Rangitikei Advocate. SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8839, 15 June 1907, Page 2

Rangitikei Advocate. SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

IT is the custom when any important legislative proposal is before the country for meetings of its supporters to be held in order to strengthen the hands of the Minister in charge of the Bill. Naturally, also, opponents \ seize the opportunity to agitate I against the measure. With regard to the Laud Bill the position is very curious. It is easy enough to find those who oppose the proposals contained in the Bill, in fact, meetings have been held all over the country to condemn the measure in all its. details. But when we look for the meetings of those who enthusiastically support the Bill we search in rain. It is true that Mr McNab has made spoeches in various parts of both islands, but his mission has admittedly been an educational one ; ' He has endeavoured, vainly for the most part, to convince his opponents that there is nothing to be feared about his measure, that it is a lamb, and not really a lion. The man in She street would probably say that the Bill is supported in the towns and opposed in the country districts, but if asked for evidence in proof of hi» belief he would find it difficult to point to any spontaneous expression of feeling in favour of Mr McNab's bantling. The fact is that with the exception of a few Socialists and land nationalises the people of the towns do not care twopence about the matter. The members of the House, Messrs Laurenson, Ell, and Hogg, who favour the Bill have not attempted to stump the country, as they know that their names are sufficient to alarm all moderate men. Even Dr. Findlay, though he paid for his promotion to Cabinet rank by making a couple of speeches on behalf of the measure, soon wearied of the uncongenial task. We cannot but ask: Why have a Land Bill at all in face of the general indifference? A strong Government would realise the position, admit they had miscalcnlted the feeling of the country, and turn to some proposal more likely to ensure general support.

BANQUETS appear to have a bad effect on Mr Deakin. If only he could contrive to commit some minor offence which would lead to his detention for a month in one of liis Majesty's prisons we feel sure he would come out in a much healthier and less querulous state of mind. At present on the slightest pretext he pours out the vials of his wrath on the heads of the British Ministry, who have stopped their ears to the voice of his charming. It is impossible to please him in any way. He complains that the Government was inconsistent in encouraging visiting Premiers to express their views at great length, but admits that it wa3 consistent iu refusing to accept their proposals. The ideathat Mr Deakin needed enoouragement to induoe him to put forward , his opinions is really surprising, j while the suggestion that the Imperial Government might have checked his flow of oratory on the ground that;thoy could not be convinced, if acted on, would only have providod the irrepressible Federal Premier with a new grievance. It is no doubt very annoying- to talk for hours and yet produce no impression on your hearers, but Mr Deakin should have known before his visit to England that he might as well try to persuade British Ministers that the earth was not round, but fiat, as attempt to shake their belief in freetrade. Sir Joseph Ward had the tact to realise this, and confined his offorts almost entirely to the advocacy of a cheap cable service and a rapid subsidised mail service.

ONE of the most curiou-3 arguments ever put forward by a Labour party is that contained in the message from the strikers on the Rand to Mr P.amsay Macdonald. The strikers request that British Labourites will assist them with funds or secure the withdrawal of troops on the ground

that without soldiers the mineowners would be unable to achieve

their aims as the employment of volunteers would load to civil war, because many would side with the strikers. In other words, the strikers admit that they wish to obtain their ends by forcible measures, but that they are not prepared to meet disciplined troops. There has been no suggestion that the troops are used in any unlawful manner, or that they have made any sort of attack on the strikers. The military i are simply guarding'the mines from injury and protecting the lives of those working thore, and the strikers ask that they may be allowed to destroy property and cause loss of life in order to secure their objects.. We

think that General Botha is not the man to yield to the demands of such agitators as these.