WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 April 1921, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

BUTTER

A TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENT

(Our Special Correspondent;

WELLINGTON, April 4

Housewives who have been perturbed during the last week or two by the prospect of the retail price of butter soaring to 2s Gd or 2s 7d or even to 2s 9d per pound are relieved this morning by the official announcement that at present the price will remain at Is Hid per lb at the factory door and 2s 3d per lb over the counter for cash. But they had expected a reduction in the price after the expiration of the contract with the Imperial Government at the end of last month and they still refuse to see why the “London parity ’ 'which operated against them at the | beginning of the season should not operate in their favour now when uoi cording to the same standard the local ! price should be about Is 10(1 or Is 11(1 ! per lb. Mr Massey himself evidently I recognises the logic of tnc consumeis | representatives and it is generally exI peeted that the outcome of the negotiations between the Government and proi ducers will leave the old price undis- ' tnrbed without a continuance of the subsidy. ! THE COAL DISPUTE.

There is general satisfaction here at i the prospect of an early, meeting of • the representtives of the Coal Mine Owners’ Association and of the Miners’ 1 Federation to discuss the various ques- ! tions that have been in dispute between the parties (luring the last four or five months. The position tho own- ! ers had taken up that they would not i meet the men till tho latter had with--1 drawn some of their more extreme do- : mauds was quite untenable in the light jof public opinion. It really was prejuduring a good ease. But this does not 1 mean that the public is yet ready for

a six-hour (lav, a five day week and the other revolutionary conditions included in the men’s proposals At the present time, however, the public wants industrial pence probably more ardently than it ever lias wanted it before, and the first, step towards this in the mining industry must be a heart-to-heart talk between the employers and the employees. DEPARTMEMAL BLI’NDEBS.

Mr G. Mitchell, the very live member for Wellington South, lias launched an indictment of land aggregation

against the responsible authorities and lias been met by the assertion that tile statistics he lias quoted from official publications are all wrong. This is not ai: answer .Mr Mitchell is disposed to

accept without further inquiry and lie is finding unexpected allies in bis insistence. “An inspection of the figures in these tables, eertainh shows much that needs explanation, the “Dominion’' says this morning. “In numbers of comities one discovers that, irrespective altogether of aggregation or subdivision. the total area in occupation in the country has decreased by some strangea means." J In- .Ministera ol Lands is called upon to supply the facts so as to allay the concern that has been created by the blunders of bis own department. FINANCE AND PROHIBITION. There lias been a good deal oi casual discussion lately as to how the financial stringency, which scarcely can have disapapeared before the next licensing poll, is going to a fleet the prohibition movement. The Moderates profess to believe that “hard times” are bound to operate in their lavour, since the great army of voters who do not leel stiongK on the question In ordinary circumstances will not care to risk any costly experiments while the finances of the State and of the individual are sorely strained. A big figure in the Prohibition movement seen to-day, however de dared that lie was expecting an exactly opposite effect lrom the hard times. People would realise as they never had done before -that the hotel bar was one of the greatest obstacles to national and private recuperation and would insist in larger numbers than ever upon its abolition. And there apparently tlie two parties must be left iu the enjoyment of their respective opinions. A year lienee everyone will he able to speak with authority.