Rangitikei Advocate. FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 1908 EDITORIAL NOTES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9118, 10 April 1908, Page 4

Rangitikei Advocate. FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 1908 EDITORIAL NOTES.

ACCORDING to the Auckland Liberal and Labour Federation the Old Age Pensions Act does not fulfil the functions for which it was originally intended and the Council of the Federation has been asked to report on the defects of the system. The principle provision of the Act objected to is that which penalises pensioners by the forfeiture of some instalments of their pension in oases where they are convicted of drunkenness. The Hon. W. Beeban, M.L.C., characterised this clause as infamous and as a blot on the Statute Book Either this ornament of our Upper House does not understand the meaning of the words he uses or he holds the opinion that it is infamous for the law to provide that taxation collected from respectable and hard-working citizens must not be used to provide drink for hoary old reprobates who, after leading reckless and unthrifty olives, have to claim pensions from the State in their declining years. Mr Beehan’s view is a [[fair example of the drivelling sentiment which prevails among the members of the Liberal and Labour Federation. Why should not the poor old men get drunk, say their defenders? Let them get drunk if they please, we reply, but at their own expense,‘‘and not at that of men who J£in many cases- have to refrain from drink in order to support their families and pay their taxes.

MR McNAB in a recent interview at Ashburton gave his impressions as to the results of the Government land legislation. He is of opinion that the graduated tax is now so high that holders of large areas will be compelled to out up their estates and he considers that the large profits from stock raising in the [last few years have alone prevented this subdivision having taken place before. The Minister thinks that a fall in the price of land is likely to take place, but he does not'state that he has commmnnicated this information to the Valuation Department. At the close of the interview Mr MoNab made some rather incomprehensible remarks about the Government’s policy of distributing wealth among the people, and stated that any solution of the land question was a solution of the problem of the distribution of wealth. It is not very clear how, if every large estate in the country were cut up and offered for sale in small sections, the wealth of the country would be better distributed. The owners of the estates would receive the value of their land and be as wealthy as before, and the buyers would simply have exchanged their money for land. The assumption, however, probably is that the owners would be compelled to accept less than the fair value for their property and this would certainly produce a redistribution at the expense of the large proprietor. Burglars who, in a private capacity, undertake this method of equalising conditions, sooner or later end in gaol, but when it is taken in band by Ministers in this country it is called a progressive policy and its advocates consider themselves benefactors of mankind.

GISBORNE Technical School Committee has shown its opinion of the tendencies of the present day by establishing cookery classes for youths. The alleged reason is that it will tya of advantage to young men to have ,a knowledge of plain cooking when they are living in places where there are no competent cooks. The real cause of the new departure is, no doubt, that the committee has noted the fact that girls in the present day prefer to work in offices, shops or even factories, rather than to undertake domestic duties. As wives such girls are naturally incompetent cooks and unsatisfactory managers and, therefore, it is felt necessary that the other party in the matrimonial partnership should be able to boil a potato or make a rice pudding. Doubtless the Gisborne committee will soon add classes in infant management for the benefit of future fathers.