WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1922, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

POST AND TELEGRAPH BALLOT.

NO FRESH DEVELOPMENTS. SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN. WELLINGTON, April 12. At the time of writing there are no f:esli developments in connection with the decision of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association to affiliate with x the Alliance of Labour. Both. the parties to the controversy—if it caii be called a controversy at this stage—are keeping their own counsel. The Minister is awaiting a reply to his letter Expressing disapproval of the proposed alliance and indicating the penalty for its consummation, while the leaders of the Association are conferring as to their next step with some distrust of public opinion arid with no great confidence in the stability of its majority. I Naturally the Postmaster-General is being twitted with inconsistency in first ha\ing urged every member, of the-As-sociation to vote and then, with the weight of numbers against them, having refused to accept the verdict of the tribunal to which he had appealed. Mr M. J. Jack describes him as an “accessary before the fact.” But this, of course, is stretching the meaning of words to make a point. Perhaps Mr Coates was unwise in countenancing the ballot at all, but such an indiscretion would not deprive him of any right he may have now to intervene. LABOUR AND LABOUR. The fact that Mr D. R. Pritchard, the Labour candidate who opposed Mr T. M, Wilford at the general election three years ago, again has been chosen by the Labour Representation Committee to contest the Hutt seat against the leader of the new Liberal-Labour Party should finally dispose of the story of an “understanding” between the Liberals and the extreme Labourites. Mr Wilford and Mr Statham, who appear for the momerit, at aily fate to be joint leaders of the new party alliance, are not seeking to detach unrepentant followers from Mr'Holland and Mr Fraser. They are expecting, however, to have the support of a large body of Moderate Labour voters, who in 1919 threw in their lot with the Social-Democrat leaders, and of numbers of small farmers who three years ago thought the road to salvation lay by way of Reform. The prediction tif the old hands is that the polling next December will result in tie return of a substantially increased number of Independents, men at liberty to sit on one side of the House or the other without rendering blind allegiance

lo anv leader. | THE WHEAT G UARANTEES. j The Minister of Agriculture at last j has officially announced that there will j ho no Government guarantee of a minij mum price for next season’s wheat crop. ■ it was indicated iii these columns a ! month or more ago that the Minister | had made up his lriind on the subject, and just why the announcement haS

been delayed so long there is no need to | inquire. But the wheat growers of j 1 anterbury have been persistent in I their demand for an extension of the* j guarantee and Mr Noswortliv, as their j representative in Parliament, may be i '.ardoned for giving very careful and del innate consideration to their reiterated appeal. As a matter of fact, however, the guarantee was out of the quos;T n after the import duty was raised st season to 2s per cental, a measure of protection, added to the other costs >f importation, which ensures the New Zealand producer from all the perils of

lumping. The producers’ objectioii tfl ;i;;s view is that the Government has authority to suspend the duty when the' i nice leaches a certain level; but they | know in their hearts that no Govern- | moot would exercise this power withi :ut very* close regard for their interests. | IMPROVING OUTLOOK, j The publication of the banking returns this morning has given a further i'impetus to the revived spirit of confi- . fence and enterprise that is gradually taking possession of the community. “A healthy change in the right direction is i Arvi! under several important headings in the quarterly bank returns,” says the “Dominion” this morning.” Coupled with current reports of a slightly better tone in the land market and an increasing feeling of confidence that prices are approaching a period or stability. the returns hold out a promise that the worst has been passed. Re....vcry will necessarily be slow, and the u liter yet has to be faced, but there is justification in anticipating that unless ..•ome unexpected change for the worse occurs, spring will find conditions noticeably on the mend again:” This front a recognised authority on trade and finance and one that has not always been over eager to look on the bright side,of . things, is distinctly encouraging.