WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 June 1923, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

THE AGRICULTURAL BANK. [Special To The Guardian.] WELLINGTON, May 30. Tt is not expected here that the agitation being promoted hy Mr AY. J. Poison through the medium of the Farmers’ l nion, for the establishment of an Agricultural Bank, guaranteed by the State, will induce the Prime Minister to materially alter his attitude towards this proposal. Air Alassey has not made lately any de-

finite statement in regard to the mat-

ter, and some of the sanguine advocates of the scheme profess to be greatly encoursged by his silence; but his recent allusions to the financial needs of the country have not suggested that he is disposed to provide a couple of million or so for the furtherance of Mr Poison’s adventure. He has reminded the farmers that the Stale Advances Department, under the legislation of last session, has widely extended its operations and has promised the homeseekers the most generous assistance in house building. He is offering both the iarmers anil the home-seekers the advantage of makiijg repayments by easy instalments and so has anticipated the system of “amortization” which Mr Poison and his farmer friends have pronounced to lie the very corner-stone of the proposed edifice. But even so, the agitators may fairly claim to have assisted in shaping the Prime Minister’s policy. LIBERALS AND LABOUR. A passage in the Press Association’s report of Mr T. M. Wilford’s speech at the “social” tendered to Mr J. A. Maeplierson M.P. at Oamaru on Monday night has been the subject of some comment here. “He concluded,” the passage runs, “hy holding out his hands to 11io workers—those who stood lor

the Empire and constitutional measures—to come over and help the Li-beral-Labour Party to gain the Treasury lynches and to take tip what the Liberals laid down in 1911.” ' There have been rumours in circulation for somo time past, ever since the conclusion of tho short session of Parliament in February indeed, that when the. House meets next month there will he a. surprise in store for Mr Massey and his friends. Stories of this kind gain in colour and detail as they go the round and there are people in Wellington to-day who will tell you they have it ou the very best authority that a reconciliaioii between the Liberal-Labour and tho Labour Parties is at hand, and that tho united forces will invite the Government to a trial of strength at Hie very first opportunity during the approaching session. WARY LEADERS. Sueli a developmen is. of course, highly improbable. Mr AA ilforil knows enough of the temper of the constituencies at the present time to realise that there is nothing for his party to gain in delaying the business ol the country hy mere factious opposition. Mr Holland, the leader of the Labour group, perhaps is less observant of 1 lie drift of public opinion than is the l.ilioral loader, But with the growing strength of his party he has acquired a broader sense of responsibility and shed much of liis former irritating selfcomplacency. All this makes some workinc understanding between the Liberal and the Bnliom- Parties more feasible, but it does not add to the likelihood of their ousting the Reform Government from the Treasury benches during the life of tlie present Parliament.' Mr Wilford’s very .proper insistence upon unqualified loyalty to the Empire, and the Constitution will keep the progressive elements in Hie House apart for quite a time yet, and the votes of the disgruntled Liberal trio will remain at the disposal ol Air Massey. Jn these circumstances the Liberals probably will see the wisdonT*of seeking what they need by way of concessions rather than striving to obtain it bv brute force. PUBLIC SERA' ICE COMMISSION ICR.

Wlmt appeal's to lie very genuine indignation has been expressed hy a vorv large number of civil servants at the delay in appointing a successor to AD AY. R. Morris iu the office of Commissioner. The wide-spread dissatisfaction has been pretty well advertised. The apology lor the delay is made |,v Hie “Dominion” this morning.

“What had rather the appearance of a maeliiiie-made agitation,' it .sajs, ha.' been in evidence of late in connection with Hie appointment of a new Public Service Commissioner. Ihe sudden outcrop of resolutions from various branches of tho Public Berviee Association urging that there slmu.tl be no further‘dolav in making the appointment might, he deemed io imply that members of the service feared that a reversion to political control <>l S(,,_ vice was contemplated.. Such a step, of course, would meet with the slrongost possible opposition, and properly s,o. However, there does not appear lo be M ,,v cause for alarm on that ground. The reason for such delay as has occurred in appointing a successor to Ati Alorris is stated to he that the Government regards the appoiiiment as too important a matter both to the servin' and to the country to come to a hurried decision concerning it Davi,,„. taken at least nine months to think about the matter the Government certainly cannot be accused ol rxemsing undue haste.