WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1924, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

TAXATION ENQUIRY. REPRESENTATION OF WAG 1C EARNERS. (Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, March 31 The “Evening Post,” after pointing out that the Taxation Committee of' two years ago, though not wholly fruitless, failed in its main purpose largely because it was composed of advocates and not ol representatives, urges that- the new committee the Prime Minister has promised should not suller from the same defect. "One class was not represented,” it says. “That was the class of small taxpayers, salaried and professional men, and other workers who contribute to tho revenue through tho Customs duties and through income tax levied upon savings invested in companies and upon salaries. These people ultimately are. the greatest sufferers by heavy or illdevised taxation, and their views must be heard. Moreover, if they are represented in full strength they will be able to correct sectional views and impart judicial qualities to the investigation.” While insisting strongly upon tho classes it is championing being represented on the Committee the “Post” also emphasises tho duty of tho Government and members of Parliament to see that action follows upon the presentation of the committee’s report. It wants the taxpaying community relieved of any inequitable burdens it may he bearing, not merely tho addition of several pages of printed paper to the Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives. MINISTER AND TEACHERS.

The members of the Wellington Headmasters’ Association have lost no time in letting the Minister of Equation understand they have no intention of sitting down quietly under the aspersions they think lie cast upon the leaders of their profession in the course of a statement he made in Christchurch, the other day. “Apparently the Minister considers that he granted the representatives of the Headmasters’ Association ail interview,” the chairman of the Wellington Association states this morning. “The fact is, however, that the Director of Education sent an invitation to the representatives to meet the Minister and discuss the amended regulations. To their surprise when they acceded to tho request, they were treated as a deputation, and the Minister not only insisted on their

speaker cutting out tho first part of his ease, but also subjected him to frequent disconcerting interruptions. If the Minister had a desire to work in a spirit of co-operation with the tea'-hes, surely he would have given riieir speaker every latitude in stating Ills case, and would not so summarily have put the closure on the first part or it." The tone of the chairman’s observations, though intended, no doubt, to be respectful, is plainly not very deferential. PROMOTING A STREAK.

In this respect the chairman, whom, presumably writes with the con m. ii-nee of the other members of the executive of the Association, seems prepared to go to very considerable lengths. “The headmasters trust that in, l.v-.ly ol teachers will lend itself to assist the Minister in drafting regulations which display a lack of confidence in the teaching profession. It is a peculiar tiling that the Minister, in Ids slatemont, alludes only to the one regulation, but says nothing about the general trend of the whole, nor doe- he allude to other objectionable features. The latter part of the Association’s statement, where the general trend of the regulations is criticised, is ignored by the Minister. In conclusion, if the Minister will whole-heartedly withdraw these “impracticable and undesirable” regulations, he will find his reward in the fact that the great body of the teachers will meet his trust with trustworthiness.” No one need doubt Mr Parr’s honest concern for the welfare of the education system of the Dominion, but be appears to have a most unhappy knack of rubbing, lip the wrong way members of the teaching profession who do not submit quietly to the dictation of his Department.

POLITICS AND PARTIES. Though the opening of the next session of Parliament still is nearly three months away there already is a good deal of discussion and speculation as to what will happen when members assemble is Wellington. The Prime Minister has made a tolerably extensive tour of the country since his return from the imperial C'onfercsee, and though he does not admit that his journeying up and down the Dominion had anything to do with party politics he expresses himself as well pleased by the receptions accorded to him everywhere. His present popularity, which counts for so much at election time, obviously is unimpaired; but his own political friends admit that the failure of lii.s hopes in regard to Imperial “preference” and cheap money has somewhat discounted the stock of the Reform Party. Mr Wilford, the leader of the Liberal Opposition, has been movisg about quietly during the past month, preparing the way, it is understood, for a platform campaign Inter on. He, too, professes himself satisfied with the party outlook. The Labour Party never sleeps nor slumbers and its activities during the present recess have been more far-reaching than ever. It has been much encouraged by the success of the Labour Party at Home and with a fine assumption of confidence counts upon winning haf-a-dozen additional seats at the next general election and becoming the official Opposition, if not, with the assistance of the Liberals, the first New Zealand Labour Government.