NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 166, 9 April 1920, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

There is point in the charge that Wellington people as a rule arc too much engrossed in their individual concerns to give much thought or time to the welfare of their city. Some such explanation is needed to account for the passivity with which a fairly enterprising business community has tolerated a long course of Government ncglect and failure to provide essential public utilities! A stage has been reached, however, at which the people of the city and provincial district are bound to bestir themselves unless they arc content to slip hopelessly into the background. Even in the matter of hydro-electric development there seems to be a- danger that unless special efforts are made the urgent needs of the Wellington district may be subordinated to those of other parts of the Dominion. All possible scope appears, therefore, for useful activity on the part oi the confcrencc of district members of Parliament and of local bodies which the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) is convening to meet next Avcek. The conference ought to have little difficulty in stating a case which will command the respectful consideration of the Government. The city and provincial district have been so long and unfairly neglected that they are at least well placed to derliand redress. The harnessing of Mangahao, the improvement of the main railways linking port and district, and the erection of modern in the city, and in some provincial centres are conspicuous items in a list of works each one of which manifestly ought to be earned out at the earliest possible moment. Special prominence must be given also to the provision of new schools in the more congested areas of the city.

The last desire of the Citizens' Committee arranging for the welcome to the Piunce ov Wales on his arrival, we take it, is to endanger the Prince's safety. It is contended by the eommittcc, and with some reason, that a much more effective display can be made at Lambton Station than at Thorndon. The General Manager of the Railways has declared that it is not safe to take the train through to Lambton. This being so, it settles the matter. Local patriotism naturally causes us to desire to have our Royal guest enter the city at a point and under circumstances which will make the most favourable impression. There is room for a much greater concoursc of the public outside Lambton Station than at Thorndon, and the background for illuminations and decorations is undoubtedly better. But, if as Mr. M'Villy tells us, it is unsafe to bring the Royal train through to Lambton, it would be an inauspicious conirctemps to have the carriages derailed, overturned, or whatever is feared, with a resultant forced'landing of the Royal party ill the station yard, possibly in the murk of a rainy night. The Street Decorations Committee seems to be unconvinced of the reality of these dangers. Wo would suggest that the best way for the Railway Department to settle the matter would be to explain exactly what the hidden perils are that make communication between Thorndon and Lambton so precarious. •ft -ft #

Two important movements of. groat significance have boon chroniclcd in the Press lately almost unobserved by the general reader. They are the recovery in the American exchange and the fall in the price of metals. Exactly what they portend and where the movement will end it would be rash to predict, but it represents the most hopeful sign yet visible of a turn in the tide of rising prices and depreciating currency. On February 4 the value of tho pound fell in New York to the unprececlentcdly low level of 3 dollars cents.' Sincc then it has steadily risen to <1 dollars 2} cents, on April 6. This movement has been mainly due to the shipment of large quantities of gold from London to New York, but the curtailment of American exports to Europe in consequence of the adverse exchange has doubtless been also a materia] factor. The movement in industrial metals since the New Yoar has been equally remarkable, the range of prices being as follows: —

Silver 0 7 o.V 0 5 11 The lowest prices were recorded on March 26, but there has been «, slight recovery since. It is very unlikely that there will be a- continuous decline in values, for the operations of "bulls" and "bears" make that impossible, but it seems safe to assume that the tendency is downwards. The British Government has immense reserves now available for commercial purposes, and in Australia also large quantities have been accumulating- because of shipping difficulties.

The Government is to be congratulated on its decision to increase the railway rolling stock without delay. This morning it is announced that tenders are to be called at once for 65 locomotives and over 4000 wagons, the, estimated cost of these additions being 1? million pounds. As there are now 620 locomotives and 22,000 wagons on the lines, the additions represent increases of about ten and twenty per cent, respectively. The addition is thus the most considerable ever decided on at one lime since the establishment of the rai 1 - wavs, and the break it makes with the slow of the past will be realised by the fact that the number of new wagons for which tenders are being called is equal to the total increase in warons during the hist eight years. In his final report last year, Ml!. T-Tilfy laid stress on the point that the Department was still endeavouring to carry its steadily-growing traffic with ail equipment that was inadequate six years ago. Without early relief he

predicted that serious congestion, if not complete disorganisation, of business, must result. The steady growth of settlement consequent on the placing of the rcccnt large numbers of returned soldiers on the land is a further factor increasing the urgency of the position and it is to he hoped that the Government will be able to secure the early delivery of the new rolling stock for which it is looking.

Highest. Lowost. ,£ s. (I. .{: 8. (1. Copper 122 '2 I! 11!." 12 0 Tin 11815 0 MS 5 (I T.wid 52 10 0 40 !i (1 Rneltpr G2 ft 0 48 10 0