WELLINGTON NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 12 September 1917, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES

PROF ITEE RING. CONFLICTING VIEWS. (Our Special Correspondent) Wei.tuxgton, Sep I 10 Naturally the two local morning papers take different views of the questions of “ profiteering ” and “exploitation” in their relation to the primary producers and the war. Perhaps they both are a little biased, political and party considerations as well as concern for the welfare of the community entering more or less in to their discussion of the matter, but their conclusions arc interesting as being fairly representative of the divisions that exist in Parliament and i'n the country. The recent report ol the Board of Trade on the subject is taken as the text in both cases.

The “ Dominion ” claims the farmers are entitled to credit ter the part they have played since the beginning of llie war, They have sold their produce at ninth lower rates than they might have oh'amed "and. in this way have sacrificed nearly nine millions sterling, the precise amount shown by the Board-ol Trade being ;65.915,00(1. The “New /Zealand Times.” on the other hand, insists that no profits should bo made put of the Empire’s troubles and that every shilling made by the men on the land from the increased prices brought about by the war should be appropriated by the State.

. jiOTKi. in»i;i;s. The legislation dealing with the reduction of hotel hours during the coni sa of the war is expected to make its appearance in the House either to-morrow or on Wednesday. It is reported to-day that the members of the- Cabinet are sharply divided on the question and that no final decision as to the precise hour of closing has yet been reached. One or two Ministers are known to he favourable to" the adoption of the Efficiency Board’s proposal of six .o’clock, lint this hour is not at all likely to lie adopted and the popular tip now is half-past seven as a compromise between the advocates of seven o’clock and these favouring eight o’clock. Of course the later opening of the bars in the morning is of no consequence to the hotel-keepers, who frankly admit the business done before breakfast is not worth having, but every half-hour cut off the evening trade will largely affect the sales and it is at this end of the bargaining feeling is running high.

THE DECISION. It is understood there have been prolonged discussions in the Cabinet as to how Jhe legislation fixing the hotel hours should be introduced. There are obvious objections to making it an amendment to the War Regulations Act or to the existing Licensing Act and it will not be easy to tack it cm to any other measure without opening a very wide lield of debate, the very thing Ministers wish t* avoid doing just now..

' However, this point evidently lias been settled ami it is tolerably safe to predict the nature of the Government's proposals will be known tomorrow. It, is rumoured that there is a majority in the Legislative .Council determined rot to allow the reduction to go beyond eight o'clock, but the general opinion is that whatever hour the Government may propose will be accepted by both the Council and the House. The Council is not in a condition to maintain a struggle against the other Chamber, even if it had the . inclination to initiate one, and the House contains a number of members who will be very glad to shift, their own responsibility on to the broad shoulders ot the Cabinet.

. CLOSE or THE SESSION. The Prime Minister's notice of bis intention to ask the House to sit on Mondays after this week is taken as an indication of the determination of the Government to bring the session to a close by the. middle of next month. Of course, if Mr Massey persists in (bis intention he will get bis way, as Prime Ministers always have done, but there area number of members who will kick vigorously against any attempt to send them hack to their constit neats before they ha ve an •pportnnity to make their usual dbj play in “ Hansard.”

There is bound to be much talking over the War Pensions Amendment Bill and the Military Service Amendment Bill and these are measures which ought not.to he rushed through the House without, very full and deliberate consideration. These, with minor Government measures, two or three private members’ Bills, the report of the Cost of Living Committee and the customary “ Washing-up ” legislation still seem likely to keep Parliament in session til)'the very end of October.