NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 220, 11 June 1920, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

In these days of inflated values statistics in terms of money provide deceptive comparisons with those of pre-war years. The position is sue* cinctly put by a character in a recent London revue, who, on hearing that the heroine has inherited two millions, exclaims: "Why, that must be worth almost a hundred pounds of pre-war money 1" Similarly, when Mr. Edgar Cramond tells us in this morning's cable news that tho wealth of the Empire has increased from about 25 thousand millions in 1910 to 44 thousand millions to-day, it is necessary to know whether he has made any allowance for the depreciated value of the pound sterling in comparing the figures. If he has not and the pound to-day is reckoned as worth, roughly, ten shillings before the war, it„.is obvious that wo aro really worse off by about three thousand millions than we were in 1910. * * * * Figures on a more trustworthy basis are those supplied In the an-' nual report of the National Dairy Association. These show a decided increase in real production in tho dairying industry of the Bominion during the past season. In the ten months ending on (> May 31 1,229,560cwt5. of cheese and 377,903 of butter were passed through •grading stores. For the same period of the previous season the figures were 1,094,853cwt5. and 292,527cwt5. respectively. Substantial increases of this sort in the output of necessary commodities will go a long way towards seeing us through whatever troublous time*, may bo ahead in tho readjustment of industry to peace conditions. It is satisfactory to note also from the report that tho maximum retail prices fixed by the Imperial authorities for butter and cheese are likely to leave the New Zealand producers a handsome return. * * * * ' _ A suggestion worth investigating is that put forward by Mr. 0. K. Wilson that the heavy ewe mutton in store under the meat commandeer should be boiled down and put on the English market as canned meat. According to Mr. Wilson this would result in clearing space in the stores for an additional million carcasses, and at the same time would prevent much unsuitably meat .from goingj on the English market. It looks like a rather big order in canned meat, but the matter has 1 been taken up by the Auckland Provincial Executive of the' Farmers' Union, and if on further examination it is found practicablo.it may help to solve a difficult problem, The sale of this Jong-stored meat in tho ordinary way will certainly not do anything towards building lip the reputation of New Zealand mutton with the consumers in the Old Country * * * * In urging that Australia and New Zealand should enter into a union with tho United States for mutual protection in the Pacific, Mr. Cornforth, managing director of the Vacuum Oil Company, makes no mention of Great Britain. The future of the Pacific will become an increasingly vital problem as time goes on. • Co-operation between all who have interests there will be necessary to remove points of friction and avert possible dangers. At tho same time it is necessary to remember that tho most potent force in restraining jingoistic and bellicose ambitions in any quarter in the Pacific is the existence of the British Fleet. That section of American opinion which Mr. Cornforth reflects would do well to consider whether the path of wisdom is to attempt to ignore Britain as a factor in the situation while flirting with the Dominions. * * * •» The "salary crab" of the Commonwealth Parliament which reeontlv raised the pay of members from £600 to £1000 a year, ij proving oxtromely unpopular,.with tho public. Federal Labour members are offering 2n per cent, of the increase to their party funds, and others are pninfr one better by promising to divide up 50 per cent, among charities in their electorates. These enn-[:cience-ptvick"n members are on thft hovns of a dilemma. Tf thev consider- themselves entitled to tho inevnnse in pay, why irive it awav? Tf tlvv are not. entitled to it, whv did thnv vole it to themselves? An Australian newspaper points out tlipf, the incrense brings til" politician's pay iip t n about .+'lo per working day for the period of the session. In addition, there aro .tree 1

rail and tram passes over all lines in the Commonwealth. Politics lias thus been made in Australia one of the most lucrative professions, and it enjoys also the distinction ol boing tho only occupation in which tho employee fixes his pay without so much as "by your leave" to anybody. * * * i> The resignation of tho Australian Federal Treasurer (Mr. Watt) will raise serious difficulties in conr nection with tho financial mission upon which ho was engaged in London and in addition may tend to upset the somewhat uncertain equilibrium of Commonwealth politics. Tho latter contingency is ali tho more likely since personal feeling between Mr. 'Watt and his Ministerial chief, Mn. Hughes, evidently had a great deal to do with the resignation. An interesting situation had already been created by the annulment of tho election for Ballarat, in which a Government supporter was returned in December last. Prior to this event the strength of the Federal parties was: Nationalists, 36; Caucus, 25; Country Party, ]1; Independents, 3. Two of the Independents, however, though they were opposed at the polls by Ministerial nominees, are now classed as Nationalists. The Government thiiß had a party of 38, or, excluding the Speaker, 37, and other parties also aggregated 37. If tho by-election for Ballarat should result in tho replacement of the Government candidate (who had a majority of only ono vote at the general election) by an Opposition supporter, the position of parties would be very delicately balanced. If' the Country Party assumed a hostile attitude, the Government would be dependent for its existence upon the vote of Mr. Higgs, who tfas returned as the Caucus Labour member for Capricornia (Queensland), but was subsequently expelled by that party and has since supported the Ministry. With his help, tho Government could carry on with the casting vote of the Speaker in critical divisions. It is considered possible, however, that Mr. Higgs may throw in his lot with the Country Party, and the possibility of an attack on the Government, in tho event of its suffering defeat at Ballarat, was being discussed before the news arrived that Mr._ Watt had resigned from the Cabinet. His withdrawal may accentuate the existing situation and make the Country Party more inclined to try conclusions with the Government. A decidedly critical position may thus exist when the Federal Parliament reassembles on June 30. It is evident, however, that Australia has little enough to gain from the political upheaval that is threatened.