The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10,1883. LAND NATIONALISATION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1536, 16 November 1883, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10,1883. LAND NATIONALISATION.

We do not believo that Mr Hawkins with nil his eloquence convinced country settlers last Wednesday evening' that their freeholds are menaced by the Atkinson Ministry. Their common sense rejects the idea of any Ministry proposing so wild a project. Such an outcome of land nationalisation is outside the range of practical politics, and the only good likely to result from its discussion is the interest created in the minds of country settlors by the ventilation of a phase of a vital question, but not of a vital phase of a vital question, Country settlers throughout New Zealand have been wont to allow the towns to havo too largo a voice in the government of the colony, and if Mr Hawkins can succeed in rousing inch settlers in this district to take an active interest in practical politics, he will do good, irrespective of whether the said settlers go for or against land nationalisation. Wo aro not afraid;of land nationalisation within certain limits, doing harm to cither the colony or its settlers, Pushed, to extreme issues, it would undoubtedly bej mischievous, but it is not at all likely to bo allowed to develop into a sort of Upas tree. Ardont abstainers will tell a man that if he drinks a single glass of beer, he may consider himself lost and ruinod. In tho same way Mr Hawkins threatens thai touching land nationalisation must irretrievably bring ruin -on the community, We discard the idea of the state resuming' the possession of private lands as too remote and visionary for any immediate argument, but we do not object to face the question of letting waste lands, on perpetual leaseholds. As we have; before said, lot the Government by an experiment on a moderate scale guage the demand for such properties. If a demand really exists we' do not v see why it should not bo supplied, If on the other hand it does not exist, exporience will prove the unsnitability of such a scheme to tho settlement of a country like New Zealand. Mr j Hawkins looks ahead into some remote futuro when a conflict between freeholders and leaseholders will embitter life in New Zealand, and regards Land Nationalisation as the serpent which will do this wrong. Sir George Grey looks into the remote future, and sees land nationalisation solving all political difficulties and diffusing harmony and prosperity among all classes of settlers.. Which is right 1 Who can say 1 We are almost disposed to believe that if we do our duty by the settlers now in the colony, assisting them by all means and expedients to create homesteads for their families, and educate and train' their sons to become good and intelligent men, we may leave tho solution of some politicalcontingencies with safety to the next generation. The land questions of to-day are [burning questions, but the land questions of tho next centnry do not trouble' us much, Resuming the ownership of private lands is not a question of today. We scout the idea of Mr Eolleston or Mr Buchanan being converts to Mr George's theories. The fact is Mr Hawkins conducted his case in dealing with the question of waste lands more as an advocate than as a judge. To quote his own expression, He got the thin end of the wedge in on Mr Eolleston arid Mr Buchanan, and he drove it home vigorously. We do not object to Mr Hawkins making the best of his case. Those whom he attacked .he attacked fatrly, and they are quite' able to take their own parts and to answer for themselves,