DOMINION TOPICS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 148, 18 March 1939, Page 1 (Supplement)

DOMINION TOPICS

“The Same Again.” Nobody can doubt in his heart that it would be the “same again” (as in 1914), if aggressor nations should break loose, but for the sake of facile organization and general efficiency the step announcing unswerving support for the Mother Country should be taken forthwith. A s matters stand, an enemy of Great Britain would not stop to consider the niceties of the Statute of Westminster, or consider the feelings of tiny Dominion which showed an inclination to stand aloof. Swift blows would be dealt in many parts of the worldTand there is no guarantee that any corner would lie immune. It Is to be hoped that the position of Australia and New Zealand, at any rate, will be irrevocably decided upon’’during rhe Imperial Pacific Conference, to be held shortly in this country.—“ Dunedin Evening Star."

Frogs And Politics. It is a pity that the proposal to import edible frogs had to-be turned dow’n at a time when the Dominion is supposed to be making the most strenuous efforts to increase production, establish new industries and develop the export business, but Mr. Parry has been too strong for Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Nash. It is not difficult to follow, the Ministerial reasoning. Importation after importation has got loose in the coun--try and become a pest, and if the big American frogs were brought in they might soon become as plentiful as the rabbits. In flavour and succulence the frog has nothing on the rabbit, and, in addition, it has the disadvantage of a vary raucous singing voice. In its wild state it could certainly be shot either as a sitter or on the jump, or it could be taken on the fly. but it is very poor game. However, the consideration that probably weighed with Mr. Parry—and Mr. Savage—was the possibility of the country being overrun by hordes of croakers, drowning the voices of the politicians and the evening bulletin from the Prime Minister’s department.—" Christchurch Star-Sun,"

Imported Labour. It is significant that at the moment the Government is negotiating for the importation of hundreds of Australian building trade workers, that there should be 30,000 men on public works and relief schemes, What, «is behind the Government’s Quest for hundreds of Australians, who will, be given per influent employment in New Zealand, at a moment when the Government itself is finding it difficult to maintain thousands of men on public works. It mity be said that skilled tradesmen are required to build homes for the people, but .against that it cannot bt denied that there are probably hundreds of men now on public works ho should have ben drafted into the housing construction scheme. The problem at the moment for the Industries of; New Zealand is to absorb thousands of men now employed on public works. The task is a big oiie. The Government, on its part, in reversing this portion of its previous line, of action, gives evidence of having discovered that it is difficult to maintain a high standard of living without the full development of the production of consumer goods.—“Timaru Herald.”

Man-Made Famine. Australian potato-growing interests are suffering their worst bombardment of protests from an aroused public opinion since the war of the embargoes between Australia and New Zealand began. With a difference of £26 a ton in the price of potatoes at Sydney and Wellington, and with a retail price at the former city of 4d. a lb., the potato has disappeared as completely from the bill of fare of the average family as it has from the fried fish shops, whose potato boycott has the strengthening of economy and moral indignatiofi. Meanwhile, New Zealand sits expectantly by, dangling the prospect of the ending of the citrus fruits embargo before the eyes of Mr. Lyons as an added inducement to him to satisfy the demands of the potato-consuming public. . . . New South Wales citrus growers are clamouring for the removal of the potato embargo so that the New Zealand market will be opened to their products, and their arguments.are receiving unprecedented support from the - public, which is forced to pay famine prices for a vital foodstuff. —"Taranaki Herald.” The Consumer Pays.

The New Zealand Government, which, of Course, means the public, is paying growers 5/6 a bushel for wheat. Afler the best of it has been used for milling purposes, the balance is sold for fowl feed and the consumer is being charged as much as 9/6 a bushel. At the same time, wheat of a better quality is being sold in Australia at a price of 2/6 a bushel to the grower, but the New Zealand consumer is prohibited from importing his requirements. It is inconceivable that any form of monopoly could be more injurious to the-public, that there could he any worse instance of exploitation, yet this is permitted in the sacred name of State control. The position today is that the people of Australia have to pay unnecessarily and unreasonably liigh prices for an essential commodity like potatoes, and the people of New Zealand are similarly penalized in regard to wheat and flour, the very staff of life. In both cases excuses can be made for the action of the Government. but there can be no real justification for a system that exploits the public and deprives them of their daily needs.—“ Poverty Bay Herald.” Tourist Money.

In providing administrative machinery for the free and quick handling of visitors’ funds the Government might find it advisable to follow the lead of other nations with a closed economy like New Zealand’s. There special travel currency is made available when wanted to the amount deposited with approved booking agents or banks before he enters the country. And he has no difficulty upon his return in cashing unused coupons. Thus, he is well pleased with this simple method of arranging his finance, especially as in some instances he benefits by an exchange premium. Whether a similar method of helping tourists appeals to the New Zealnd Government or not. it is imperative that an end should be made to the anxiety occasioned by the unfortunate experience of some recent visitors. National hospitality demands that the position of tourists should be clarified once and for all. —“Taranaki Herald.”

Muddled Speech.

It is astonishing how dangerous the simple and useful process of producing and selling can be made to sound: but even Mr. Semple would find it bard to explain why a process which is right and useful when the New Zealand farmer lives by it, producing wool in Canterbury and selling it in France, apples in Nelson and selling them in Belgium, beef in Hawke’s Bay and selling it in London, becomes injurious ami and should be resisted-when, say a Czechoslovakian worker makes glassware in Central Euroi>e and-wants to sell it in Christchurch. “I feel that what they can fnake"in any other parr of the world we can make here” : so Mr. Semple says, and is sufficiently buoyed up by this feeling to lie confident of the future of a “self-contained and self-reliant” Dominion. It need hardly be said that a Dominion which does not- buy will , not sell. It need hardly be added that the future of a Dominion so reorganized can only be a future of deprivation and impoverishment. The-disturbing fact is not that this dire revolution is really likely to be brought about, even by a Govern’ment of muddlers and meddlers, but that Ministers can talk about it so uncomprehending!?. — “The Press,” Christchurch. The State Tenants.

The statement of the Hon. H. T. Armstrong that a change has been decided upon in the method of allocating State houses to tenants, and that in future they would be let according to the urgency of the circumstances of applicants is in itself an indictment of the policy of the department.. It has been suggested, with some evidence in Support, that capacity to pay the rent demanded was the dominant factor in deciding which applicants were to go into the ballot in the past. This may still be the major qualification: if it is, then the test of relative urgency becomes very much less significant. No real assistance is offered to the two sections of the community, most require ln£ It, the father of a large family who is not able to pay the large rents demanded by the State for five and sixroomed houses (which, in any case, are inadequate), and the large army of older people who -require accommodation and who are limited, by the ariiouiit of their pension or other payments, to a few shillings a week for she'ter ‘ind warmth. If there is urgency it is surely’for these two classes, and nothing worth talking about lias been dom- for either of them.--‘‘Auckland Star." Delays at th* Ports.

New Zealand ports have gained an unenviable rei|uti|tlou among the irmit’i's of the world. Waterside workers have been accused of slacking, and 1 heir employers of obstructive tactics. In neither case lias the stigma been lifted by the comprehensive inquiry that was asked for by the producers, who are the chief sufferers from inefficiency on the waterfront. Apparently the Government and the conference were prepared to let bygones be bygones, to turn over a new leaf and to try again. Everything will depend upon the spirit in which both sides to the con tract approach the new task. The effect of the method adopted will be tested when the first dispute arises. If in the past the ruling that work should proceed while settlement of a dispute is being negotiated has been ignored, is it expected that under the control of the boards a remedy for that position has been found? Or if. as has been alleged, the watersiders have not given an average output of service comparable with the output of similar groups in other parts of the world, will the new system provide any relief from cargo delays or from the threat of still further increases in freight rates?—“Waikato Times.” Most Unsatisfactory. It is to be hoped, in the interest of the public credit, that some satisfactory explanation can be given of the policy that is being pursued in the application to tourists’ funds of the restriction upon the transfer of money from the Dominion. Nothing but serious harm to the reputation of the country can be done if instances of the enforcement of this policy that have been reported in the “New Zealand Herald” are well authenticated. One of these cases, illustrative of the operation of the restrictive regulations, is that of a visitor from England who brought with him £lOOO but, on bis deciding to return earlier than he had. intended, was refused permission to transfer back his unexpended funds, amounting to about £BOO, and was allowed to take only a portion of them. There is neither justice nor sense in the practice of a restriction of this nature on the transfer of money. The restriction is unjust because the money that is withheld is not New Zealand money at all, ami there would be no contraction of New Zealand funds if the whole of it were removed. The. Dominion has no shadow of title to the control of this money or of that of other tourists who may be, and apparently are, being subjected to similar treatment.—“Otago Daily Times." The Loom of Fresh Taxation. It is clear that Mr. Nash will have to find a formidable sum in new taxation next financial year, a period in which there is bound to be a substantial shrinkage in Customs and sales tax owing to the operation of import control. Indeed, be may reasonably require an exact accounting from Mr. Langstone before providing almost £2.000,00(1 “to keep Maoris employed for the next 12 months.” After ail, £2,000,(MK) is equal to a wages and income tax of 3d. in the pound, and is sufficient to pity every Maori man, woman and child 9/- a week. But not all of them are unemployed, destitute and wholly dei>emlent on the State. Maori adult males, to judge by the 1936 census, do not number more than 20.000, and a great many of them are living on their land or earning good wages. Clergy, health and social workers, and other observers, have rejieatedly deplored the demoralizing effect on the Maoris of too much easy money. Apart from any cure his revenue problems may be giving him. Mr. Nash might therefore confer a moral benefit on the race if he scrutinized Mr. Langstone’s estimates narrowly, insisting on more self-reliance and self-help.—“ New Zealand Herald.”