WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1923, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

! A 1)1)11 ICSS-IN-K KPLY. A 1.1. XKillT SITTING. [Si'kc'ial To The Glmkmian.J WKI.UNGTOX, -luly I. Tin- Addro -s- ill-1 ? e |il ,v deltaic whs concluded shortly lietore A o'clock yestonlay morning, when ilie amendment in' the lender of the (tpposiiinn was rejected liy lho three l.ilioral votes iiinstiutting tho Government's majority. Thi.' result was never in doubt, trom the very first am! tho lobbies still are spooulat ing its to the purpose of the fortnight’s talking. It any advantage was to be gained by Tie demonstration it remains with the Government, wltieli hail the satislactiott of rejecting seven stteeessive motions of lto-conlidetiee and so establishing its right to stand last in its oeeupanry of the Treasury honchos. Hut even the Government

m 11st find its position ;i litt K* uncomfortable in view ill tin' conipiisitinn :iml narrowness ui' ils minority and the readiness of the Opposition to facilitate an inililt'di:it»■ appeal to the const ituemies. Tlio l.nliour Party, too, may nlitain sonic comfort from the tact, that it has emoroed from flu' dehiile with ils reputation as the host informed ami most versatile section of th(> House unimpaired. Mr Holland has led it with more than his usual tact and with less than his usual asperity. The l.iherals, with three or four notable except ions, have not

made the inu-i nl their opportunities. an<l. Iron) tin 1 naileries. have appeared over anxious to dissociate themselves I nun I,aimin' - ' assaults upon the (dovermnent. IM’SIXKSX OK Til K SESSION. Tile Ihnleet, allied till' piddle Still prefer in call ihe Kiiiiitieial Slaioinent, was deliver* d in ihe Mouse last nield. aconlie"; to the Prime Minister’s: promise, and "followed ml the lines that have 1 1! ••.'•i indieai id from time to time slime pee -hurt e-sion. Neither Mi M e-sey him- df nor tie heads el depariment who n-='i't him m the prepa ration of the annual review 01 the DuiiiiuiuiT.' affairs, have the Oladstoiiian eon it is for imtl;in;t lifilit reatlj.|., oilt of heavy matter and their last n : lit's rfl’nrt \\i\< not :il>ovn too ixv^r:i• t . ti| iis. pi’(M.loCM , "S;'i v . « I*»‘ oil l!:i» will foiimnon i* on I uo^day ■ next nn,l. though tlnno is no a<sur:iw-f ; on the suhioei , it is hoped the extravaeant expenditure of speech ditmi it •

the pa-t 1 wo weeks will not bo repented. The (tovornment. it says, has metric a score <>)' Hills ready tor introduction, 'on u is not expected tleii iiitii h progress will 1 e made with important legislation i'll the Budget and the Fsliinnus arc out of the way. Mr 1 Massey ha>' made it quite clear that he will not leave the Dominion til l 1 i|, o session is concluded, and in these circlin'.“lanoes there is inn likely to he any Imijr sustained oh-lrnetmu. f’ONTF.NTIOrs MF.AST’RHfL Some of tln v Hills that have keen j frequently mentioned since the open-j mg of the* session are <0 a highly ton- , 11- nt iiiit-s ’ character, ami it i- not improhahle i hint the Government will prefer to postpone these until next year, j when the e unlitions may he more favourable for their deliberate considoration; Mr \V. .1. Poison, the Dominion President of the Farmers Ina n. has been haunting the lobbies during the last few days willi hi' Agriruit tira.l Hank Hill, which i' to make plenty of money avaikthlc to tanners at a low rate of interest, ami he has been putlino the claims of the mea-uie before members of the House very earnestly and very persistently. The chief objection urged against the Hill is that it proposes to make the State responsible for the finances of the Hank at a time when it las difficulty onougn in bearing its own burdens. The Prime Minister probably will consider it a case for inquiry without any actual committal on the part of the Government. Then there is the Dairy Produce Control Bill, on which Mr Massey has stipulated for unanimity among the dairy farmers themselves and has not got it. This also may be held over for further inquiry, and for investigation bv the Prime Minister while in London. The House will be in no temper put eitbei of these measures through at express speed. ! 35? 1

I’RKSS OPIXIOX. Tiie "1)111111111011'’ lliis morning is appreciative. Init not over cuthusiastic in its review of the Ihidgct. ■l'r< >m 1 tin- .stand-point of political window dressing.” it says, “the Finance- Minister lias not made the most of his opportunities in the present Budget. He lias if anything been unduly modest in neglecting to emphasise as I'ull.v as lie might have done the far-reaching importance of many of the- proposals brought forward. As linani'ia) record and review, however, it demons! rales that the tinance- of (lie Dominion have been particularly well handled during a period of exceptional difficulty; and that the country is to reap something of the nonefit in tiie near future.” 'The “Xew j Zealand Times” mildly commendatory. "The surplus estimated for the year,” it say-, “is not much more than halt last year's: the estimates of revenue appear to he fairly coiiserv.rtivo; and there is money in the Treasury to (over risks. Moreover, there is mi unwise promise to further cut down expenditure beyond ordinary prudential work. Lastly, the (Jvoernliient has the courage to reduce the tea-tax." These extracts may be regarded as fairly accurate reflections of the opinions outer!allied hv the public here. The Budget is as dull as the traditions prescribe it should be, but it rests on a plausible foundation.