Sensational Rumor

Hokitika Guardian, 2 November 1922, Page 3

Sensational Rumor

le- (Lyttelton Tiniest, es ft is significant th;<t credence should v, have been given by shrewd business i- men to n nimmir that the Governin', lit j proposed to borrow one anil a halt | million pounds to use in the assistance :e of co-operitive companies. True, tile v, | tumour aas denied by Mr .Massey in cr I'm* House of llepresentatives oii SatI- unlay, and must therefore be regarded 1. as a canard having no real foundation, a , lint the I act iliat the story was belt, lieved is, we say, significant because it •s ' shows how far the present Government r ; has strayed into devious ways, Indigi- ! nation was expressed in Wellington, in o' f'lirisleliureh. nnd in other parts of - . New Zealand at such a proposal, which e of course, disregarded the elementary o principles of ethics and economies, lint ] - the story was believed. I , ’inaneial. ; • business and commercial men would 1 e ; not have expressed indignati-m, and i ’ | telegraphed to one another, as they ; " . did on Siiturtlny, unless they were j ‘, f|iiite convinced that the Msasey Gov-j * i eminent is capable of almost any- ■ | iliing. And really, after the meat pool; | scheme, which destroys a mail’s control over his own property and pro- • I vides for the use of public money in j j the interests of a private business, one j I does not know what to expect next. j ' The tinpkusnnt truth is that the lie- I ! h rni Party has no political principles, j , just as it has no policy; and living a j I hand-to-mouth existence it is prepared ; to take up anything that may promise ! I a few country votes. Air Mussev is j not, of course, responsible for th" , • rumour that his Govennnent proposed ■ ; to come to the aid of eo-onerative eom- i : panics with the taxpayers' inonev—lni I j 1 ve are afraid that he is responsible for | ; Hi" oninl'iil fact (hat such story j | could ho. and was, believed I ■ h • true, j ' Kven such a wild proposal as Go's was j j aciapfed as a possibility, as some-! ; lhi eg, we may say. not inconsistent! | with I'm character and r cord of the j i deform Government. I j j .MFKTLYG OF WELLINGTON j m'Sixess mk\. ; j Rumours ol' imtisiiit] stops cim- » • lemplated hv the Gnverninent in the' , -oieoial interesls of farmers' ro-operat- | I iva Irading concerns have been enrrent I • in Wellington for some days i-uivs the j ! ' Fvening Post” of Satnrdav). .Tuning j , ' ether filings, it reported. is a pro |- ! post!l of the Government to raise a i ; loan ol L I.oOO.dOl) or so, the proceeds i j' I which are to b" applied in the as- I * ' i-istanea of such fanners’ en-operative j t ’ (lading eoiupiinies or associations as! : urgently need financial help. A pri- 1 I vat ■ meet ing of Wellington business | ] men, representing various interests, 1 i was held (Ids morning in consequence I |e- the reports above referred to. The \ r j - pinion was then expressed that it] ! -would he most unwise of the Govern-I 11 | nielli to force any such impirlnnt pro- ■ n oosal el the mitnVn above indicated o * hroiigh Piirliameiit at this late stagof the session. If was also held at th- j. i •■■cling to-day that in its recent amendment of the Companies Act. made specially to meet the ease of f-'niiers’ co-operative lending concerns. * the Government had gone -s far as it a i mild safely and reasonable go. Il is ], xp cted that the Wellington meeting t lu-dav will he the first of n series of me-tings to lie hold all over the Dominion protesting against special logisb'tion in the interests of farmers’ cooperative eooeerns. j