —that something should be done to settle such lauds upon a more equitable basis. Native Boards set up to deal with this subject do not appear to be giving the satisfaction they should. While legislation affecting native lauds has accomplished something there is still much to do. Det the Government acquire or hold in trust all surplus native laud other than that which the natives should be compelled to occupy and work. Such surplus laud could then be leased in suitable areas by pakehas, and the profits accruing therefrom be applied to native education etc. With all due deference to the Native Minister, who, we believe has the welfare of his people at heart, the administration and control of native lauds leaves much to be desired.

The most interesting portion of the Hon. T. Mackenzie’s Kltham speech was in reference to the High Commissiouership (says the Wellington Post, an Opposition journal;. He declared definitely that Cabinet had not considered the question of appointing him, and it was his belief that he could be better employed for some years in helping- to build up the agricultural industry. He was reorganising the Department, and he had extensions in mind. We share Mr Mackenzie’s belief in this matter. He has been at pains to get an intelligent, useful knowledge of the varied activities associated with his portfolio, and his arm is to be something much better than a Minister to pertuuctorily sign bundles of papeis. He is working on plans to improve the productive power of some large tracts of poor country ; he is well aware of the importance of bettering the educational machinery to equip young men for life on the laud; he is watching a wide .horizon for new openings for this country’s produce, in brief, his policy, which can be supported by evidence, is to increase the quantity and quality of this country’s primary produce, buch a worker is well worth a place in any New Zealand Ministry.

In regard to the suggestion that the New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Ruapehu had beeu diverted through the Suez Canal at an extra cost ol ,£2,400 to bring back Sir Joseph Ward and his party, Sir James Carroll at Ueviu oupVionday night read a communication which the Premier had received from the New Zealand Shipping Company’s manager slating that the country was not bearing any portion ot that cost directly or indirectly. The route was taken because ol its superior coaling facilities, enabling 2,000 Lous of cargo to be carried in No. 3 hold instead of coal, thus obliging shippers without extra expense to the company, such allegations as these, concluded the Minister, were reckless and unworthy.