The Hokitika Guardian SATURDAY, MAY 6th. 1922. THE WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 May 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian SATURDAY, MAY 6th. 1922. THE WEEK.

Thk fate of Europe and the world at large is so much wrapped up in the outcome of the Genoa Conference, that all uyes are turned in that direction, and the daily news dealing with the' intricate course of events is scanned with interest and concern. Genoa gave great promise at the outset. It is to be re gretted that the Conference was not held when first intended, as the extension r>f time gave wider opportunity for international intrigue. When the assembly met, Fiance which had never been too friendly to the conclave of Powers, caused trouble. This set the international cross currents in How. and difficulty upon difficulty has been revealed. * Mr Lloyd George lias expounded the ultimate situation if tin: earnest endeavour on the part of Britain to create a peace pact fails. There will he a regrouping of nationals in Europe, and war will break out wherfe the Powers have the means. Might will bh enthroned again; and all the great sacrifice which lias been made in the Great War will count as naught. It is not a pleasant picture nor does the outlook rebound to the credit of the parties creating so much friction. France, by her actions, is certainly straining the ■Entente feeling., with Great Britain. If France had ranged with Britain at the outset, as Britain ranged with Franco in the Great War, what a very different aspect would have been presented now! The fate of empires is at stake, caused primarily by the distrust between the nations. Despite the offers and the opportunities for a peace pact, the malcontents still prefer to distrust each other, and create a tension with may bring dire consequences in its train.

In the extreme c.isis new prevailing, it would appear th-t individual statesmen rather thtin iUtional governments nre the eftuse bf the disaster presenting itself. In the case of France, the Premier, who refused to attend the conference in person, pulls the strings from Paris, and his representnives have to do his bidding, even though in instances where they acknowledge the futility and the fatality of the action. Most countries »s in the case of Great Britain are represented by the Premier in person, and as the head of the ministry responsible primarily for its stability he may exercise bis authority freely. Mr Lloyd George has put up a manful fight, lie has worthily represented British ideas and wishes, am. any failure which might result cannot be laid at his or his country’s door. The broad fact of the position seems to be that much of the international jealousy springs from a desire for revenge against former enemies. Europe is very sick, and it is not a time to keep up the old feuds. The peace which was signed should have ended the strife hut unfortunately it is not so. There nre those who are looking for more than the pence treaty gave them and these are the elements causing the present trouble. It is a matter of comment that in the extremity llow existing ill Europe, the United States makes no move to intervene either directly or indirectly. Mr Lloyd George has called attention to the position in very plain terms, but as yet America moves not. If the Conference should tail disastrously and a fresh reign of war break out in Europe, the United States standing passively now must bear some portion of the blame for what may come to pass.

It would he difficult to forecast what may come to pass next in Ireland. Murder and brigandage are rife in many of the fairest cities. Public edifices and public property nre laid waste. The private wealth of the people is being stolen from the banks, and a veritable reign of terror rages. There is conflict, also, in Chinn, and by comparison it must be confessed that the Chinese' are better shots than the Irish, i The latter, however, are securing quite enough victims. If Ireland is to be saved from herself, civil action will require to be more drastic than it has been hitherto. Mr Griffith must needs adopt Cromwellian action if he is going to secure peace in his country and permit the people to elect a stable and authoritative government. It cannot he said that the impasse into which affairs in Ireland have drifted is caused by religious differences. However much sectarian strife pi ay be rife in certain parts of Ireland, there are many portions of the now thoroughly djstres ; ful Isle where religion does pot enter in the fejlfl Wlljfill lma bl’ntifsfl T 1 -1 j

clergy in any case are pleading for law and order and the facility to take advantage of the peace treaty for the selection of an Irish government. The clergy are pleading in vain, so that the struggle is far beyond the old dispute in regal'd to religion. As matters are drifting the task of quelling the rebel forces using such wide Heense throughout the country must get more difficult. The Free State fortes appear content to oust the rebels here and there, but it does riot appear the Free State provisional government is exercising its powers to enforce authority as it might. Surely, however, the disastrous trend of events must soon wear itself out, and a saner condition of affairs com© in as the first step to assure .the future of Ireland.

Sir John Salmond in an interview at Sydney this week made a poitlt t>f expressing. good faith in the designs of Japan, This should he a useful tonic for Australian consumption, because in most parts of the Commonwealth there is much distrust of the Japanese intentions. Sir John Salmond represented New Zealand very creditably at the Washington Conference and is only now returning somewhat leisurely to the Dominion. His espousal of the Japanese cause seems to be founded on sound premises. Japan treated the alliance with Great Britain very fairly. She stood to the pact at a time when had she been in search of national aggrandisement, she could have got her price from Germany. Japan was perfectly honest and open all through the Great War and her naval supremacy ih the Pacific did much to save the British possessions from serious dlsastef: The AiigltnJapaliese alliance has how gone, hut there is a stronger alliance resultant from the Washington Conference in that America is now allied in the common guardianship of the status quo in the Pacific. This compact is a good insurance for Australia and New Zealand saving them much anxiety as to the Immediate future, and avoiding the occasion for a large naval expenditure to prepare fol' possibilities which tttlielwise might arise. The Washington Conference was of direct advantage to New Zealand in the respect just refer, red to and for that eiiorriious gain smile, ’it was well that the Dominion was represented at the history-making conference. What helped W ashington to be the success it was, was the fact that tne parties assembled in a neutral country remote frotli the cause of conflict, and iii a lnore serene atmOspheie the delegates were in better mood to do business. If Genoa were less of a storm centre something better might promise in that quarter at the moment.

Tub British Budget has been delivered with becoming promptness. Practically w itinn a month of the close of the financial year, the financial position despite Llie lioiie figures involved, is revealed. This example might well he taken to heart by the New Zealand Treasury officials. The .Dominion figures much smaller in volume, are still unknown and the country’s balance sheet is not likely to lie known for some weeks yet—till the Financial Statement (the N.Z. Budget) is delivered to Parliament. At Home taxation is being reduced, the Government postponing debt reduction in order to make concessions to ensure a trade revival. U is realised that heavy taxation is not goon for trade, and the burden of the British taxation lias been enormous. High charges are invariably prohibitive and the same applies to taxation. Important concessions are to be made at Home to agricultural interests with tile object of increasing productivity- 'The duty on tea is to be reduced, and important reductions are to he made also in postal aiid telegraphic results. He.e again New Zealand might note the lead given at Home, fttid as wages are to come doiVii ill the Donlinffin inlmeui- ‘ ately, the GoVerriiueiit must ,bte prepared to do Its part also ill helping to reduce the cost of living, arid so minimise the effect of the loss in wages. The British budget proposals have passed through with hut little hostile discussion. There weie those who desired tlie reduction of the national debt before anything else, but it seems a mutter of opinion whether ns a result of the reduction in taxation the trade revival to follow will not be a more material aid to the debt reduction than any other artificial force. Meantime the Old Country presents a sound and not unhealthy balance sheet for interested inspection.

Taxation is going to be in the forefront of the political programme this coming session. For that reason great interest is centred in the committee of investigation appointed by the Government this week. Dealing with the gen. ernl principle involved in the action of the Government, the Lyttelton Times comments as follows: On the whole the committee which Mr Massey hag appointed to make some inquiries into the subject of taxation is not impressive from the viewpoint of personnel, while its order of reference and powers of investigation are not known to the public. What was wanted, what was usked for again and again by the commercial community, which feels the first effects of high taxation, at all events, most severely, was a Royal Commission to investigate the whole subject in a thorough manner. Such a commission would have the necessary powers for the task, the right to obtain competent evidence and to acquire a mass of information which we fancy will be out of the reach of Mr Massey’s committee. We should have liked to have seen some authorities on economics taking part in the investigation. As it is, a few busy men are asked to commune together, so far as we can understand it, and to make’ suggestions to the Government as the result of an exchange of views. If there is something more comprehensive in view we shall be pleased, but the subject is such a large and complex one that it would ho foolishly sanguine to expect from this committee the kind of report and recommendations which would have come from a Royal Commission given a proper order of reference and the time to devote to its work. However, in these days one should perhaps, be thankful for small mercies, and it certainly is not improbable that the committee will discover many defects in the present incidence of taxation. No inquiry worth the name could fail to do thjs, and if only some of the most glaring faults in the system are emphasised through the meetings nnd in* quirtes of this committee the kno>v= g? fbf $ fh?

may be enlarged. That often appears to us to be one of the most necessary precedents to an intelligent amendment of the existing forms of taxation.

During the week the Westland Acclimatisation Society had the past financial year’s accounts before the members and 'a summary of the Sotiiety’s position appears in this issue. ThO Society has done a lot of valuable Work; both in regard to acclimatisation and the promotion of tourist traffic in the district. The year just closed was hampered through the launch at Kanieri I*ake being out of action, owing to engine troubles. The Society, however, is taking steps to mend the position by securing ft new engine fts soon as possible so that in a month or so it is hoped that branch of the Society’s work will be reproductive again. The Society has lately installed & vßry capable efiretaket in W. Fogweli, sometime sculling champion of New, Zeai land. Mr Fogweli is an experienced boatman and is building some row boats for use on the Lake, which should be popular and useful to visitors spending a vacation at the accommodation house. The Society’s financial position is sound, the value of the asets being double that of the liabilities, but like all local authorities, no doubt the Society could do with more ready cash. There is no reason why the membership should not materially increased, and this will be more necessary now owing to the withdrawal of the Government subsidy which for the last few ye&rs helped the Society so much. The Society incurred a considerable liability in the interests of thfi district ih its verttufC to advertise thfi .beauties of Westiantj iii tHe handsome booklet, “Beautiful Westland.” The present value of these boo.es on hand, if turned into cash, would greatly relieve any present financial strain, but naturally in a limited community the sale of so large an issue cannot be quick. However with the good will of the community behind it, the Society may well continue its gratuitous work, and with the near approach of the through railway lt£ Mv ward will come quicker than perhaps is at the moment anticipated.