The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22nd., 1923. THE WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 December 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22nd., 1923. THE WEEK.

Jn general business i inlcs iho .Wiins-t'-r lor Agricultuie. the Hon. W. Nosworthy, is icgarded as something of a Bolshevik! He is mainly responsible lor the existence of that political cxereseme, the .Meat ITodueers’ Board, and lor the Dairy Produce Control Act, which the daitvmen hate shown by their apathy and indifference Unit they do not require, or at least have no particular lespcei for it. Sometime ago this ministerial caricature of a Bolshevik placated the wheat growers ol I'antei bury hy lixiug prices lor millwheat. Hour and mill olfal, and by placing an embargo on the importation of wheat, Hour, bran and pollard. This .Utile act of the .Ministei cost trie peojde of New Zealand about CIO,>,COO for their daily bread, I n the price of Ineatl vas fixed at Id more than it would have been had the people been five to buy their wheat ami Hour at world parity prices. The excuse for this high-handed action was t.>c flimsy olio that the couiiiiy should le self reliant in the matter of breadsluii's, and why it was particularly tic--1 cssary to he self-reliant now »a> never explained, for there is no ex'ida'i.ii ion to: it. Jf it were iiece.-saiy that the country .should he self.foniained in •«!- sped to wheat, so it ought to lie lit inspect to tea and sugar, both ol winch ar: necessaries in New Zealand qil.te as much as wheat. 'lnis comit'W docs not grow a single tea leaf, lie* does it produce an ounce u sugar, and neither commodity inis been scare" or cxiessively priced.

Til*: prices for wheat and Hour were fixed at a point above world purity, to encourage the wheat growers to prounce enough for local consumption, 'this tlmy ,lul ill the season of 1921-22; in the following season there was a slight reduction in the control pi ice amt a coni rai l io'ii in ti e output. For Hie cumuli season it is anticipated that the out put "ii| full short of requironic its by 2.01'1.000 bushels, and the IoU-.'ii excuse of self-reliance put forward. In- tlm Minister for controlling this commodity' full- In the ground. The embargo must he lifted, and the duty on wheat and Hour abolished, so that we may obtain our breadstuffs as we do on: tea at the loves! ] rice in the world . market a. We can get v. 1.0. it from An-1 r-dia on the basis of -Is 2d per bushel landed in New /calami, but the Cantei bury wheat glowers sav it docs not pay them to glow wheat at 5s lid per bushel. II (bat is the true position then the sooner they cease wheat growing Hie better. The wheat position was discussed at a meeting of the fanners’ I nioit held at Aslibuiti.u on De-iemner 1 itli., when the Chaii man of the W boat Board, Mr <;. l.eadley, slated that the price of Is 2d was utterly inadequate, and growers were perfectly warm tiled in curtailing lhoi" wheat areas hy 50 per cent. W'c me also informed that the 1 tanners ; risen) discussed the matte’' with consult ruble auger and with threats of a total abandonment of wheat growing in favour of other production.

I ah Mims generally, on occasions, behave in a childish manner. The Canterbury wheat growers evidently think tb.it they are doing tile country a lavoiir in growing wheat, whereas they l ave been receiving the charity ol the conntiy as an encouragement to grow wheat. Now they are angry because the Australian wheat grower cm uuderui; them in their own market. Wind is tin.- reason tor this? Is it not that tkvit working costs or producing costs ai e too high? The land values me iniiated, and while that remains they will not he able to compete with other growers whose production costs are lower. The Canterbury wheat growers are nut glowing wheat to benefit, their health, but to benefit their pockets, and they would false crowing wheat if they could produce something else that would pay better. As tilings stand to-day it would benefit the country from ati economic point of view to hate the fanners aliandon wheat growing for some more remunerative line of farming, for consumers would then get their breadstuffs for less money. The people on tin's Coast are particularly interested in this matter min cannot look on 'placidly, and have their daily bicad taxed for the benefit ot the few funnels concerned.

Trio week, of course, has been memorable locally because of tin* large Exhibition which has been current. The important event, the greatest and most .substantial form of advertisement the ( oast has received yet. lias now run for a week, and the experience fiver Unit period points to an all round success. There is no question as to the* general'effect of the lay-out and display. The organisation has seen to it that as an Exhibition it is excellently arrang'd. Visitors who have had oxperience of these displays elsewhere, have no hesitation in saving the exposition compares most favourably with nietiopolitim displays. In some instances ti e praise lias been even higher than that. Tee attendance for the lirst week, has been confined in the mam to the local population. For their l umbers the public lias done well in tho matter of practical support. From today on the holiday traffic will .set in, and the visiting crowds will begin ts arrive. There are many, as is customary at this season of the year, ‘'coming home for the holidays.’’ The call of the Coast will be answered by grey crowds this season, and over the holiday period the attendance at the Exhibition is 'lire to l,e very large. I lie entertainment side of the Exhibition is a special feature governing the attendance. This has been organised to the best effect. In the matter of the opening week, the entertainments pro t ided have been well varied, and continued on ihe same lines there should be no grounds for complaint-. To-night the Christchurch singers are paying w friendly call. It is another instance of the good will between the communities on both sides of the ranges to find our Eastern friends so ready to respond to an invitation to come over and help. It augurs well for the [ U i| success of the Exhibition, for which

■si: many good wishes are being expressed on al! sides.

The Exhibition lias been responsible during the week for three Ministers of the Crown spending some of their valuable time in Westland. Ministerial visits are mie and Hooting as a ride, but on this occasion the •‘.•topover” .stay cannot be grumbled at, more particularly as the time wus afforded to pay a pleasure visit to South Westland. Wo trust as a result members of the Cabinet will be better acquainted with Westland and its prospects, flic- Exhibition ’.t.self indicates something of the energy and self-reliance of the community in undertaking so large a venture, but chief of all are the impressions which ye hope remain alter an inspection of the agricultural conntiy in Kokatahi and Koitcrangi districts, the pastoral country ill .South Westland, the scenic glories of I-ake Kanieri. the Glacier and the whole southern route, together with the magnificent timber reutmires ol \\ estlaiib generally. The distiict lias plenty ef back-bcme and is worth assisting with loads and tiridgos to help development generally. The distiict can become a great feeder of the railway by wav of exports and helping Westland means helping the public estate and the State railways.

Xitr I'rinie Minister (Mr Massey) has again been much in the lime-light, so mill'll so that a rather distinctive baio hangs about our plenipotentiary on the Homeland visit. Mr Massey appears to have departed from England home-

ward hound in a blaze of glory, and with an aanount of press attention v hit'll speaks volumes for the publicity service the Prime Minister had about bin,. His experienced cilice is in this matter have not nerlected an opportunity. This not only justified their t'-j istence, but also caused the it flection of much ineftil advertisement on New Zealand il-.-adf. Mr Massey niist hare worked hard it: live up to the it potation created for liimse.lt' by reason of his long linin'aik.'ii term of office :i. New Zealand's |irii,< ipal representative. His little political indiscretions in the heat of the k.ie Hi itish rlectieus are matters of etiquette •v'oieh will be viewed from various stnnd-I-,.lnis. (In tbe whole however. Mr .Massey lias dene rental knblv well, and row that lie is hasp home, will he welcomed mi less In sillily here, where tin-re is iniieii necessary work awaiting bis at lent ion. Incideoiaby. he will have a ni.-e political task to adjust his policy to tbe meaeii- "majority” be woi ks under. -but ihat is '.mother story.