WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1921, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE BUDGET DEBATE. MR AVILFOBD’S NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION. SIMXTAI. TO GUAKDIAN. WELLINGTON, November 11. it is expected that Mr AYilford's dun-eon fidonet 1 ” motion will come to a division before the House rises to-mor-row night and, ol course, the result can be easily foretold. The leader of the Opposition made a very excellent speech when introducing his motion, one of the best he has delivered for a very long time, but he could have said all lie luid to say without making this futile attack upon the Government’s impregnable position, tme of the effects of the Liberal demonstration has been to restrain members of the Reform Party from assuming the role of candid friend towards the Government. A well-disciplined army does not d» that sort of tiling when in sight of tin- enemy. Blit enough lias been said and done in the House during the last week or two to satisfy any close observer that the rank anil file of tlie

domiiiiiiit party, with another general election in sight, are much less ready to efface themselves and their opinionthan they were when fresh from the eon stitiicncios. If was this tendency that made Mr Massey disinclined to press for the acceptance of the Racing C >mnijssion’s recommendations, and * hat will make him amendable to reason when tin- tariff proposals are under discussion. ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES. The Prime Minister was aide to announce in the House on Friday nitilii that tin- Boundaries Commission lad completed its labours in adjusting tb. lioiindai ies of tin- parliamentary electorates to the population revealed by the List census and that the maps and figures in connection with the work would lie made available as speedily as :>nssilde. Mr Massey was able to stale I forthwith that the Commission proceeding on the figures, had decided to extinguish the Bruce electorate and to constitute a new electorate in the Waikato districts. This means tnat the Sooth 1-land will lose one seat and the North Island gain one. a m-t gain lo the latter of two votes ill tile House. Tho change is less sweeping than that of sefven years ago. due. it is understood, partly to a smaller relative increase in the population of the North and partly to tin- largei margin given the commissioners i" applying the quota. Mr Kdie is accepting tlie extinction of bis 1 loci urate quite pliolosophically. hot some other Smith Island members whose honmln-rii-s have been very materially altered are not so unperturbed. SAYINGS. In tlm House ntt Friday. Mr C. It. Statham wanted to know why. il the Government was going to save the millions it bail promised, tin- Estimate: for the year on which the country had emliurkcd should be tl.BoD.ono more tltii 11 tin- Estimates for the preceding year. Mr Massey's reply was to tineffect that if |'a rliament 1 to the economies he had proposed t-ll' 1 Government, would not require the whole of the sixteen millions for which he was asking authority. “If 1 get the legislation through I require lor the economies I have in view;.” lie added, by way o|* emphasis, “then the whole of the til.'Boo.ooo will not he required, nor anything like it.” 'there are members on both sides ol the House not Lit isfied with this reply. The v point out that it would have beer quite easy to obtain the authority of tile House for all teasotiahle savings In-lore preparing the Fast iniaies and suggest that tin- tendency of voting the Government millions more than it requires will he to encourage extravagance and waste. To criticism of this kind. Air Massi-v replies that lie lias committed himself to the savings Inlias indicated and that the voting of the souls set mil in the Estimates is not going to alter Ills detei mination. His critics, however, still are protesting and doubtless more will h'- ln-ard of the matter when the Estimates , nine op for discussion.

PPRK KF.KDS. It hmks as if tin* weed infested North Island were not to receive much assistance from the Minister of Agricultuie in its attempts to clean its pastures and its crops. Mr AY. T. .Jennings, tin* member for Waitomo. during hi 5 recent visit to Kngland gnth*‘r**d a great- deal of useful information concerning the production and the di««itibution of see<ls. and in the House on Friday night In* offered to place this information at the disposal of the Am; culture and Stork Committee. Mr Xosworlhy was obliged for the oll’e \ hut said tln-re was a good d«’»l of dilI* • r *•*»<•» • of opinion on tlu* subject het ween the seed merchants and tin* farmers and until this was settled it was difficult for* him to proceed with legislation. It might not he possible to do anything this session, hut he would giv the matter lii> prompt attention. Meanwhile words are multiplving everywhere.