THE Wirarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 31, 1909. QUESTION OF QUESTIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3202, 31 May 1909, Page 4

THE Wirarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 31, 1909. QUESTION OF QUESTIONS.

The question of - q[uostioris. .for the' people of,. Ne;W, Zealand is land settlement, for upon this turns our national ability to deal successfully with every problem involving work for our workers, opportunity for our immigrants, and revenue for the" State. During April there were i 4,015 departures from the Dominion,' and only 2,372 arrivals, representing a net loss of population of over 1,61)0 r persons; and though it imay be said that the balance of < population-move-ment is usually against us during the earlier months of the year, it is not necessarily, against;*us in April, and is rarely against us to such an" extent'ae nowi; luithe.April of 1908;: the arrivals were 3,022 and the de- ;; pastures.,3,3l3, ,a difference, against . : us ; of less than ,300, v - TJiis year fewer gre ;Comiqg snd,-j more.are > Jeaving,' a state of affairs most undesirable and detrimental to a, country largely ur£ ; settled, and naturally anxious 1:6 secure immigrants from overseas. 11l all our cities thdre'are complaints of industrial dullness, and in Welling--"ton there, appears; considerable distress due to lank of sufficient ,plos?ment. /. ,good ;, .citizep would wish to exaggerate reports calculated to injure considerably the repute and standing of his State, but, remarks the "New Zealand Herald," it would be idle folly to attempt to hide the truth when the only hope of relief lies in the raising of sufficient public indignation to compel the Government to apply the simple and adequate remedy which is at its elbow. For the unpardonable absence of an energetic land settlement policy, the administrative barring-out of settlers from unoccupied Crown and Native Lands, the abuse 'of authority which prevents'industry from expanding, in brief—the gross maladministration cf the Lands business of the Dominion, is the sole and only cause of the existing discontent. It is monstrous

that while fertile land is lying in virgin wilderness, and while hardy and industrious men are clamouring for permission to work that land and to win wealth from that land, the Government should sit stupidly looking on while the unemployed gather into the cities and shiploads of stalwart labourers and artisans leave our shores. We are losing by this amazing ineptitude enough men to pay the interest on the Dreadnought cost.