DJ^ 



the Heview of Reviews. 



December 1, 190(i. 



Sj^-i. 



<„ '".^''^ 



-V.Z, Free Lance.'] 



The Land Bill — Rather Thin Ice. 



JOE: " Xot just yet. Bob. It is setting nicely, but wants 

 a little more time to make it quite firm and safe. In the 

 meantime let's have some fun at the Exhibition." 



mania as to bt? almost out of sight in tlie path of 

 land reform, and nothing helps a countrv which is 

 lagging behind to do its duty than for .4ome other 

 country to whirl away ahead.' It is a good thing it 

 is so. It helps to cement the bond of brotherhood 

 throughout the world, and shows how- dependent one 

 country really is upon another. There is no doubt 

 whatever that the passage of the Bill through the 

 New- Zealand Houses would have created a tremen- 

 dous sensation, and it is a question as to whether 

 the Government's position w-ill be any stronger next 

 year than it is to-day. One thing is to be said 

 against some of the pleas that were made bv Go- 

 vernment supporters for holding the Bill over, and 

 that is that the voice of the people w-ill be no more 

 manlfe.st then than now, since the same Parliament 

 w-ill deal wdth it. There is no general electiop be- 

 tween now- and the next session. The Go<-ernment, 

 therefore, can hardly be credited with funk or fear, 

 as it promises that it w-ill be the first measure sub- 

 mitted for consideration as soon as the next session 

 opens. Australian as well as New Zealand reformers 

 are ver\' anxious that the Bill should not be dropped, 

 and it is to be hoped that the Government will stick 

 to its guns so as to assist in solving the problem of 

 getting land for the landless. 



' God help Tasmania when Tatter- 

 ProWdeTe'and ^^" ?^'^' ^o the Premier of Tas- 

 Tattersall's. mania is reported to have said 

 while in Victoria, attending the 

 Premiers' Conference. It is evident from this and 

 other remarks that Mr. Evans realises that very soon 

 Tattersall s w-ill have to go. Heaven grant it may I 

 There is a kind of suggestion that while Tas- 

 mania reaps the _;^6o,ooo reward for keeping 

 the biggest gambling concern of Australia within 

 her borders. Providence does not help her, and 

 possibly there may be more in it than dull mortals 

 imagine. Some folks think that this anodyne has a 

 stupefying effect upon the sensibilitie-s of Tasmanian 

 politicians, and that if she threw off its influence 



i; 



feS'i^^ 



y.Z. Free Lance."} 



The Last of the Reciprocity Tariff. 

 ChoKUS: ■Poor little beggar. He was too sickly to live." 



she Mould re\-ive in a score of ways that would bring 

 national prosperity. It is, from one point of view" 

 almost impossible tc expect a Parliament that con- 

 tentedly draws ;^6o,ooo yearly from an e\'il source 

 to be progressive with regard' to other matters. A 

 sleeping draught of this kind would paralvse the 

 vigour of even progressive New- Zealand. Tasmania 

 win be wise if she returns to power men who are un- 

 mistakably progressive, and w-ho place clean morals, 

 including the expulsion of Tattersall's, right in the 

 forefront of their programme. Most of her politi- 

 cians look on this ill-gotten gain as so absolutelv 

 necessary to Tasmania's salvation, that no progress 

 can be made in other ways till it is removed from 

 their line of vision. 



It is hardly possible, mavbe, to ex- 

 Tourist" l"''^''*^ '" ■'^to'ic'-looking figures the 

 Department. value of such magnificent assets as 

 New Zealand possesses in the shape 

 of natural w-onders. Still less is it possible to calcu- 

 late the enjoyment, the interest, the enthusiasm of 

 sight-seers as they have gazed in astonishment at the 

 wonders of the thermal region, or spellbound on the 

 sublime snow-coveired heights of the Alps. Nor can 

 one calculate the increased health and added zest 

 that is given to the lives of the sight-seers who from 

 all parts of the globe crowd into the islands that the 

 Maoris picturesquely call "The long w-hite cloud." 

 In 1903-4 the visitors numbered 5233 ; in 1904-5, 

 5992 ; and in 1905-6, 7142. Estimating each visi- 

 tor's expenditure at ^50, the value of the traffic ti> 

 the country generally is calculated at over ;£3oo,ooo. 

 The department actually received ^15,820. The 

 amount spent in advertising in .Australia was ;£788. 

 and the expenditure in the country of Australian 

 tourists was estimated at _;£2 8,500. 



The great Christchurch Exhibition 



The was opened w-ith due ceremony dur- 



Exhibltion. ing the month. It is to be hoped 



that Australian visitors will take 



e-,ery advantage of the opportunities that will be 



afforded to visit New Zealand during the progress of 



