WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 May 1922, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

W AIR AI \ A PAD E VI A TION. THE ONE THING NEEDFUL. SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN. WELLINGTON, April 28 With the approach of the last session of the present Parliament and with a general election looming in the not far distance, Wellington is reviving its agitation for a deviation of the Wellington Wairarapa railway to avoid the climb over the Rimutakas and to open up, as the agitators say, a largo area of rich agricultural*land. The “Evening Post” the traditional leader of the movement, is quite frank in its appeal for the application of political pressure to the Government. “With the election near and tlie loan still nearer, and with the third parliamentary session in prospect,” it pleaded last night, “we hope that the people of Wairarapa and Wellington will renew their energy and that another organised attack will ho made ujioii Ministers.” This hi the way Wellington always talks on the eve of a general election, but, to its credit, it docs not mean what it implies. It, attacks the Government of the day with deputations, but it does not east its votes according to Alinisters’ attitude towards its deviation aspirations. PUBLIC WORKS.

The successful flotation of Mr Massey’s five million loan lias led many other people than the advocates of the Wairarapa. deviation to imagine that abundance of money will be available for public works during the current financial year and that the present time is opportune for approaching the Government with applications for local expenditure. Dr Newman and Mr George .Mi:chell, two Wellington members of Parliament, who should know as much about the finances of the country as do the junior members oi the Cabinet, were talking to this effect at the meeting nf the Central Progress League the other day. But as a matter of fact the Government will have very little money indeed to devote-to new railway undertakings this year. There still are a number of gaps to span in lilies already under construction and it is tolerably safe to say the Minister will give first at'tuition to these and leave deviations to wait for a while. A vote for a survey of the route, a somewhat intangible liuon. is all the advocates of the Wairarapt deviation can reasonably expect from the expiring -Purlin roc.nt.

THE MEAT POOL. The official contradiction of the report from Wairoa that Mr Jessep was going Home to organise Me business of the Meat Producers’ Board in London has come as a relief to many people who are anxious for the success cf this great

co-operative experiment. Of course there is no question of Mr Ji-ssep’s zeal and good com mon-sense, blit bis business experience is limited to purely local affairs of much less consequence than the establishment of a great distributing department at tlv other end of the world. It is understood that the Government has in view two or three big figures in the meat trade at Home that may he suited for the work of organisation and developiin’iit. Presumably Mr Jessep’s task will he to colder with Hie High Commissioner in regard to the qualifications of these geutlen'“ii and to mr.be a recommendation to the Government on the subject. Meanwhile the Producers’ Board is going slow, making no committments that could embarrass the London manager or Imniuor its own arrangements. •IB gmeral policy still lias to Ik 1 discussed and it will be s one months vet before it cm he in active

operation. WELLINGTON’S TRADE

Wellington is now able to plume itself, with official and statistical snppoit, upon being the first port of Hie Dominion. Until the beginning of the present year ti e returns of exports from the various ports showed, not the actual shipments from each of them, but the amount of produce dispatched from certain districts surrounding Hie ports. The result of this arrangement was that large quantities nt produce shipped at Wellington were credited to the smaller ports along the West Const of this island, while Auckland, having a large producing district all to itself, obtained cre'it for products shipped from other ports. The returns for the quarter ended March 31 last give the correct figures all round and place Wellington in its proper position. Its figure for the quarter is £3,240,635, while Auckland’s is £2,0 7 8.0'9, Lyttelton’s £1,492,772 and Dunedin’s £663,717. Of Hie provincial ports Timaru £772,376. Napier £763.670, Invercargill £496,397, Gisborne £4 16,214, Wanganui £387,220, and New Plymouth £285,004, follow in order. Of course Wanganui and New Plymouth have contributed very largely towards Wellington’s exports.