Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2nd, 1920. THE WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 October 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2nd, 1920. THE WEEK.

It is singularly appropriate that New Zealasd’s new Governor-General should arrive and have taken up his important duties on Dominion Day. This country, says the Lyttelton Times, may be said to have made its first upward ~tep towards nationhood in 1907, when it was granted the status of a Dominion of the Empire. Its second great step was made on April 25, 1915, when the troops of the young Dominion underwent the ordeal of battle on the beach at Anzae Cove and proved themselves worthy of their race. The third signal honour achieved by New Zealand was consummated this week, just thirteen years after the first, when Viscount Jellicoe of Scapa, one of the great warlords of the Empire, the fightisg head of the British Navy in the greatest conflict in all history, arrived at Wellington as his Majesty’s representative. Lord Jellicoe missed by only a few hours, a coincidence with the anniversary of the arrival of another very famous Governor of this country, Sir George Grey, who came here on September 26th., 1861. Sir George played a very important part in New Zealand history, and New Zealand owes him a debt of gratitude for winning and holding the respeet a”- 1 affection of the Maori people and for cementing relations between the brown and white races in this land which stand as a patters of excellence for all the world.

Viscount Jeluicoe oomes to us with a less strenuous mission, so far as our internal affairs are concerned, hut he has been no idler upon life’s stage, and if he had chosen to rest upon his laurels in England instead of accepting administrative duties in one of the outposts of Empire he could still claim that he had given better service to his country than most men can boast. ,It has been stated and it may be the fact, that it is tlie increasing naval importance of the Pacific +l">t has dictated the choice of Lord Jellieoe for residence in these Antipodean islands. Whether that be true or not, New Zealanders who lay safely abed at night throughout five years of world war because the British Navy held the seas will be more comfortable in their minds now that the erstwhile ruler of that Navy has made his home in our midst and can keep an eye on what promises to lie the new storm-centre of world politics. New Zealand would welcome Lord Jellieoe with great heartiness in any circumstances because his coming reflects great honour on this country.

The dairy industry in this country is coming in for a great deal of attention just now, and it may not be without interest to set down some of the salient points in its history £n recent years. Commence with 1911, because this is the latest pre-war year concerning which complete official statistics are , available, a Canterbury caper says, in that year the numbers of daily cows and heifers was given as 804,078, and the combined exports of butter and cheese amounted to 741,561 cwt. valued at £2.778,748. The year 1914 brought with it a greatly increased production and a much large return the combined butter and cheese for export being 1,297,843 cwt., valued at £4,515,632. In 1915 there was a slight falling off i : n production and the exported output being 1,237,402 cwt. valued at £4,614 371, In 1916. after a lapse of five years, the livestock census was again taken and disclosed that the number of dairy cows ; and heifers had fallen to 750,323. De- i spite the smaller herds, the export output was nearly double in quantity and more than double in the value of thi in 1911, the exports amounting to 1,308,084 cwt. valued at £6,161 603. \

The subsequent history of the industry is one of the steadily increasing herds and, save in 1917, of a sucocessively larger export output, while values have risen phenomenally. In 1917, when the dairy cows and heifers were numbered

at 777,112, the combined export of butter and cheese amounted to 1,140 148 cwt., valued at £5,980,802. In 1918 will 793,215 cows and heifers, the export was 1,314,468 cwt., valued at £7489,501, and in 1919, with 826,135 cows and heifers, the export was 1,551,902 cwt., valued at £9,094,327. For the year ending June 30th., '1920, the number of cows and heifers is approximately 882,850, and the export was 1,G34,692cwt. valued at £9,187,323. Between 1911 and 1920 the number of cows .and heifers has increased by 9.8 per' cent, the volume of butter and cheese production for export by 120.5 per cent and the value of the produce exported by 230.7 per cent. In the same period, accepting the estimate of the Dairy Division’s expert, the value of the dairy herds of the Dominion has risen from £3,635,000 to £17,657 080.

Presumably the loan bill introduced into Parliament this week, is but a modest portion of the Government’s borrowing proposals for the year. According tx> the Financial Statement delivered by Mr Massey some little time back, nearly twenty five millions would •be required to meet the Treasury demands to a period ending next June. Over ten millions of that sum was for renewals of loans falling due, so that nearly fifteen millions of new money at least would he required. In the loan schedule in the Financial Statement, five millions were ear-mark-ed for the discharged soldiers settlement account, but the bill introduced this week provides for six millions, so that the Government is making greater provision than was at first intended. Mr Massey was able to make a cheerful statement as regards subsequent borrowing in that it might be possible to get through the financial year ending March next without going on the monev market for a large sum. This however but postpones the inevitable as • ommitments are ahead which will have to met in due course. The Public Works (Fund will need replenishing—though at present the Minister points out the Goj vernment is not short of funds. He talks of a public works loan of two millions and a half, yet three millions were scheduled in the Financial Statement. A large sum will be required for hydro-electric development, and perhaps it is realised that with the shortage of labor and material it will not he possible to spend the money in the time, so' that a reduced rate of pos 7 sihle expenditure will curtail the dimensions of the loan. It has to be I borne in mind also that several borj rowing authorisations from last year I are still unexhausted', which affords the Government more freedom than appears on the surface. Mr Massey stated that the renewal money required before the end of the year was in sight, which is so far satisfactory. All I the same a definite policy as effecting the reduction of borrowing would be more acceptable to the people. The national debt has mounted up by leaps , and bound of late, and the interest . payments absorb a. tremendous am- . ount of income each year, A saving j in that direction would he an economic ; advantage, and a recasting of the fin- ' ancial policy of the country is one of the greatest needs of the times.

The Government has elected, despite Sir F. D. Bell’s definite statement to

the Legislative Council, to defer the ' coming into operation of the principle of an elective Upper House to a more convenient season. This is not in accord with the past legislation, the promises of the Government, nor the demands of full democratic rights to the people. The Legislative Council is no- • minally in existence as a revising Chamber, but the methods of the appointment of members has been in the hands of the Government who could pack the Council as it wished to pass the legislation promoted. This discounts the revising qualities of the body, which, becomes merely an instrument in the hands of the Government of the day to work its will. The reform 0 f the Legislative Coucil has been for long in the air, and Mr Massey took a plunge in pre war days to concede a. measure of reform. He has been repenting at leisure ever since, and lately invited a discussion in the Upper House, where his nominees reign supreme, to kill the project. If the Council is to reflect the views of the people as a whole it should be crated by some form of election. The Government in these three party days does not in itself reflect the views of tho majority of the people, amd so there is all the more reason why the elective principle should be applied to the Council and thus secure a democratic representation. Mr Massey set out in right lines in his 1914 legislation, but, lacked the courage to go through with the proposal. There was much discussion as to the method of election, but, for a revising chamber the suggestion of a proportional representation scheme lias much to commend it, and it was yeally only in regard to the details of the question that difficulties arose. Perhaps a year’s delay at this juncture will not be a serious inconvenience, seeing that the general election is some way off, but out of regard to tho needs of the occasion, and the promises made, the act and its enforcement- should he determined upon finally next session of Parliament.

Thu ultimatum of the Prime Minister to the State coal miners with regard to the resumption of work was the most important internal event of the Dominion this wek. For far too long the Government elected to take the lino of least resistance, and put up with the vagaries of the miners who worked when and how they liked. Certalinly Mr Massey gave out several warnings, but they were like President Wilson’s notable notes at one period of the war, they were looked upon as so much win-dow-dressing. However, this week, the Government awoke to the true position and a sense of its responsibilities to the people as a whole. The State miners were established to benefit the people, who were called upon to finance the undertaking as a means to secure a cheaper commodity for local consumption. The mines have been well found, and as time went by the Government has dealt favourably with the various con-

cessions the miners asked for. But among the miners have been introduced what is described as a section with very extreme views. These have been a leaven with ill-effect, and a degree of discontent has resulted which has operated adversely in the interests of those most directly concerned. The Stato

owned and controlled mines suggested an ideal of nationalisation which ef- ‘ fectively controlled should have worked wonders for the benefit of the country, i The lenders of labor have thought it 1 well to jeopardise the national aim, by I producing a condition of insecurity, not ] to say direct loss—which the public as j 1 a whole nro bearing. This position of ' affairs has put back the clock of progress as regards nationalisation. Not that the principle of nationalisation is any less sound, hut like all other principles in life, it must he practiced itrue to the tenets of the founders, and not do liberately voided by those who are irresponsible, and will take no thought of the rights of the many as against the claims of the few. No experience with regard to the State mine will postpone n policy of nationalisation in this coun- ' try indefinitely, and yet those who would benefit most by State ownership are the very ones to discount the prin--1 ciple and create a hostile atmosphere 1 with the public.

The Bay of Plenty seat has gone to the Government. Mr Williams was beaten by nearly 900 votes at the general election. This week although only increasing his total polling by 376, he defeated his opponent by 652 votes. 'Hie Liberal candidate went back. in public favor by over eleven hundred votes, which in view <•" Williams’ slight increase in polling suggests that the Liberal choice had not the personal qualities of the late Mr MacDonald. On the figures the result of the contest is a decided win for the Reform party, and although there may be circumstances to qualify the advantage gained, the bare fact cannot be ignored. Mr Massey wins the support of a. district which has long been with the Liberal strength, though the support is not really required for the life of the Ministry. Tlie contest goes to show th the party in power has a very strong hold on the agricultural and pastoral districts, and in Mr Williams “the man on the land” has another representative. The farmers are wedding already a great power in the Ministry, and it is not for the good of the country as whole that that power should be increased. At the same time, the voice of the people must be accepted.