TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3219, 17 June 1909, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

"SEDDONS' TREE."

"Seddon's tree," the splendid specimen of the kahikatea, growing on Solway Showgrounds, under which the late Premier made a rotable speech, is likely to receive special attention when the laying-out and beautifying of Solway is to be systematically carried out by the Masterfcon A. and P. Association. It is probable that special donations will be made towards converting the tree into something of a monument, while at the same time adding to the beauty of the immediate locality

RELIEF WORKS. When fertile regions are blocked against the settlement which builds, up cities and affords employment for artisans and labourers in a thousand direct and indirect ways, suffering follows as surely as night foMows morning, and no pretentious statements and insincere expressions of sympathy could prevent it, nor can any trumpery relief works, such as those mentioned by the Prime Minister, do any real good, says the Auckland "Herald." They are as futile as the stupid allegation of his colleague Mr Buddo, who asks the people of Canterbury tobelieve that there is any quantity of good land open for settlement in the North, and that the agitation for the acquisition of all surplus native land by the Crown and the prompt opening of the acquired land under ordinary settlement conditions is being carried on by "speculators."

COMPULSORY TRAINING. In a free democracy the Government should be on the alert to read the needs of the people and take appropriate action. It is the function of a democratic government to fathom the needs of the people in advance. It ©xists for no other purpose, and when it permits itself to be overtaken by an aroused public opinion it has signally failed to fulfil its main function. We rejoice to see, remarks the Patea "Press," that the question of local defence now hsis a reasonable chance of being thrashed out on its merits. We believe that the need for an efficient system of defence is real and not to be neglected, and we are of opinion that those who advocate the compulsory training of all young men will be able to present an unimpeachable ca3e. There ia every reason to applaud the devotion and self-sacrifice of the present volunteers, but it cannot possibly be maintained that in our volunteer system we have an efficient provision for defence.

BUSH-FELLING FOR UNEMPLOYED. The Lands Department, acting under instructions from the Prime Minister to select a block of Crown land on which unemployed could be put at bush-felling work, has been busy inquiring into the areas most suitable fur this purpose Questioned on the matter, the Under-Secretary of Lands, Mr Kensington, said the department had finally selected the Rangitautau block, comprising between 10,000 and 15,000 acres, about ten miles from the Waitotara railway station. It is estimated that good men can average from 8s 6d to 9s 6.1 a day at this work, though, of course, men not experienced in theuse of the axe will have to be content with less. The names of fifty skilled bushfellers are already on the books of the Department in Wellington, and the department is now ascertaining how many deserving, capable men in the country districts have registered for this work.

The department expects to be able to send the first batch of men away by Monday : the 28th inst. All those who have not tents and axes of their own will be supplied by the Labour Department, this, with cost of stores, being a charge on their earnings. The department will also endeavour to make satisfactory arrangements for the food supplies. Married men are to be given preference, and then single men who are considered most suitable for the work.