WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1924, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

THE MORATORIUM. PROTECTIONS FOR CREDITORS. [Special To The Guardian.] WELLINGTON. Feb. 1. ".Many good tilings have come from Ashburton, including the Dominion’s wheat supply and its -Minister of Agriculture,” said a leading member of the legal profession here to-day, “But its latest product, the commercial lawyer who is predicting that the moratorium is going io facilitate the operations ol the swindler and the thief will not enhance the prohibition district's reputation for understanding and sanity.” it would be quite an easy thing, this authority wen I on to say, having cast, this gibe at his learned brother, to raise difficulties ovoi any complicated piece ol legislation, or. for the mailer of that, over the most, simple : lull people disposed Inwards swindling and thieving "ill obtain no assistance in their operation: from the existing moratorium law. Tito position and the procedure ought to be perfectly ebon' io anyone acquainted with the provisions of tie statute. However no harm itati I icon done in tailing pointed attention to Lite matter, this critic admit ted. The proper antliorities would carelully review the position and no doubt when the legislation for the termination of the moratorium appeared it would be found to contain ample provision against the pitlalls the Ashburton commercial lawyer hail conjured tip for the discomfiture of investors. SHI BRING SUBSIDIES.

A deputation representing the Farmers’ Union and consisting ol Mr AV . J. Poison, the president ol that body, and Mr A. K. Harding, waited upon the lion W. I). Stewart, the Minister of Trade and Commerce, yesterday to urge iliat Hie Government should subsiilise a line of steamers between New /(‘aland and the Far East in order that by this means the producers oi tiie Dominion might obtain access to the markets of Java, Singapore, Japan and other countries that could be reached by such a line. Mr Stewart' was sympathetic and up to a certain point encouraging, but he thought it would be bet ter to watch the results ol the efforts Australia was making in this direction before committing the Government to a large expenditure. "It is a little difficult for me to say anything more definite yet, ’ he told the deputation. in concluding the interview: "but 1 only want to impress upon yon that the matter is not lost sight of and that it lias been actually considered by the Government this week. T do not think the Government would be over eager to consider any question of subsidies, because once you begin pitying subsidies it is very difficult to discontinue them.” All the Minister could offer the deputation at the moment was an assurance that the Cabinet would carefully weigh its suggestions. MeXA(E OF COMPETITION. This deputation also brought under the notice ot tbo .Minister the menace to the producers in Hie competition of foreign couture" Air Poison maintained that recce.: events at Home amounted almost to a mandate to the Dominion- to find markets "here they could. Afr Stewart interjected that the New Zealand producers already had a good market and might tare worse if t!ic\ exp: r:::ier.tci w:t!: other market-.. Tcoph talk abcitt the splendid market wo have at Home,' Ml- Poison stated biter on. apparently in reply to the Minister’s interjection. ■ That is all rigid, but we have before us the spectre of Siberia that can produce half the world's buffer, again coming on to the market tn Britain. Imagine the position if they were to dump that butter into London in big quantities at the price they would be content to take, ii would become a serious competitor with New Zeaaltid buiter. If the supply of butter in London were doubled to-morrow, New Zealand would have to look elsewhere, because the price would he so low that our producers could not compote with if. \Ye must foresee wltnt will happen in Europe during the next ten years, and have other strings to our how.” The Minister smiled and tentatively acquiesced with Mr Poison’s emphasis of the need for business enterprise. LABOUR AND SUBSIDIES. Labour’s attitude towards preleroneo. subsidies and such things just now is a little difficult to define. An unattached member of the party interrogated on the sullied to-day admitted that it was a good deal easier to find fault with the economic policies of the Reformers and the Liberals than it wits to establish the consistency of the policy of the Labour Party. All the parties at heart were a little selfish on this question. Thu workers wanted protection for their labour. The producers protection lor their products and the-consumers protection for their pockets. Nothing hut their own immediate interests seemed to weigh with Hie mass of the people, while the political parties appeared anxious only to he on Hie side of Hie big battalions. Labour should have no objection to every possible facility being given to the farmers to produce to their utmost ability and to reach the most remunerative markets. But they should pay for the assistance limy receive in reasonable taxation and the workers ami consumers should he protected from unfair exploitation. Unfortunately, according to tin's authority, non? of the political parties is prepared to subscribe to these equitable doctrines.