THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1907. THE USEFULNESS OF UNIONISM.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8357, 13 February 1907, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1907. THE USEFULNESS OF UNIONISM.

An instance of the usefulness of unionism is the good work that the Farmers' Union is at present performing in connection with educating the public generally on the land question. So far as the Wellington Province is concerned, we understand that meetings will be hpid in no less than forty different. places, at which Mr McNab's Bill will be "explained." It goes without saying that the Union's explanation as to what the effect of the .Bill would be if it became law differs very widely from the Ministerial view—as widely, indeed, as the views of freeholders and leaseholders, for, as we have frequently pointed out, the issue is purely one of freehold versus leasehold. When the Ward Government came into power, we, in common with many others, looked forward to better administration of the country's affairs, and to what we may term —for want of a better description —more business-like legislation, and an absence of faddy proposals. Improved administration, however, is certainly coming about. When Mr" McNab became Minister for Lands, the general feeling undoubtedly was that his presence in the fCabinet would be of national benefit, and as an administrator, although it is early days yet in which to come to an opinion, Mr McNab appears to be a success. The Farmers' Union, of course, comprises members of different political "colour," but on the land question, so far as the tenure phase of it is concerned, there appears to be a wonderful unanimity of opinion. It is urged by freeholders, and they support their sound contention by many arguments, that the form of tenure which promotes the best form of settlement, and under whieh farmers are the most prosper-

ous, is the freehold tenure, 1 ; and that, in order to allow every settler who may now lease land, or who may take up land on lease, the opportunity of securing the best possible tenure the right to acquire the freehold should be given with every lease. The Land Bill is simply a great blunder, and it would be best if the Government were to admit the fact without delay. Prior to Sir Joseph Ward's departure for Home he made it fairly clear that the Government were prepared to make such alterations in the Bill that its own author would be quite unable to recognise the Bill, but it would have been more satisfactory if the Premier had gone even further. It will, probably, be always somewhat of a mystery how such a proposal as the original Land Bill ever came into existence, but there is one fact absolutely certain, that no such proposed measure will ever reach the Statute Book of the colony.