WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 205, 6 October 1916, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS

AFTER THE WAR. THE POLITICAL SOLDIER. (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, October I There is much talk here, among civilians as well as among men returned from the front, of the birth of a “Soldiers’ Party” that is going to revolutio'iiise the political life of this connand give it a significance and a clis--tincton it has not possessed in the past. Just how the soldiers are going to accomplish in the twinkling of an eye what two generations of civilians have failed to achieve in six or seven decades the promoters of the movement have not yet explained, but they are satisfied a new force is about to enter New Zealand polities,! and to make itself heard and felt in the constituencies and in Parliament. Already the question of a leader is being discussed, the nameAof an officer in high command, now serving with some distinction, being more frequently mentioned than any other; and a policy is being shaped in the minds of some enthusiasts. There is to be no parleying with any of the other parties, no servile acceptance of old shibboleths and old traditions. Everything is to be brand new from, top to bottom—from the platform and pledge to the badge on the lappet of the political soldier’s coat. THE FOURTH PARTY. TV hene the political soldiers com down from the skies and translate their high aspirations into practical suggestions, it is difficult to sec how they are going to launch a fourth party on the troubled sea of polities without coming into more or less direct conflict with the parties already there. The -onlyrational purpose in their venture can. be to remedy defects—small or great — in the existing state of Some of them are blaming the Liberals and some the Labour Party. They went to the war with the party prejudices which possess other members of the community, and probably they have returned with those prejudice’s no better defined, but just as pronounced as ever. When they have had time to look around for themselves they will realise ..that a permanent coalition between the (Reformers and the Liberals, which is •the heart’s desire of some timid souhs ■on both sides, is no nearer accomplishment now than jt was two years ago, and that the conclusion of the war will bring them all the opportunities for political fighting they had before. If I the political soldiers are as good as their present w-ord their votes and their influence will be tlrrow-n on the side of sound, logical progress—no matter by what name it may bo called—and in this way they will render a much greater service to themselves and to the people at large than they could by dissipating their strength upon an atattempt to achieve the impossible. “ LAND FOR SOLDIERS. V ' A matter of more immediate importance to soldiers than the formation, of a new political party is brought into i prominence by the Government's invitation to landow'ners in the Dominion minion to put a price on such parts of 1 their properties as they are prepared to sell to the State for the purpose of closer settlement by men wrho have returned from the war. The Welington Land Board, thanks to the enthusiasm of the Commissioner and the hearty cooperation of his colleagues,! has done very excellent work in providing returned men with opportunities to- make homes for themselves, but like the other Boards it has little land suitable for subdiviison into small areas at his disposal, and has been compelled to leave a number of eager unsatisfied. The cases of those men cannot bo met by compulsory acquisition, because the law- does not allow the State to take small areas nor to “pick the eyes”— as it w r ere—out of the larger estates; but it hoped many owners holding land of the character required will stretch their patriotism to the length of offering portions of their properties at reasonable rates. The Minister is charge has no intention of allowing the State to be exploited in the name of patriotism, but he is anxious to place as many men as possible on the land under such conditions as would enable them to become producers within a reasonable time.