WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1922, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

i CUSTOMS REVISION. ARRANGEMENT AVITH AUSTRALIA SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN. ! AVELLINGTON, Oct 9.

In the House of Representatives on Friday, Mr T. M. AVilford sought from tire Minister of Customs information concerning til’d effect of the reciprocal Customs Tariff with Australia upon the revenue of the Dominion. The Minister was unable to tell the leader of the Opposition off hattd how the revenue would he affected by the concessions made to the Commonwealth, but he was satisfied New Zealand industries were going to benefit hv the operation of the new tariff. A Christchurch firm that manufactured farm implements, he said by way of illustration, had been able to do a certain amount of business with Australia uwder the former tariff, which imposed a duty of 33 J per cent upon its goods, but under the new tariff it was being overwhelmed with orders, some of them coming hv table. The timber and fishing industries also had very materially benefited. Timber mills that had been closed down, on account of having no market for their second class timber had reopened with every prospect of doing good business and the long stagnant fishing industry was giving indications of revival. Mr AA r ilford got no answer to his question, hut the House obtained a high commendation of its work. STATE CONTROL.

Though the Minister in charge of the Tourist Department appears to have been somewhat reluctant to take the public into his confidence when leasing the Mount Cook Hermitage, Parliament, at any fate, seems well enough pleased with what he has done. According to Mr Nosworthy’s own statement the State has spent £40,000 upon the Herhlitage and lias been losing some £2OOO a year, exclusive of interest, iii running the establishment. Now it has been let for five years at £2OO a year with guarantees that it will be properly conducted and maintained iil good condition, The rent is only one half per cent on the capital invested, hut the loss of £2OOO a year will be shvod, and there is every reason to believe that the resort will he made much mote popular than it is at the present time. The fact is that State control link failed as signally at the Hermitage as it lias failed elsewhere when applied to undertakings in which private enterprise has shown itself so much more adaptable and effective. Even the advocates of the nationalisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange are not insisting in these days upon the application of their panacea to tourist resorts.' THE FINANCIAL BAROMETER.

The bank rctufns for the September quarter, published at the eiid of last week unfortunately simultaneously with, the less cheering liews froiii tlie Near East—were welcomed with much satisfaction in financial and business circles here. “The steadily improving economic- conditions of New Zealand,” says the “Dominion” in commenting upon the figures, “ are fully reflected in the banking returns for the Sent ember uuarler-. The country is slowly, but surely, recovering from the slump which struck New Zealand during the second half of 1920 and reached its worst towards the end of the first half of last year. Since then each quarter has shown an improvement in the banking figures, and it should, not now he verv long before the balance is restored.” The financial editor of the “F. veiling Post” prefaces an analytic review of the improved figures with a qualified, but no less frank recognition of the bettered position. “ But for the war cloud hanging over the Near East and its undoubted effect upon the public mind, there would be every reason for the l Dominion to congratulate itself on the disappearance of the financial uneasiness that has been prevalent for the past two years.” The particularly encouraging feature of the l figures is that while at the end of (lie September quarter of last year the advances and discounts of the hanks exceeded the free and fixed deposits by £4.593,946, at the end of the .corresponding quarter this year the excess was only £1,032,094, a reduction of £3.561,352. THE ELECTORAL ROLLS.

Mr T. M. Wilford in the House on Friday again complained of the extremely unsatisfactory condition of the electoral rolls, and begged the Prime Minister to take the.necessary steps to have them placed in order." Mr ,T. G. Smith, tbe member for Taranaki, and Mr W. T. Jennings, the member for Wnitomo. endorsed the remark's of the leader of the Opposition, and declared that numbers of qualified persons in tlTeir constituteneies who had voted at every election for years previously had been struck off the rolls without any sort of notice being sent to-tliem. Mr Massey admitted that the rolls were in an unsatisfactory condition and undertook to consult the officers of the Electoral Department, with a view to their being put in order. No doubt the Minister will he as good as his word, but it will be well for every elector to see «for himself that he is properly registered.