WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1922, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE RAILWAYS

A NEW POLICY

SPECIAL TO GUAHDIAN. WELLINGTON, March JO Mr -Massey’s statement at Auckland that be hoped to announce in the near future a new railway policy has provoked much curiosity and speculation here.- The Acting Minister of Railways foreshadowed the impending change a week or two ago, but he gave no more indication of its nature than did the Prime Minister. One thing, however, is clear. Ministers have recognised that the policy of restricting services and raising charges has failed and that the only way to make the lines pay is to make them popular. HOw much Mr •Massey and his colleagues will dare in this direction remains to be seen, but people with the best opportunities to ascertain what is going on behind tire scenes incline to the view that a modified system of commissioner management, without the abrogation of minis; terial responsibility, will be instituted; A dozen years ago this would have been regarded as a retrograde step, but dining the interval none of the alternatives tried has proved sufficiently successful to definitely establish its superiority. The attempt to maintain the revenue by a policy of starvation has turned out the most disastrous policy oi all.

COQUETTING WITH LABOUR. Rather late in the day tie politicians and the public have come to realise that the ballot now being taken by the members of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association to determine whether or rot they shall affiliate with the Federation of Labotlr may bb fraught With very serious consequences to the community. To-day it is stated by observers in -‘ good position to know that theie is about a level chance of the proposal for affiliation being carried. This would mean, if the majority could make its will effective, that the Association would become a militant labour union an i that it would join hands with the Federation not only iti fighting its own battles,-but also in fighting tht battles | of any other affiliated body that might require its assistance agttinst the constituted authorities. The country might be treated to the spectacle of the letter carriers, the telegraphists and the mail sorters being called out to enfoice the demands of the waterside workers .for more pay and less work, or of the w bo of the post'and telegraph services being suspended in an effort to secutc -i four hours day for the miners. In some quarters there is a disposition to blame the Government for having allowed ibe business to get to the length of a I allot. but it is difficult to see what Ministers could have done to prevent the members of the Association expressing their opinion. It is obvious; lioweiei. that if a majority of the members should answer the question in the affirmative the Government would be in an extremely awkward pdsitioit. INCIDENCE OF TAXATION. The Prime Minister does not seem likely to lack for advice on the question of taxation. During the session l e w-is asked by the business men of Wellington to allow the Chambers of .Commerce to nominate experts to collier with the Commissioner of Taxes on the vanoivmeans of raising public revenue and he readily acceded to the request. The Chambers of Commerce after very fud consideration submitted the names H half a dozen gentlemen to Mr Massev ■his week and of these three will he selected to discuss the position with the Commissioner. Now, however, Mr Edvard Newman, the member for Rangiikei, is to the fore with a claim that ie has a promise from Mr Massey that the farming interests would lie represented at the Conference. Quite hkeh this claim will he followed hv demands for the representation df half a dozen other interests ; but i really every section of the community, including i.abour, would be very capably served by any three of the gentlemen already commended to tbe Minister and larger delegation probably would achieve less tangible results.

WHEAT GUARANTEE. The persistency of the Canterbury farmers in urging the Government' ’<> guarantee a minimum price for next season’s wheat crop makes it app.’.n that the Minister of Agriculture has not' yet made up his mind on this subject. But without placing too much reliance upon the statements of peopl' who profess to he in the confidence cf the Minister it is fairly plain from what he said himself in the House last session that the protection afforded by the import duty of 2s per cental is all the farmers can expect for the present. The Prime Minister, too, in his figures representing the economies he is effecting always lias included the saving of the wheat guarantee and it is incredible lie now would stultify'himself by continuing this payment.