THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8263, 17 October 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1906.

There is no doubt that Mr MoNab's Land Bill oame as a very decided shook to the freeholders and many lafld-owners throughout the country. It also emphasised a very peculiar, and somewhat startling fact in regard to the views held by the representatives of tbe yeople in Parliament assembled, viz., that the people were very much in ignorance as to tbe views of their representatives. As a matter of fact things have become somewhat reversed compared with the usual order. However, we presume it is only a matter of time ontil the cus-

tomary position is again reached. During Mr Seddon's wonderfully successful career the nominees of tbe Government, regardless of everything, or, anything else, were chiefly elected, and of them only one thing was expected by their leader, and thai; was implicit obedience. Thero is no necessity to comment upon that state of affairs—it has passed away but the fact that it once existed accounts for tbe extraordinary misunderstanding between the people and their representatives that is so evident to-day. The freeholders of the country seem complacently to think that the Government'have "thrown up'' their Land Bill, hut, in onr opinion, the Premier made it very clear thai the Bill, so far from being abandoned,

was merely postponed. "We are going to the country in the reoass to educate the peopla in our measure, and we are confident that they will aaoept it," was, in effect, what Mr McNab declared the Bill was postponed. The real fight—the "one big row"—has yet to come, and the Ministry, as a whole, are not only an able bcdy of men, but are, we believe, possessed of very considerable fighting powers. The present condition of affairs is only the lull before the storm. Unless those who are in opposition to the proposed measure, organise with haste, with energy, tact and determination, the Government will easily overwhelm their opponents, during next reoeas, and one of the Acts to be placed upon the Statute book during the session of 1907 will be Mr MoNab'a Land Bill, in very much the same form as amended by the Committee that recently considered it.

At the reoent meeting of the General Committee of the Masterton A. and P. Association, Mr A. P. Whatman wrote protesting against the.practice ofjdriviag ewes"in lamb, and ewes with young lambs at foot, to the saleyards during'tho month of September. Mr Whatman contends that the practice, to which he strongly objects, gives rise to considerable cruelty, for which there is not the slightest excuse, and he, no doufct, ventures to express this opinion with the knowledge of many years of observation. Mr Whatman would probably create greater attention and suoceed in having his contention more thoroughly thrashed out if, instead of urging the A. and P. Association to make an investigation, he were to bring the matter under the notioe of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. We ar« unaware vvhetber tbe Society is represented locally, but, in any case, if Mr Whatman's charges are correct, there is room for the poliae to prosecute. However, if the interest of the Sooiety were seoured iu regard to tbe practice mentioned, they could instruct their representative* throughout She Jolony to make investigations.

The deoision of Mr J. A. Keuall to take up his residence shortly in tbe Auckland Provinoe will deprive Masterfcon of a good Mcyor and a pufclicspiriled citizen. During the period that Mr Renall has held "first" muniuipal honours he has worked most induatrioualy to promote the interests of both town and district, and his attitude throughout has been characterised by generosity. In wending his way to the north Mr Renall will carry withjhim the wishes of hosts of friends in the Wairarapa, and should lie happen to enter public life iu the district where his new sphere of labour will te, we have] no doubt that those good qualities which he has shown iu the Wairarapa will stand him in good stead and pavo the way to success.