WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1921, Page 3

WELLINGTON NOTES.

IN A NEW ROL!

AS AN OPTIMIST

(Our Special Correspondent;

WELLINGTON, July 22

The 11 on W. Nosworthy appeared in a now role when speaking at the opening of the annual conference of the Council of Agriculture on Wednesday. Previously he had been known as the persistent pesimist of the Cabinet and indeed of Parliament. His lugubrious utterances in the House cover some of the gloomiest pages of the last thirty odd volumes of “Hansard.” But it. always has been suspected that behind his gloomy political vision lay stout heart and a philosophical mind. 11 >- confirmed this suspicion in undressing the Council of Agriculture, lie saw no cause for despondency in low pry-cs and high freights; he discerned a silver lining to tlit? ■•loud of depression, broad lunged and close at hand: lie believed that the prospects, before mutton and wool were brighter than Over, that rhe future of butter and cheese was assured and that wheat would continue a highly profitable crop. The Minister, in short, while preaching the gosjx*l ot hard work, In-Id out the inducement of adequate reward and so presented a side of the picture the itessimist would have overlooked in these difficult days.

BRUTAL CANDOUR. It was a little curious that the .Minister’s stimulating address should have been followed by the reading of a paper ol quite a different tone. The paper was prepared by Mr W. D. Hunt, one <J' tlu- Dominion’s leading commercial men. a confirmed optimist and a tinless worker in tin- public interests, whose business activities lie chiefly among the farming community. One might imagine that for the oikt he had ('hanged creeds with Mr Nosworthy. The substance of the paper already lias been fairly widely read, hut one sentence will hear repetition. “Can von point to any support that the Government has hud from the people of this country in any effort it has made for efficiency and economy.'" Mr Hunt asked his audience. “1 say we have inefficiency and waste on every hand and the worst of it is that, a great deal of this waste and inefficiency is not caused by want of thought and carelessness, but is deliberate and intentional.” There was no political bias, or at any rate no party intention, in Mrllum’s fervid appeal for efficiency ami economy but it naturally lias set people speculating as to the apportionment of the responsibility for the state ol affairs this tinthority deplored.

THE GOVERNMENT'S PART. It cannot he said that tin* Government lias been making no efforts during the last few months to firing the public expenditure within some reasonable relation to the public revenue. Special inspectors have been going through till the public departments looking Tor directions in which economies can be effected and lopping oil extravagances of every description. Whether or not the amounts they have saved run into any considerable sum remains to he seen, hut there is no reason to doubt the zeal or the conscientious effort of the officers employed upon this disagreeable work. But so far there is no indication of the efficiency of any of the departments having been increased. This lack of eliieiency is Mi Hunt’s chief complaint and as a business man he regards it as a much graver matter than an excessive issue of paper and ink or an extra office chair. But the critic does not confine his remarks to the public service. It is industrial efficiency he chiefly is urging and here lie appeals to the farmers and to every other section of the community to support the Government in getting the best possible results from it national effort.

NEW POLITICAL PARTY. There was a good deal of disappoint-! meul when it was discovered that neither the public nor the Press was to he admitted to the meeting of the Progressive Liberal and Moderate Labour Party held here last night. It was thought by many local people interested in its hi nil and its progress that the new party had got beyond the' it age of "admission by ticket” and that it at last would propound its policy in the lull light of publicity. As it is, these people have to content themselves with it report of tin' proceedings "supplied” to the newsappers, which, though fairly full and precise, is not so satisfying as would have been a seat among the jtudienee. However, a large section of the public still is inclined to look with <; kindly eye upon the new party and when Mr Statluim and his friends take the public Into their full confidence t'hey will not fin 1 tko'hscly.M without sympathisers ju this community,