WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1924, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

TOWN AND COUNTRY

THE WINTER SHOW. [Special To The Guardian.] WELLINGTON, Feb. 22 Wellington is the one of the four big cities of the Dominion that could afford to be national in its attitude and its aspirations, and yet it is the most parochial, ft is not even provincial. It is as careless of the interests of Palmerston North and Wanganui as it is indifferent to the welfare of Auckland. Christchurch and Dunedin. Just now the capital city is busying itself with the organisation of its second ■•Welcome Week" and has conceived the idea of holding a Winter Showafter Iho manner ol similar exhibitions held with success in Auckland, Hamilton and Dunedin. There are to be exhibits of slock and produce, motoi cars, and machinery, manufactures and home industries. The show, inI, is to lie a direct and formidable rival to the -Ma nawntu Winter Show, which has been the pride and boost of the country people for a score of years. Xa|orally the country people are indignant. They are not denying Wellington's right to hold a winter show, hut they are protesting vigorously against the Harbour Hoard giving the promoters of the venture the use of its extensive buildings on the waterfront free of charge. Tim country contributes two-thirds of the Board’s revenue am! in the circumstances it certainly does seem a little incon-

gruous to deprive il of a legitimate charge in order {hat its rival may prosper the inure. AGBf(' UI ,T rI! A D FDPC A T lON. As is quite proper on such occasions agricultural politics figured prominently in the speeches delivered at the customary social function in connection with the Masterton A. and P. Association’s .Show. Air W. Perry in proposing ihe ioiisf, “the Department- of Agriculture.” hinted broadly that the Minister in charge of the Department, in the course of his reply, might tell his audience soinothing about his intentions in regard fo agricultural edu■alioti. Mr Nesvorlhy must have

somewhat disappointed his expectant friends. Me told them much about, the need for more production and greater ec-nioniy ; but he said scarcely anything concerning agricultural odiion(ioti. lie 'appreciated very much what tin' local people had done to help themselves in this direction, and he ho[>od next year to see a farm school ill full operation in the. Wairarapa district. This was not a very sustaining diet for diners that had expected a least ol promises. Later on in the evening Sir Walter Buchanan took the Minister of Education severely to task lor not having done more for the cause of agricultural education. He strongly dFseiifod from Mr Parr’s policy of “go slow.” There w;n- milch room, he said, for improvement and expansion. LENIN AND LABOUR. .Mr .1. Mi-Bomb's very dignified dissociation of himself from the cable message in which the Xw Zealand Labour Party expressed “its sincere sympathy with the Russian Governmentoil the pa -mg of i'te great- leader l.iiiin" ha - moil -I uon-.-i interest heie and the actum of the member for l.y(tellon lias met with vary genera] approval. Ml- disclaimer will heal repel it ion. "I do not know, he wrote to tin- executive, of the Labour Parti, ••whether similar telegrams arc to be sent ill connection with the • Icath of other rulers whose policies are din uu-| i n-ally opposed to the priniplcs and platform of the New Zealand Labour Party. As 1 understood it. ws- stand tor a Socialist- democracy with Government broad-based upon the people’s will. ! must, therefore, dissociate nivsell absolutely I nmi the i:• m M-ul to Moscow. I have no

sympathy whatever with dictators, no matter how good their intentions may !,e.” There may he even in this rounlry some differences cf opinion as to tlie beneficence of Lenin’s rule, but there can he none at all among observant people as to its undemocratic, i.vrannical nature, and ihe sympathy of the Xew Zealand Labour Party with the Russian Government on the passing of its author is one of those things beyond the comprehension o( ordinary mortals. RETURNING SANITY. ,|„sl what penalty Mr McCombs will vnli'er at flic hands ol the Labour Parfy for having dared lo differ from ils Executive on a matter of this kind remains to he seen : Iml it is doubtful if Mr Holland and Mr P. Fraser themselves would care to he very closely allied with such a form of government as Lenin inaugurated and maintained. Then* arc people here predicting (hat, the Xew Zealand Labour Parly, a few mouths hence, so far from wishing to keep the Lenin traditions alive, will be seeking to adjust itself to the much modified policy <d the Labour T ait\ at I Incite. Aft McCombs is scarcely the man lo lead such a movement. lacking. , 1S j„, ,]„ os . some of the personal qualities which appeal In the masses. Hut lie has more than a share ol the brains if the party, abounding industry and an nnduring belief in himself, aiid his disagreement with the extremists over Ibis lit tie matter of procedure and tallies is a good augury f„r the birth of a same Labour Party which in due course will hear its ordained part in the direction of the affairs of the country.