WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1924, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

BROKEN DRY SPELL. ACCEPTABLE BAIN. [Special To The Guardian.] WELLINGTON. Keb. IS. The long "dry spell,” which was something short of being an actual drought, we- broken yesterday (Sunday) when rain began to fall early in the morning and has continued with little interruption over since. Wellington has had this season the most brilliant summer, measured by fine days and brilliant .sunshine, it lias experienced for more than a decade, and having little direct interest in the production ot hiitier-lat or the condition i«i (locks and herds it has revelled in the unaccustomed conditions. Bui gardens, which of necessity are le.-K numerous and less attractive here than they are in the other cent iv-s of population, have suffered severely, and the reports coming fmm tie other districts, especially those from Hawke’s Bay, have gravely perturbed those citizens whose interests lie in rural pursuits. But considering all the circumstances Wellington hn« very good reason to congratulate itself upon the manner in which it has conic through the dry summer. It never has been actually short of water. the health of the community has remained good and the city’s proverliial winds have been less persistent and less boisterous than usual. The capital city, indeed, is again pluming itself upon its climate and on this occasion il seems to have some reason for making comparisons that are not odious to itself. THE FREEZING WORKS AMALGAMATION. The freezing works amalgamation rumours continue to he the subject of casual discussion among business men here, but so far as can he gathered !>v inquiries from people who might lie expected to have some delinile information as to what is going on the whole scheme is still very much in the air. The current speculations wore summarised by the "New Zealand Times” mi Saturday. “All the companies to he ultimately taken over by the Government,” its summary ran. “and the whole industry administered by the Meat Producers’ Boatd. The purchase price would he based upon the cost price of the work's, payment to he made in debentures hearing interest at the rate ol Lot per cent per annum issued or guaranteed by tin Government. .Superfluous works would then lie closed down, and the aggregate over-head charges greatly reduced by the elimination of a number of individual concerns, some ol them probably in a weak condition. To effect a purchase of all the freezing companies’ works in New Zealand on their balance-sheet value would probable call for a sum of Co,000,000; but the shareholders in some of the cooperative concerns might he persuaded to accept the values set down in their balance sheets.” All this, of course, is mere guessing, but it- indicates i I mrly enough what n, in the minds of the co-operative concerns that want to get nut of their troubles. ~ THE OFFICIAL ATTITUDE.

The Minister of Agriculture and tin' I'liiiirniiiu <jf tiie .Meat Producers’ Hoard disclaim ;mv knowledge <d such proposals as have been mentioned. There is, however, in official circles a feeling that something will have to be done to assist the 'co-operative companies in weathering the difficulties by which they are beset. It is unlikely, however, that either (lie. Hon . Nosworlby or Mr ltavid Jones would give their countenance to a scheme which involved the assumption of enormous financial liabilities hy the (state. It is said that; of the 250 freezing companies of one kind or another in the Dominion three-fourths are co-opera-tive concerns and that of these fully one half need monetary assistance to save them from collapse. Tf this really is the ease, the Prime Minister, who must he the final arbiter of the fate of the embarrassed companies, would hesitate to go to their assistance with millions of money while their position is so precarious and the public in no mood to stand surety for speculative enterprises that have fallen on evil days. The plain fact is that the freezing business has been overdone and that it will have to submit to the same laws of supply and demand ns apply to all other commercial and industrial ventures, small and large. BETWEEN TWO STOOLS. Til the opinion of the poultry keepers of this district the Minister of Agricult ore is taking an unconscionably long time in making up his mind in regard to the price ol fowl feed. The problem has been confronting him for'the last five or six weeks, and yet all he is able to tell the people immediately concerned to-day is that the Government is going to import fowl wheat and to distribute it in an equitable way and at a price which lie hopes “will lie satisfactory to the fowl farmers.” The truth is that the round about way in which the Government is paying the wheat subsidy this season has landed All* Nosworthv into an extremely difficult position. Cheaper fowl wheat to the pountry farmers will mean some sort of compensation to the wheat growers who have been receiving big prices for their broken and inferior grain and naturally will not he disposed to forgo this perquisite without receiving some quid pro quo. The Minister is face to face with ono of those perplexing difficulties that inevitably arise out of piecemeal protection and at the moment it is not casv to see his way out.