WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 June 1922, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE IMPENDING PARTY BATTLE. EXPLORING THE GROUND. special to Guardian. WELLINGTON, June 5. While the Prime Minister has been in the South reciting the achievements of the Government, and expounding, more or less definitely, tile policy of the Reform Party, Mr T. M. Wilford has

been in the North exploring an important. part of the ground over which the party battle will be raging a few months hence. The leader of the Progressive Liberal and Labour Party appears to lie verv well satisfied with what lie saw arid heard during Iris tour, but so far he lias given little indication of his plan nf campaign. He smiles broadly when lie is asked if lie has anything to say about Mr Massey’s Suggestion that the Liberal-Labour Party is coquetting with extreme Labour and suggests, in turn, that the Prime Minister has very good reason to he concerned about the attitude of -Mr Holland and his friends. Without their assistance at the polls, lie says, Reform would have a very bad time indeed. INDEPENDENCE.

Sir Andrew Russell's brand of independence. which gives a tentative pledge of support to the present Government, seems to lie growing in popularity with both the intending candidates for Parliament and soriousminded electors. Neither of the older parties, of course, like it. The Reformers with the difficult times before them want a supporter’s voice, or, at any rate, his approval, as well as his vote, while the Liberals object to the intrusion of candidates whose iridepend-. cnee is qualified by the pledge of a vote. Extreme Labour rejoices' at the prospect of further divisions in the ranks ol the Liberal-Labour Party and sneers at the Reformer who makes professions of imh’jK'ntlence. At the same time there call he no doubt that “independence” both in criticism and in voting, expresses the frame of mind of a great body of electors that just now are inclined to pronounce a plague upon all the parties. THE TAXATION COMMITTEE.

The Taxation Committee set up by the Government, at the instigation of a number of interested parties, to report upon the Dominion’s system of taxation, is concluding the first part of its labours to-dav. It, has taken a very large amount of evidence and has subjected some of the witnesses to very dose cross examination, but it is doubtful if it lias elicited many facts that were really new to any of its members. The members will non turn to the consideration of the evidence and then tackle the preparation of their report. Or it may bo reports, for there is an impression abroad that they will not •speak with one voice in regard to the im thuds of collecting revenue. The readjustment of the application of’ the income cstx to companies is expected to he the chief cause of contention among thern, but there are other questions on which thev will not. FATE OF ITS REPORT. j

I There is a good deal of speculation here as to what will he the fate, of the j committee's report. Mr Massey has ( announced definitely that with a big I drop in the amount obtained from the j i income tax he can make no concession : that would still further lessen his rc- ' venue. But witnesses have appeared before the committee who have been quite undismayed by ibis statement and shown, at least to their own satisfaction, that the removal of anomalies' and the readjustment of incidence so j far from lessening the Minister's re- j venue would add materially to its vol- j lime. The Committee scorns to be very nicely balanced between rural and ur- ! bail interests, an achievement oil which : Mi Massey lias received many 'con-j gratulations, hut as these interests are much more conflicting nowadays than they appeared to he a few years ago, it is hoped there are many points on which tho members will >he in agreeincut. I