Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 1 February 1924, Page 2

\ (ii.imc.sk of the Home feeling at the advent of a Labor Government to power is afforded by comment in the Hardware Trade Journal ol December to hand by the recent mail. In voting the situation created by the general election, the paper proceeds: “One is almost tempted to revive the once puiilar query : “Are we downhearted?” Certainly a reply in the negative might b;> given at this juncture with very decided gusto—not by politicians, perhaps, who, with the exception of the Labour Party, are presumed to he sitting in sackcloth and ashes; hut by industrialists and commercial men anxious for an opportunity of getting on with the business of the country. All that those really want at the moment is a little freedom from the turmoil of Party con diets, a. settled condition of affairs, an atmosphere of tranquility. Tho preeisi' decree ol such lelieit.v that the iineindiate future holds for them may tie regarded by many as highly problematical; but at- least it can be said with confidence that two of the •most contentious subjects have been relegated to very hack seats. Me allude, of course, to the fiscal question and particularly to the Capital Levy proposal. With the rights and wrongs of 1 ’intent i'lii and Free Trade we are not jimt now conqorning ourselves. Neither is at all likely to die from want of an argument. What, however, appears to have been the opinion of the coumry is tlint the present time, when new life is being fanned into its industrial system, is not exactly opportune for the threshing out of problems of that kind. An examination of the polling figures shows that nearly nine million votes were east against any drastic change in our fiscal system; and as to the Capital Levy idea—well, almost ten million electors vetoed it. Whilst the General Election, therefore, has left politicians disconcerted and embarrassed, business men may find comfort in flit* thought that the almost equal sides of this triangular Parliament should be- a qu.i ran tec ugahut tin* possibility of extreme policies being irado effective for a long time to co mo.”

Thk Ross Sea coast and territory at tlic South Pole, lias been assigned to iti ■ administration of tin* (lovenimeiit of the Dominion of Now Zealand. Nothing is being done on account of New Zealand undertakings to develop tlie fisheries there or the seal and bird life, which at times, according to Scott and Shaekleton, is said to lie abundant. Whalin';, as carried out in New Zealand at present, is by swift motorbiutiches. and tfie discharge into whales of lance bombs. The carcases are “tried out,” or rendered flown for oil ashore at To A'vuite, at the month of Tory Channel, at the north end of the Sooth Island and at Whnngaroa in the nortli of tlie Auckland province, North Island. Very little is allowed to bc- < cine public of the profits of the industry. which is seasonal. The Norwegian Company of Hvalfangst Rosshavet, with headquarters at SandefDord Norway, is to exploit the Ross flea whale fisheries, and will, it is understood, first work from Auckland. Tts llvet "ill consist of three small steel whalers, driven by steam, and two whalers, and a store or mocker ship of 1:2,0(70 tons, which will sail from Norway. On the larger vessel the “trying out” will he done, and the treatment of the bones and non-fatty parts of the carcase. Rome years before the war a Norwegian whaling company operated in the South seas in the sub-Antair-tic Islands, and with depots for dcspateii of products of the fisheries and of business connected with the enterprise, ft was not- then a commercial success