WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1924, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

AN INOPPORTUNE TIME. APPLICATIONS FOR MONEY. (Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, March 21 Deputations that wait upon the Prime Minister, in his capacity of Minister of Finance, just now with requests for money are not assured of a very cordial reception. Tho end of the financial year is at hand and apart from his concern for tho immediate present Mr Massey is desirous of closing lii.s accounts with as few commitments as possible. A deputation from the Wellington Forestry League which presented itself to the Miniser on Wednesday with a request that a few odd thousands should be placed on the Estimates for the acquisition of certain forest lands realised quickly that it had made its appearance at an inopportune moment. It had been proceeded bv a deputation that wanted 1100,000 to straighten up the Railway Superannua-

tion Fund and by another that wanted a quarter of a million to push on some public work which seemed mainly for private benefit. Naturally Mr Massey was a little impatient of this third demand. The Wellington Forestry League is an admirably intentioneil body, concerning itself for the preservation of the Native hush and for the multiplication of the sylvan beauties of the Dominion ; but apparently its deputation was not aware that the Minister already had done as much for forestry as his shrunken purse would allow and a little more than his critics were dis-

posed to approve. THE LAST STRAW

In his reply Mr Massey did not mince matters. After telling the members of the deputation of tho requests that had preceded theirs lie opened his heart to them with unwonted candour. “I don’t know how much your request comes to,” lie admitted bluntly. “I

can’t tell. Rut these demands make

me inclined sometimes t.o say, 'you had bettor get someone else to look after the finances of the country.’ I can’t keep it in check. I never saw anything like it. It. lias been a very good year considering it lias been a very drv one. We have done remarkably well. Hut we will have to go abroad tor two or three million bushels of wheat the farmers have not grown. Wc cannot avoid it. The people must have food-

stuffs and wo must do it. We will get that money back right away—l am sure—but meanwhile we have to send it away.” The Minister obviously bad some reason to protest. lie has taken the public frankly into his confidence in regard to the difficulties of the financial position, and yet if flic Treasury were ivei'flowing with money he scarcely ;on Id be assailed with more clamant appeals for assistance from every needy cause in the country. TAXATION REFORM.

The “Evening Rost,” with becoming diffidence, takes the Prime Minister to task for having noted only such portions of flic Taxation Committee’s report as suited his own ease when replying to one of bis newspaper critics the other day. “If tile Prime Minister accepts the Committee as all authority on certain phases of land taxation, ’ it says, “it is not open to him to disregard its authority upon other taxation issues. As a matter of fact, the Committee did not give a clear lead upon the greater taxing problems. It was so constituted that, it could not- do much more than present conflicting opinions and leave Parliament to judge. Parliament had the opportunity of dissecting the report and forming its own conclusions. Members generally, as wc said at the time, did not take advantage of that opportunity. The consequence was that, though (following the Committee’s recommendations) some taxing anomalies were removed, no substantial progress was made in remodelling the whole system. That remodelling must yet be undertaken, and 1 1 ic Government will have to lace the position ; members also must realise their individual responsibility in this matter, irrespective of party. Ti they continue to shirk the task they will be held culpable.” The pity is there are not half a dozen members of the present House sufficiently well acquainted with the intricacies of this problem to separate themselves from their party and give if independent consideration. EMPIRE EX TIT BITTOX. New Zealand lias been congratulating itself warmly upon the advantages, chiefly in the way of advertisement., it: is going to obtain from the Empire Exhibition ; hut apparently there is another viewpoint from which it should he examining this great enterprise. This was brought under public notice by the “Dominion” yesterday. The hooking for London during the current vear is going to establish a record, and “it would he very interesting,” the “Dominion” says, “to know exactly what this exodus is going to mean to New Zealand in hard cash.” “Several thousand New Zealanders,” it calculates, “are certain to journey to England and averaging their expenditure at tho moderate figure of £SOO per head the total should run into millions.” Probably the warning comes too late to allow any of the intending visitors to cancel their passages and the “Dominion” itself admits there may be compensations. The country will he recouped for most of the millions, it hopes, by the educational benefits of the exhibition and by the advantages of travel and the exchange of ideas.