WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1921, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

RABBITS

THE MINISTER’S CONCLUSIONS

(Our Special Correspondent)

WELLINGTON July, 20

The Minister of Agriculture has returned from his inspection ol the rabbit infested districts in the South Island duly impressed by the gravity of the pest and fully determined to employ every reasonable means within his power to bring about its extinction. He thinks the law compelling magistrates to record convictions on the certificate of an inspector, whatever the character of the rebutting evidence may lie, capable of operating harshly, but at the same time lie realises that some measure of tbe kind is required to pro-, tort the interests of the country and the interests of the settlers wlm are doing their liest to get rid of the pest, from the apathy and neglect of landholders who are making no serious; eii'ort to clear their country. Mr Nos-' worthy intends to introduce amending legislation during the approaching session, hut he does not wish the settlers immediately concerned to imagine that he is going to ask Parliament to relieve them of any of their responsibilities or to make the wav of the rabbit-farmer

easy. WAGES AND PRICES. The Minister of Public Works, like other members of the Cabinet, is having some of the rudimentary laws ol economies pressed upon his attention with increasing force. The other day the Auckland iron-masters and their men protested very strongly against t.ho action of the Public Works Department in deleting from contracts for steel girders the clause requiring that the girders should lie manufactured in New Zealand. They pleaded the prevalence of unemployment and urged that this work should not go out of the Dominion. Mr Coates promised to consider their representations and now has done so, with the result that lie has come to the conclusion that in those times of stress the policy of preference to local manufactures must not be carried to an exiieme. ‘lf money were spent unnecessarily hi the purchase ol material,” he puts it to the iron masters and their employees, "there would be so much less money available for the payment of wages.” This contention, m course, is logical enough, but, it is so widoly at variance with some of the'practices ot the Department that the Auckland people may not he entirely convinced.

NEW ZEALAND’S INTERNATIONA!

STANDING. Both Mr Massey and Sir Kaueis Bell seem lo be a little confused as to the international standing of New Zealand, or, perhaps one should say. as to the standing tiie Dominion should •eciipy among the nations. Their friend 'the "Dominion” newspaper, takes them to task this morning over their inconsistence on the subject, "h is time,” it says, “the Government ol New Zealand made up its mjnd where it desires to stand internationally. Recently Sii IT am is Bell explained that it was not intended to carry on correspondence direct with the United Stales Government ovei the treatment of Messrs Armour and Company in New Zealand. To-day we find Mr Massey apparently regretting the absence of an invitation to New Zealand from the United States to take part in the disarmament and Pacific Conference. On the Armour question we disclaim international standing. . . . and on the Pacific Conference we appear pained at not receiving an invitation as a quasi-independent. Stale.” As the "Dominion” comments on its own account New Zealand cannot have it both ways, and as everyone must see in these days of readjustment it is desirable this country should indicate iu which direction its wishes lie.

UNEMPLOYMENT, ft is suggested locally that the cablegrain dispatched by the ( Inistelmreli City Council to the Prime Minister calling his attention to the difficulty oi finding employment in the southern city and urging the undesirability of encouraging immigration. at tbe present time is mainly a demonstration hv the Labour and Independent members ol the Council to celebrate their success al the recent by-election. Independent Labour appears to be in the ascendant everywhere just now ami it is natural it should wish Mr Massey to he aware of the fact. But the officers of the Labour Department, while admitting the amount of unemployment is considerably greater than it was at. this time last year, deny that it is threatening to bring about a serious crisis. So far the Government’s relief efforts have worked snfoothiy and “‘>‘»d loSlllts ’ aml is hoped that ill another month or two there will be a marked revival in the private demand for labour. This has been the experience in previous years and it must he the experience again, unless all productive effort is to cease, which is simply unthinkable.