PRESS OPINIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 14 May 1913, Page 4

PRESS OPINIONS.

Mr Allen simply cannot do the work of three men, however willing and industrious h > may be—that is, he cannot do it properly. He should bs relieved, upon nis return to tho Dominion, of one of the three portfolios which he at present holds. To whom that portfolio should be allotted is first of all Mr Massey's affair. But it is "the country's affair also, and if Mr Massey does not recognise his responsibility in this matter, so much., in the long run, the worsa for him.—Marlborough Express. The landless fathers of families want holdings situated within reasonable distance of schools and markets; th:-y want to make homes for themselves, where they and their wives can enjoy some comfort and theichildren'can be educated to fight their own battle in life. But the land that would provide for their npeds, rich land, well close to railways, and markets, is in the hands of th large holders. It is the great areas of private lands in Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, and elsewhere, not th: odds and ends of the Orown estate, that are blocking settlement. Surely it is time Mr Mas&ey put th" screw on his landowner friends.—Timaru Post.

Already tha writing is 011 the wall, writ large in the disasters to Labour "tickets" at the municipal elections in the four centres of population. And if the leaders are wise they will not risk the entire alienation of public sympathy from a movement that has much to recommend it, and that ha c effected many needed reforms under Australasian «kies.—Ashburton Guardian.

Sir Joseph Ward, we warrant, has not forgotten what took place- at the "Liberal" caucuses, when he was told in plain terms that he ljad wecked the party, and it was time he made room for a better man. We would what he now thinlcs gf it all. ' We especially like to know what he thinks of the non. member for Avon —who, at the d ?tnronement of Sir Joseph Ward, proposed the election of Mr Thomas Mackenzie as leader—who has since matte d operate attempts .to boost himself . into the leadership, and finding it a dismal failure is now trying to outshout tire rest of the rep?ni.ant intriguers in frantic entreaties to Sir Joseph Ward to "come back n.ndlead the party." —Ohristchurch Press.

When 'th? laud is adequately sottied, and the -facilities for bringing tlie produce to the market have been increased, we may reasonably dream of the raihrajftj ipaying dividends. Until then they must be used to accelerate the. processes of settlement. This seems a necessary preliminary to the Jaw.fj of supply and demand in their application to the Labour problem being properly adjusted, and when so muc4i has hfero accomplished the Dominion may with some justification initiate an extensive immigraton policy.—Southland News. |