WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 January 1924, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

I’HE PRIME .MINISTER’S RETURN

AIR -MASSEY OPTIMISTIC. [Special To Thk Guardian.] WELLINGTON, Jan. 28 The Saturday half-holiday, with its numerous out-door attractions, and the races at Trent ham prevented so large a crowd assembling at Thorndon .station on Saturday to welcome (ho Prime .Minister oil his reiiirn trom the Imperial Conference than otherwise would have been the ease ; but the

ullicials in attendance and the casual passers-by gave .Mr Massey and bis colleagues a very hearty reception as they alighted from their train. I lie Prime Minister was accompanied by Mi K. I>. Thomson, bis private secretary, and Mr A. Jofiery, bis assistant private secretary, and the whole party looked very well indeed, all having been much rested and re-freshed,-so Mr '.Massey said, by (lie rest they obtained during their passage across the Pacific, after three or four months ol very constant and strenuous work. The .Mayor of AAellington. who was present in his official capacity, supported by several of bis councillors, who had foregone the races for the purpose, of paying honour to the returned traveller said the. things appropriate to the occasion and evciynno within the precincts of the station cheered light lustily. The Prime -Minister in acknowledging his cordial reception expressed his great pleasure at being in the Dominion again and among bis old Irieuds.

THE ALL IMPORTANT QUESTION. In a sufi.xeipteid interview, Afr Afassov who. of course, bad been kept

welt informed during his absence as to what was going on in New Zealand, aid Hie pre.sc-nt financial position oi it'-: Dominion was very good. “Our

finances arc buoyant, thanks to the IK’t ter prices that are being realised lor our produce." lie added, "and wo nro bound to have, so tar as I can see. a substantial surplus, at the end of the financial year. The surplus may not he as good as many people oxpeet, liowevor, because many ot the financial concessions made last session come into account this quarter, tho hist quarter of the financial ycai. Still ilie position is a good one; but whether it will be possible to give any further remissions of taxation depends upon what the accounts look like on March .‘ll next. The policy of the (.Government has been all along to reduce taxation ns soon as possible, as one of the best means of promoting the prosperity of the country, and that policy will he continued.'’ Mr Massey leas much more definite in speaking of the surplus than lie was when referring to the remission of taxation, but of The latter be said there was “good reason for hopo. Till-: DOM!N’TOX’S PRODUCE. Probably the Minister was most eloquent whin talking of the prospects before Xrtv Zealand produce. "There is no doubt," he declared, "that wool is "oing to stand good a. regards

prices, r am quite certain this position will be maintained for years, as the world demand is bound to continue. It has been an exceptionally good year lor the staple, and. judging from reports of New Zealand conditions. the improvement in the industry had had its effect, on Dominion trade and prosperity. I was particularly delighted to hear of the very hi oh prices ruling at the recent Neu Zealand sales. The market, conditions for dairy product: have been quite o o od, and will remain so for the rest of the season. It is quite impossible of course, to sav what changes there may be in the future, but the position at the moment is quite satisfactory, and the outlook generally very good. Mr Massev evidently is not quite so

satisfied with the outlook for dairy produce as lie is with that for wool. His assertion that the position was quite satisfactory at the moment perhaii- was intended as a modification of his previous statement that the market for butter would remain good for the 'r-! of the season. Till-’. numsil 1 .AHOUR PARTY. However strongly lie may led on the subject or however indifferent In: may be about it, Mr Massey is not going to he bet raved into any discreet allusion to the British Labour Party. “It is quite entitled to fair play. ' 1,0 s!,ld m reply to an interjection when speaking at the railway station and he reiterated the -ialement with emphasis in the eour-e oi the interview just quoted. But obviously he is disappointed that the fate of the: resolutions adopted by the Imperial Conference is to be determined by politicians unpledged to their -enforcement. However. replyi„„ to an inquiry concerning the development loans discussed by the Conference he indicated that ho had less hope for tln-ir confirmation than lie had for the confirmation of the preference proposals. "Had the development ‘ loan scheme been proceeded with.” he said. "I was certainly going to advise the New Zealand (.overnment to take advantage ot u ; andl I shall do so if it is gone on wit-i Put I am not so sanguine as to being .rone on with as about the presence proposals.” And so the preference proposals and several other important things affecting the Dominions, lie in the lap of the new House of Commons.