TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3180, 4 May 1909, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

MUSKETRY TRAINING. In a recent speech at a Rifle Club social at Wellington, Col. Collins said that great changes had taken place in shooting. "We would have to fall in line with other nations," "said the Colonel "and go in for musketry training with disappearing targets at unknown ranges." He said he had a great regard for the old black and white target, but further opposition to new ideas was not desirable in the interests of rifle shooting. This will mean a change in the policy of the Rifle Association, and naturally alteration in company and rifle club shooting. Bath volunteers and clubs, therefore, will he well advised to adapt service matches for ordinary competition to the new conditions in view or the changes that may be expected at big meetings.

"BACK TO THE LAND." "Back to the land!" is a cry which might well in New Zealand and echoed!throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion. The present distress cannot be assuaged by putting the present town unemployed on the land in large numbers, but many of them may profitably be occupied on the soil. Our endeavour should be to create—as they arejendeavouring to create ii txg'and—a

peasant class, says the "Taranaki ( Herald." We might not be able to do this with our present unemployed, because a man to be a successful farmer needs both education and prac- \ tice in his calling. But we might be able to use the unemployed as the forerunn ?rs of toilers going back to the land

THE CASE OP THE POOR. | The Hon. T. Mackenzie thinks the poorer citizens of trip Dominion ought to have a chance of bettering their health by the use of the healing waters of their own country. We invite the world to come to the waters, we build cities for them, we cater for their luxuries, we minister to their every want, we not only see to their care, but we provide for their amusement. All this is done with the taxpayer's money. The taxpayer takes a cheerful view because he knows his money will come back to him somehow. Exactly. The helpless of our own household are as much entitled to these terms of the public purse as' the hypochondriacs of the outside world, who are different from our own only in being the possessors of more money, remarks the Southland "News." The case sentimental for the poor in uur midst, for whom we do so little, is economically on the same foundation as the case for the rich tourist for whom we do so much. More power to"the new MinisI ter. "■"""