Mr Wilford Returns

Hokitika Guardian, 19 August 1921, Page 3

Mr Wilford Returns

IMPRESSIONS OF UNITED STATES. WELLINGTON, Aug. It! -MrT. M. Wilford, M.P., interviewed to-day on his arrival in Wellington from San Francisco, said that that city, with the rest of America, was feeling flic world conditions of financial stringency and sulFcring from the high cost of production and the loss of customers. Mr Mellon, the new Secretary of the Treasury, stated that during the year ended .June 30, America lust 3,000,()()(),000 dollars of export trade. This Mr Hoover ascribed to the bankrupt state of Europe and the impossibility of trading at the present exchange rate. Mr Mellon also stated that out of every dollar of taxation only seven cents were available for administration purposes after paying annual liabilities, and lie warned the people that unless, all departments decreased their expenditure taxation would be greater still. Owing to wage increases high railway rates had thrown many thousands of waggons and passenger cars idle. The citrus iiidustiy <;f California was completely knocked out. Seventv-eigbt ships in San Francisco harbour were idle, ami 1390 were lying up in all American ports. Interest rates wore away tip, 8 per cent nn ordinary city bonds. The Japanese question looms very large in the United States to-day, but at the same time the Disarmament Conference meets with general favour. Il is estimated that there are two million to three million unemployed in America. General Booth states that the outlook in the coming winter is the worst on record. As a result the employees in some industries have readily accepted cuts in wages of 15 to 2(1 per cent. Asked for bis opinion regarding prohibition, Mr Wilford said that it was too soon to judge whether it was effective, but from wli.at bo bad seen lie had come to three conclusions. One was that the rwal effect of prohibition will not be seen until private stores of liquor are used up. Tho second was that saloons and spirits bad gone for all time, and the third that light wines and light bed’s will eventually be permitted. One curious effect was that “dry” cases, of which 4000 were awaiting trial at Sail Francisco alone, were blocking judicial business. America had not <no ugh judges to cope with the work.