WELLINGTON NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1924, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES

THE BURDEN OE DEBT. COLOSSAL FIGURES.' ((Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, March 5 -More eloquent than his expositions from the platform of the need for public and private economy is Mr Massey’s statement to the newspapers of the enormous sums of money to be found by t lie Dominion during the next few years for the renewal of expiring loans. The figures quoted by the Prime Minister are simply colossal. This year there is nine millions odd to be renewed • next year there will be cloven millions odd and the year after that sixteen millions odd, a total of over thirty-six millions. After Ibis there will be a comparative lull for a year or so. but the huge sum of eighty-three millions will have to be re-arranged before the end of 1030. Of course Mr Massey or his successor will manage to get the money somehow at a price, if all goes well with the world meanwhile, and just now there is no need to speculate as to what would happen if Kurope were plunged into another great war before I 1m? Dominion had made its arrangements with its creditors. It i. well. however, that Mr Massev has given such wide publicity tn these salient facts. Too many people in litis country have fallen into the habit of regarding money Imrrowcd as

monev made. ‘•THE COUNTRY PARTY

Relore every general election there is talk of the formation of a “Country Party” to hold the other parlies in check and to promote the interests ol tiu: rural industries. Rarely has the talk been converted into action, and not unnaturally the idea has come to be regarded as more or less n! a jest. But during the lasi week or I wo, it appear-., a commit ler consisting of eight members of the House ol Ropre."iitative. has been foamed to care lor lb -legislative well are of the country! people and to see that they get I heir fair share, and even a little more, of the loaves and fishes distributed by Parliameiit. The members of the committee. it seems, were settled by a sort of competitive examination held by the Farmer*’ Union, and it says something for the impartiality of the examiners that four of the suceesslul candidates are Liberals, three I’eloK.m--ers and one an Independent. It is stated that the committee though highly political is .strictly non-party, but it. would be interesting to see what would occur should Mr Massey stake

the existence of bis Government on the imposition of a prohibitive duty on imported wheat. The six members from the Ninth Island, at any laic, would jitt*l themselves in a dillicult position. LOCAL OPINION. The "Dominion” takes this committee quite seriously. It deprecates the formation of a separate I* armors Party, because, as it says, ii would mean a split with ail the existing parties and the alienation of a large section of support which farmers already enjoy. But il fears no such result from the Farmers' C'on limit tee. "The preout move .of the Farmers' Union Executive,” it rellects. probably with an eve upon its political significance, "suggcls rather a stop in the opposite direction. Apparently tl means merely that the Union is attempting to get. mt,. .I. •:■!' tour h with tbo *;• wb» re- I . nl couefdistricts in Parliament with a view to the Hotter prolor* ion ol lhe interests of the primary producers.’ The "Post" as becomes tin* mouthniece of an urban community, takes a rather different view of the movement. “Some of our farmers.” it ....V'x "have east envious eyes nil the American farmers’ Mors with their records of political bargaining and buying and selling support. For their own sake wo hope they will not fry and introduce the block system here. Once started it will not stop *0 11 country bine. There will ho city blocs raid manufacturers’ blocs. ’ 1 lie personnel of the committee leaves little

ground for atuircbcii-ion on this score. Mr Forbes of llummii. Air McPherson of Oaniaru and Air Alas K-rs ol Stratford. aiv not ol tin- type that countenance Moc tactics. THE SESSION. Mr li. E. Holland’s appeal to the prime .Minister to summon members ol Parliament to Wellington this year a month or two earlier (ban usual has not impressed either the politicians or lbe public, i lie session is likely to lie a long one. in any case, Air Alassey’* departure for tho Imperial Conference lasi year having necessitated the shelving of a number of matters that must lie dealt with this year, but it is doubtful if an earlier meeting would expedite the prorogation by a single day. A matter that is being discussed here with much more interest is the possibility of a dissolution immediately after the approaching session. Mr Massev lias been understood to sny tiiafc he will not carry on indefinitely t,y the grace of the two Liberals uho stand between him and deieat in the House. Thi- may have been merely an invitation to other Liberals to come to bi- assistance. But the unwonted aeivities of tiie Reform organisation and of the Prime .Minister himself suggest that an early appeal to tiie constituencies is among the contingencies

that have to tie taken into account. •Something of the kind seems to have readied iL> ear of the Prohibition Party which is anxious to preserve the ordinary rotation of the licensing poll.