PRESS OPINIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 30 April 1913, Page 4

PRESS OPINIONS.

The compulsory service movement is making rapid headway in Great Britain, as is shown by the new popularity of Lord Robertas devoted mission." Even the Labour Party in th? Old Land must socii realise, as Labour for the most part has eOnle to realise in Australia and New Zealand, that the nation must be safe before it can devote it-elf exclusively or chiefly to becoming happy.—Timaru Herald. *

Our rural district;; are being slowly but steadily depopulated, and it is equally oi-rtain that this exodus from the country to the towns is very largely the effect of land monopoly. Here is u chance ;.-r the Prime Minister to make, good his promise that if reaggregation were gcing on he would take legislative action, to stop it at once. Adding further turns to the Graduated Land Tax screw and limitation of areas will prove effective; we doubt if any other method will.-—Taranaki News.

We are glad to note' that Mr Massey reasserts tho Government's determined opposition to reaggregation alike in Crown lands, privately-owned lands,-and native lands, and announces that im tho coming session a Land Bill will be introduced embodying provisions intended, as far as practiea.ble, to make reaggregation impossible. Mr Massev has answered his critics fairly, and" if they are equally fair thev will-admit that the answer is satisfactory.-—Southland Times.

New Zealanders are neglecting a magnificent opportunity for opening •up "a profitable tra-ie with the milions of Easterm Canada by failing to secure a line of st?amers that will return to Canada loaded with our products, instead of steaming half round the globe before finally reaching a Canadian, port with other people's good*, andth;re loading up again with Canadian exports for New Zealand.—Auckland Herald.

Deplore and regret the fact as we may and do, there is no immediate prospect of any other plan than that of adequate ami prompt preparation if this Empire of ours is to continue to hold together to meet the dangers and anxieties that are everywhere apparent. And nothing but the most perverted and narrow intelligence will argue otherwise.—Dunedm Star.

It in almost impossible that a relatively small body of men, with only local interests to serve, should not, unless their personnel is frequently changed, resolve themselves into combinations, cliques and factions, which are prejudicial to the welfare of the community. As a general principle, therefore, we feel that frequent- and substantial changes in the constituents of a Borough Council are necessary to Its health and wellbeing.—Hastings Tribune.