PRESS OPINIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 26 June 1913, Page 4

PRESS OPINIONS.

No doubt it may be urged "that those unions whioh act so tyrannically and unjustly, and with so little regard for their victims, are not representative of the spirit of trade unionism in this country, but we cannot rchaomber ever to halve heart! from tho councils of Labour a word of condemnation of . these methods. — Christchurch Press.

No man has any right to gratitude- for public services. The day will come when even Mr Massey and Mr Allen will bo treated as they are now treating their predecessors. The chief consideration is the happiness and prosperity of the people of New Zeaand, and these have been assured by nearly 25 years of what i«* now admitted by all to have been wise government. —Oamaru Mail.

We regret Mr Mmssey's want of decision in tackling tho problems of electoral reform, one of the most urgent-ly-needed of reforms in the public life of the Dominion. Mr Massey has condemned the present crude and unscientific method of electing members of the House of Representatives in strong terms, and ho lias also very properly condemned the second ballot, but ho has not yet told u« wh-.it provision he proposes to make for ensuring that political parties in tho country shall be represented in the House in proportion to their strength. —.Southland Times.

One might suppose from his speech at Dunedin that the Massey Government was the first Administration that had ever had an unkind word siid about it, and that its predecessors had never had to submit tc -nisrepreseniation, vilification, slander and innuendo. The complaint* of the piosent Ministers on tin-, score make amusing reading for those whoso memories take them back a year or two. Indeed, for a decade the stock-in-trade of Mr Massey's party was -simply alm.se.-r-Christ-chiTich Star.

A Maori Land Bill will be offered to Parliament, and there is great anxiety as to its provisions. The Government have been courageous in dealing with Civil Service reform, competent in dealing with finance, shrewd in appointing ia competent railway managor, steady in dealing with defence. Wo must hope that they will not bo less energetic and patriotic in dealing with native lands. There are many important questions to come before Pariainent, but none, are more important to tho State than thoso which deal with land .settlement and with making land accessible. — Auckland Herald.

Among the usual host of lesser matters and minor amendments which Parliament deal a with in the session, it will bo interesting to see what fate has in store for the Gaming Act Amendment Bill, dealing with the question of an increased number of totalisator permits,, allowing' for the granting of one-day permits to any racing, trotting and hunt club which does not at present enjoy a totalifiatov permit. When this Bill was thrown out last year, it was with the understanding that Government would offer no obstacle to its passage if reintroduced thi« session, but that they would not father tho proposal. —(Jreynoutu Star.