WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1922, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS. WISE IN HIS GENERATION, SPECIAL TO GUAHDIAW. WELLINGTON, Afctf 17. The Hoii. J. G, Contes In the d*y* of nis ministerial yorith and. inexperience drafted a Highways Bill which was to solve the intricate problem of rial roads once and for all. But the county councils and the road board and the other local bodies interested the solution of the problem, some for one reason and some for another, did not like the Minister’s proposals and said so with more or less vehemence according to the measure of their dis. approval. In the face of this opposition Air Coates, wise in his generation, did not attempt to force his little Bill through Parliament. He had a better ~~ plan in mind, which he lias now divulged. He is going to call the representstives of all the local bodies concerned to a conference in Wellington and to ask them t* recommend a solution of ihe problem. That they will agree to any particular scheme seems, highly improbable, but in any ease they will relieve the Minister of an v need for immediate action.

FARMERS IN POLITICS. The “Dominion” is not pleased by the prospect of a “Country Party” appearing in the political arena, and it is urging the disgruntled farmers in the Auckland province to leave woll alone. It reminds them that the present Government is oxoeptional in the tangib.e proofs it has given of its devotion to the interests of the primary producer* — and that they already are as well represented in Parliament as they can Over hope to be. “Most farmers”) it says, by Way of Clinching its argument, “are perfectly well aware that they owe their advantageous position end their consistently sympathetic treatment by a strong. Government to the fact that they have been wise emough to pool their political interests vrith those of dther sections of the community which aim at maintaining stable gOvGfiL in cut arid forwarding a sound policy Of constructive development.” The allusion to pooling interests may be a little unfortunate in its possibilities of misconstruction, but that the farmers are very well cared for by the present Government ho Unbiased person can doubt for a simple moment. LIBERAL-LABOUR PARTY. - Though T. M. AVilford, the leader of t ie new Liberal-Labour Party, is reported to be making good progress with iis preparations for the approaching election campaign, no one outside his circle of persoiial friends Seems to kfiow i xactly what he is doing. Throe month* must have elapsed since Mr Wiffot’d promised a friendly gathering of elec, tors, the purpose of propounding the policy of the new party, but se far a g the great body ef progressive electors know the policy has not yet been even framed. It is admitted oh all hands that never since the death of Mr Seddon has the Liberal-Labour party had such another chalice of rehabilitating itself as it has at the present time,the guiding hand seems to be lacking v and the time for effective action is passing away. If Air Wilford really aspires to becoming the saviour of the party, he should be taking its scattered A forces into his confidence and *iaki*g serious preparations for the impending contest.

COST OF EDUCATION. Tne economists here are jtst a little .dunned by the statement made by the don. C. J. Parr at the opening*?>f the annual conference of the Educational Institute yesterday to the effect that ..,e success of the Dominion’s education

system “all depends upon finance.” Bebind tnis somewhat disquieting assertion is the fact that since 1914 the cost >:f education has increased from a million and a half to three and a half miL lion a year and thkt the results obtained from flic larger expenditure, in the opinion of competent observers-, are i materially better than those obtained from the smaller. Of course the economists agree with the Minister that so . long as the country really gets'value for its iiioney no expenditure upon education can be too large; but they point to t';e Minister’s own evidence of the three and a half millions not having produced any letter results than did the million and a half. Yet Mr Pkrr is promising a still large expenditure “as ■soon as financial conditions become easier.” •