PRESS OPINIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 3 May 1913, Page 4

PRESS OPINIONS.

Tliae are few great public questions which admit of being cast in so simple and comprehensive a form that they can be answered by a plain "Yes" or "i\o." This is the fundamental weakness of the Referendum, and w© fail do see how it can be got over.—Auckland Star.

The much-vaunted advance of Labour sentiment appeal's to be a chimera, and reveals very clearly that Lab-' our in its own strength ha's very littlie eliaince of ever becoming the dominant factor in the political life of New Zealand. If it cannot hold its own init the four centres what chance has it in the country districts ? Manawatu Standard.

What will our children's children say when they know that we have wasted thousands of millions of feet of timber which should have been husbanded for future requirements, and have done so little to replant the forests? There are Large areas of land more suitable for tree growing than for anything else, and there must Ije suitable trees for planting. Taranaki Herald. |

It is very much to be regretted, we think, that the workers instead r:f. allowing "agitators, Socialists, and anti-militarists to sneak in their name, do not put forward a few genuine representatives' of their class to look after tliOT- interest? in the municipal and general government. Men who will make the best of society as it k constituted, instead of crying for the moon and preaching revolution, could do a valuable work in the community. The unpractical agitators simply succeed in sowing seeds of distrust and resentment, and retard all progress, instead of helping to make things bett.-r for the community in which they live.— Christchureh "Press."

Who is to be the leader of the ■Liberal Party has not yet b.en considered by the party. Sir 'Joseph Ward stands high enough to lead. This, we feel sure, will be ma<U> manifest by the Liberal Party themselves whom the proper time comes for choosing their leader. . When Sir Joseph is selected there is little doubt but that Sir William HallJones will be willing to play again the role he played in 1906. . Had he remained in the Dominion there is' room for believing that the result of the last election might have been different, for lie possesses a strength which would have admirably seconded his chief, who, for lack of support, went to the wall politically.—Oamaru "'Mail."

Realising the\ accession of strength that Mas Key ism has gained since its advent to power, as •usually happens with any -side that achieves office, and recognising the weighty iuiluenc.? of the forces beliind it, we are nevertheless satisfied that Liberalism alone cannot re-establish the prestige of the democracy. At the same time, neither can Labour, and more especially so in the light ' f its most rcciMit experience. Therefore, "the i wisdom must bo apparent ei once more enthusiastic and Invni co-operation between the two pnrtVs under a lead satisfactory to both, fy the achievement of the political triumph upon which the well-being anc. progress of New Zealand depends.— "N.Z. Times." I