The Daily News FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1909. THE WARD POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 237, 12 November 1909, Page 2

The Daily News FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1909. THE WARD POLICY.

No more clleclivc reply was ever given to the criticism that the constructive ability of the political party of which Sir Joseph Ward is the head was an unknown quantity than the masterly deliverance of the Minister of Finance ill iiis Fiualicial Statement submitted to the House of Representatives on Wednesday evening. .Not as a linaucial statement, but as a Budget clearly and concisely setting out a great policy of enlightened advancement, socially and materially, does Sir Joseph's speech commend itself to the thoughtful consideration of every elector iu the Dominion, lucre has been no shirking of the re spolisibilily of effectively dealing with Uie principal problems with which the country is at the moment confronted. In the hind proposals alone submitted by bun, Sir Joseph—on whom the responsibility of evolving the laud policy now rest.-,—has propounded a scheme tint will earn for him considerable lame. As a compromise between the freehold and leasehold extremists, the mean adopted by Uie Premier is a masterpiece in local

diplomacy, lie proposes, at a eertai i a nit apparently reasonable price, to give the op. ion ol'lie irecliold to all Crown tenants, cxiepuun.ouly being made with legard Lo ttiat great State endowment of the future—National Endowment lands. Tnat the great majority of the people would rebel against the State parting with every acre of the national estate we are convinced, and Sir Joseph's refusal to permit the alienation of what may ultimately be 1.1.e only Crown c.-iaic in the doininioa—-and it is hoped, ne vigorously deieudeil. We

have been consistent believers in Hie Msteiu that tin- State should assist set - icr, in go on the laud under uh.itcvcr tenure they indiv uiually consider best lor theiiiseives whether it lie by long .ease, occupation with right of purchase, or cash p.lirchase. We believe that me tenure which best meets the wishes of ihe -rlller is the one under whicli unbind will Lc induced to produce lo , ; miles! lapacity; and the greater the cultivation, tac greater-the production, .lie belter it is fur the State .as a whole. Hut we are not so .short-sighted that we cannot -co in the national endowment scheme comparatively small though it is an as,el that in time to come will .io an inclinable asset to the taxpayers ■'l' the d inion. The people of this province ha\e reason lo be grateful to iiiose far-seeing public men who in 111.' ,-arly days of the province reserved a portion of the land as inalienable endowments for education and municipal purposes. We have seen how these once unproductive areas nave developed into valuable endowments-of invaluable assist. to the purposes for which thev were created, and a decided relief to the taxpayer. The purposes to which the revenue from the national cndowmen.s is devoted is expressly lived by legislalioil. and it is proposed that' portion shall now !•■■ devoted lo the' assistance of naiver-ilh-. Willi ~-ard io all other 'amis of which (lie State is lanillor I. ..c ordinary down lands and hand for licm.nl I Is, Sir Joseph proposes to ;.vi tenants the option of acquiring the neehohl on terms whi-h will secure to .he vendor iUie Sliilei a share in the increased | unimproved) values created since tiui land was taken up. It cannot be fairly argued that the State has no right to some proportion of the increased values that have accrued since the hind was leased. The proposals are but securing, proportionately, bhe enhanced value that would be llu- absolute properly ~f the Stale when the term of tlie leases expired. Probably those who advocate that lessees are entitled to the hind at the original valuation will still

be dissalislied. No one blames the lessee or his advocates for attempting to make the best bargain possible, but as it takes two to conclude a bargain, we are inclined to think the (iovernmeiit proposals represent as fair an oll'er as could reasonably 4ie expected to become law. Whether tenants, particularly 1.i.p.. would lo any extent avail themselves of the opportunity of securing the freehold is open to considerable doubt, for

it is almost unanimously conceded thai Ihe terms oil which these lessees hold their land make it the ci,ca|K'st in the dominion today. Extensive proposals for the sett lenient, of Native land arc also outlined, and the legislation to oc introduced to this end will be i„ the direction of enabling far greater facilitv for securing these lands, subject to certain provisos for (he protection of Ihe interests of the Maori race. The State wiill also embark on a comprehensive "* l,,, ' n I' Native bind purchase, amounting to half a million sterling per ~„. mini. Hie liml to be also dfsnoscd of under ihe notional system

measures ouilined conies ilefenee—nnvui «»il im«i-Hitl. Tin. n,,viil ilrfeiiee selienv is illicitly well understood, anil tin. ,ii,h li( «• feuliire is t-liat iimkiiij. p.-nvU on for Hie i>„vi,;,.|il ~f tin, jfifi DiviiilHi.ii-rl-i.. for which it is proposed ilmi. „ i imikl of 4 for ~,.nt. tin established ostiiigiiislinij; llic deld in is yi>nrs. or two years hel'ore tin. csliniiiU'd Hfcolive lease of lilV of Sllell u ship. Win, ~,.„.„.,! t „ ' Vim I defence, however, sir Josephs proposals a,,., to sav the least. ~ V( .,.j. l iil'l'' >urpnse packet. 'IV phvsie., lraiiiiii.2' of our svhoo! hoys, t|„'. ~|,. mcnlary an,l proercs-ivc trniiiiii K of endeis. mid their siili.pi|ih.iii conipuTsory |,U'ivtit ,111 advance towards the cH'octi,-.' defence of ,1 uon-inilitnrv country as miy ever made. Jh.-io .should I,r no 'lill'.ii.|illy in mainhiiniiie; mi adult volunteer nriiiy of „ stlM-ll.L'tli of 20.111H1. is |iin|nwil, when an " nll-enibnu-'mg'' re emit in;, ground is i„ lic-iny;. TJic dc finer proposals, indeed, should nll'orn I lie liveliest s-atisf n-tion lo the people i" l ' ly «f l lie dominion, but of the Knipirr as :i whole.

I.iinil ilion (it space procludes more than a cursory incut ion just now of Hie new taxation proposals, hut hrielly there is proposed a .slight readjustment of iiicniie-tiix. the imposition ot estate and slliression duties on hlr;;o estates |to 11..■.. relief of -mailer cstatcsl. an a.ldilioiiiil (and perfcctlv proper) tax nil Hie lolalisalor, the 'ah.dition of lonjjdislaneo cniicossions „n the railways l which was, in the main, only a concession to those who could all'ord lo do without ill. small increase in (ho levy on bnnkinjr. and a lenipornn- surcharge of one per cent, on Customs—which cniiie inlo operation vctordav. Taken a- a whole, the extra taxation 'is imposed on weallhv shoulders host able lo bear it without hurt.

i'l'lie proposed new licensing )ei;islatjon -h.aihl on.-e and for all pul an end io I 1"' seemingly interminable light for "principles" tiial has 'hitherto been waged hy the no-license, and liquor parlies. The obnoxious reduction issue is lossetl into the oblivion from which it. should never have emerged. Tho existing (111 "or cent, majority necessary lo carry a j no-license or resloration issue is redue-' el tn ."i.i per cent., representiug a reasinnl'le compromise with Hie strong advocates of the hare majoriiv. A dominion | "I'li'M, issue is' to he'provided, and lastly, a perfcctlv jiM measure of "coinpeiKilion" for loss of license is conceded hy cslendin'g the time when a no-license vole shall take ell'cct, from six months In two yeaw in tho case of local oplion and live years in the case of national prohibition being carried. Amongst oilier progressive legislation foreshadowed iii the Budget are measures to restrict

horse-racing and gambling, to amend the Old-Age Pensions Act, and tu prov idc lot i better mail services. iinporlaiiL also is I tin' nnuoiinceincnl tlmt tlio Oovcrniueuti i»' seriously considering nationalising the passenger' service from end to end of the dominion by instituting a Slatci iiH'iied ferry steamer service beiwcei Lyttelton ami Wellington. Sir Joseph | has certainly given the country ;i strong, legislative lead, ii programme full of fertile possibilities, and one that lias to 11 very considerable extent, disarmed his critics on almost everything hut minor items' of ili'tuil.