WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1921, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

GKR.AfAX REPARATION. NEW ZEALAND’S FIRST INST ALAI ENT. i (Our Sp-cial Correspondent). j WELLINGTON, Oct. 3. j The half million oi German repara- 1 tion money Mr Massey has in hi:: pocket, figuratively speaking, as lie says, will be a very welcome addition to the Government’s slender resources, it may not go very far towards satisfying tbe. demands that are being made i upon tiie Treasury just now, but as an earnest of Germany's intention to dis-1 charge her obligations to tbe nations she so wantonly involved in war it is entirely acceptable. If, as the Prime .Minister thinks possible, n million and a bail'should be received annually It on, tbe same source during the next tliirty:even years, the Dominion’s finance will be very materially assisted. Hut it is to be hoped that this iiitidl'all and the prospect of more will not lead the Government to st.ty its hand in eil’i tin- the economies it lias lor,•shadow si. Tbe half million will be absorbed 111 a week and the fttrli.ei pa;, meals may never eventuate. Tbe report of I lie departmental economy committee is expected to make its appearance very shortly alter Mr Massey takes Ids place in Ibe House and if it does not point to savings substantially larger than the German repara lions there will lie general disappointment. THE A DDR I.CS.S- IN-REPLY.

The debate on the A Id ess-in-R .ibis proving ourioii'-ly dull and uninieresiing considering the number and im-p-rtance of tbe questions that are awaiting discussion. On Friday night it looked like fizzling ’ out altogether alter Mr David Jones and Di Thacker bad spoken, and probably would have done so bad not Mi A. D. Mel.cod been put up to move tile adjournment. Tlie truth is that in the absence ol the Prime Minister the House lacks even the pretence of animation. While Mt .Masters was delivering bis startling indictment the ‘•Yemeni eoiupmiic?** and the Hoard of Trade on Thursday afternoon ball tbe seats in tbe t liaitiber were empty and not a score 1 members were' really taking notice. Some life is sure to he imparted to the proceedings, however, when Mr Massey arrives. The four Oppositions, though small in numbers, are not lacking in debating ability and it may be assumed have"been withholding their lire for a more worthy occasion. Tin' other side of tile House is quiet because it serves its pttt|iose to mark time till its leader takes bis place. In the eitetimstanees the opening of the session very well might have been delayed till this week. RACING COMMISSION.

Presumably the communication from Sir George CiiH'ont, the president of the Racing ('oiilerem e. to r, liieli Mr Vigor' Hrnwn, M 11.,l 1 ., the president of the Napier Park Racing Club, lias made such a vigorous retort, is a circular letter that lias been addressed to till the racing clubs. It' this is so and if Mr Rnmil’s is tbe only dissentient voice to Sir George’s approval of the Racing Commission’s report, then the pin-poets of the endorsement o! that d, ,1 11 ment by Parliament must h- very bright indeed. Ihtt Mi Bmwn claims to have not only the support nt a. number of other clubs than bis own in bis opposition to the report, but also the sympathy of a majority of the members of the House. The member for Napier lias been lobbying very vigorously since tbe opening of the session, appealing to both the friends and the ,ip|>ononts of racing, and it is quite likely bis picas for tbe preservation of the old 4-lti!»s ami t<» 1 fiiiitinu in tlie estaMislini(,nt ol iii,*\v ones havo inlliu‘iir<‘<l soiiii> of tlu* diiMnhors. Hut sit iar as Parliament is concerned llie whole mat ter'rests with Mr Massey and there is a growing feeling that the Prime Minister will lie on the side ol the teporl. THE CEMENT CHARGES.

Mr Masters, the member for Ktratlord. remains quite confident that all the allegations be 11111, le in regard to the operations of the cement companies can l„. substantiated, lie claims, indeed. that lie already lias substantiated them hv the production of documentary evidence, lie is not, however, concerning himself so much about the companies as lie is about the Hoard ol Trade and the Government. Wliat happened, be maintains, could not have occurred bad the Board ul Trade exercised any reasonable vigilante or if Ihe Minister of Industries and Commerce, will) is supposed to be supervising the Hoard, bad kept bis eyes open. Tlie Hon E. P. Lee. on bis part, lias expressed Lis readiness to appoint a tribunal to inquire into Mr Masters allegation- and to give the member every possible facility for presenting ids case. It is possible Mr Massey nun be able In throw some light upon the matter, but bis colleagues seem to know very little about it and theie is a general feeling here that the Hoard of Tmde bits laid very inurli of a free band during the last year or so.