TELEGRAMS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1922, Page 1

TELEGRAMS

KY rPI.KOIUI’II— PICK PUKSS ASSOCIATION" | INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, Feb. 22. Tlie annual conference of the Industrial Corporation of New Zealand opened this morning. Mr C. J. Ward (president) occupied the chair. Thu Hon. E. I\ Lee (Minister of Industries and Commerce) addressed the conference. He said that the Dominion’s interests were far more extensive

I than the general public realised and the very best care was taken to produce a J high-class manufactured commodity. He J went on to say he would like to see such an exhibition in AVellington. It I was well-timed because of the introducion of the tariff, and it provided I ample testimony of the variety of goods I produced in the Dominion. The exhibition was a wise step in that It showI ed to Parliament the necessity of looking after the Dominion’s industries. He would like to see further such exhihii tions, which would always ho supported Iby the Board of Trade. Speaking of I the coming visit of the Minister of CnsI toms and Controller to Australia, the I Hon Air Lee thought that satisfactory I results would have to he approved by I Parliament. I The Board of Trade would ever be I anxious to help forward the indnsI tries of New Zealand, although owing I to the financial stringency it might not I be possible to give bounties or anything of that sort. DAIRY FARMERS. WELLINGTON, February 20. Dairy farmers in the Waikato and Taranaki districts have been asking for relief from some part of the heavy financial burdens that they assumed in the years of high prices and abounding ; prosperity. Tlheir difficulties were ; mentioned in. Parliament many times dining the recent session, and the Prime Minister was asked to establish a tribunal before which mortgagors and mortgagees could appear. Mr Massey made it clear at the time that lie

could not interfere arbitrarily with private contracts, but ho undertook to consider the appointment of a commission to examine the situation. It has now been Announced that Mr F. W. Flanaghan, the ValuerGeneral, has been appointed a commissioner to make the inquiry. His

order of reference is now being repared. Air Flanaghan visited the Wai kato district recently at the request ol the Prime Minister to see what could be done for the distressed mortgagees, and he reported on his return that ho had been able to adjust gome individual cases whore tlie mortgagees were prepared to make some concessions in consideration of tlie reduced prices of produce and the consequent reduced

value of the land. Sinco then the Government has made provision for exempting a mortgagee from gift-duty on any amount that he may write off his mortgage as a concession to the mortgagor. The business of the commissioner will be to make full inquiry into tho situation and prepare n report for tho Government.

The farmers who are in trouble now are men who bought their land in recent years at boom prices, and they nre not covered by the ordinary moratorium law. They would not he helped very much by ari extension of the moratorium. Their need is a reduction of capital values and interest charges to meet the conditions of to-day. T l * Government would not reduce mortgages compulsorily even if it had the power, since that would amount to confiscation of a- part of the mortgagee’s capital, but it may provide machinery, on the recommendation of the commissioner, for bringing the parties together. CHARGE OF BLASPHEMOUS LIBEL. WELLINGTON, February 22 The charge of publishing blasphe-

mous libel, made against John Glover manager of the “Maoriland Worker” was considered hv Mr Justice Husking and a jury at the Supreme Court this afternoon. Mr Macassey conducted the case for the Crown and Sir John Findlay with him. Mr Berry appeared for accused. Both sides were reinforced with a large number of legal volumes Blasphemous libel was claimed to be contained in the last three lines of a poem entitled “Stand To. Good Friday Morn,” published in October by the- ‘‘Maoriland Worker”. The lines read:

‘‘o Jesus, send'me a wound to-day, And I’ll believe in Your Bread and Wine; And get my bloody old- sins washed white.” Mr Macassev said the whole question for the jury was whether these words had expressed in good faith and in decent language., .any opinion what ever upon religious subjects and what was tile, oMoult ted effect of the use of tho words. After a legal argument the jury returned a verdict of “not guilty.”