WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 April 1924, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

TAXATION' COMMISSION. (Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, April 11 Mr Massey’s Taxation Commission is not likely to give satisfaction to the people of Wellington. Its personnel is considered to be weak, notwithstanding the fact that its members all are business men. The views of three of them are known, that is to say three of them sat oil the Taxation Commission of 1922. Oile signed tlio majority report which the Government declined to accept, and tile two otheis signed the minority report. Ihe pio.sent Commission’s finding will receive scant respect: Mr T. Slmiler Weston, though a lawyer has specialised m political economy. He is a director of many companies in Wellington, including the Wellington Publishing Company which issues the ‘‘Dominion newspaper. The fact that he took first class honours iii' political science in 1889 does not necessarily qualify him for a scat on this Commission. He is a partisan of the Reform Party as also is Mr G. Shirtclifte, auothei member of the Commission. I best! both are Wellington residents and the man in the street knows their party aiul political . opinions. The capital city will not become greatly excited over the findings of this Commission. IN A POLITICAL PANIC.

The session is not far oil and the Prime Minister should be in Ids office in Wellington attending to his public duties. That he is in the South Island on an electioneering tour is causing people here to wonder what is iiiong with the Reform Party. Air Massey is evidently in a political panic and his speeches in Southland noli alarm his friends. Wellington gets

an inside view of politics and politicians, and the general opinion here is that Mr Massey sees the writing on the wall. U is unlikely that anything startling-will happen during the approaching session, but there is one matter that is certain to give rise to an acrimonious debate. This is —the sale of the Poverty Bav .Meat V orks to Vcsty Bros. The Meat Board sanctioned the sale. It could do nothing else, since a refusal would, in all probability have resulted a big lawsuit. The sale, however, caused heavy losses to many influential people in the Poverty Bay district and these people are not likely to let their grievances go unvoiced. RETAIL PRICE OF BUTTER.

The retail price of butter in Wellin;

ton was reduced another penny per lb recently, making the price Is Sd per lb for “Standard” brands. Ibis expression “Standard” has never been explained, but it is apparently a term appropriated by certain butter merchants for distinguishing their advertised brands from other brands of butter. This, however, does not imply any superiority of quality, nor does it indicate that the butter has passed through the grading stores. 'I lie

“Standard” brands "I butter are just good butters with fancy names. A day prior to the announcement of the reduction in the retail price to Is Sd, a cable message, received by the New Zealand Producers’ Co-operative Marketing Association, was punished. This message, dated London, April I, stated that the retail price of New Zealand butter bad been reduced to 4s (id, and that it was expected this would .stimulate the demand, and clear tlio accumulations in store. Thus the finest salted New Zealand butter was retailing in London at Is (id per lb, after paying Id per lb in freight, insurance, exchange and lolling coinmission. while similar butter was rc-

tailing in Wellington at Is f-d per lb or 2d more. Naturally the people want to know why there should lie this dilfereifcc. INVITING FURTHER TROUBLE. It is impossible to explain the position, or tn giro adequate and convincing reasons justifying tills extra impost,. How is one to answer fie wharf labourer, or the plumber, or Hie clerk with a small salary or the men

existing- on a precarious wage? These men want to know why there should be this pronounced difference in the retail price of New Zealand butter. How are they to be answered? A cynical silence is irritating, and naturally there is a feeling of resentment. In the past we have heard of the wharf labourer refusing to handle butter for shipment in the hope of forcing down retail prices. But that .sort of action never succeeds. These small men who are suffering from this form of exploitation have votes, and so have their womenfolk, and they will show their resentment at the next election. The silence of the authorities is one of the Avuys of invitinp; the electors to vote for extreme Labour. Here lies the danger. A Labour Government, following precedent eould logically place an embargo on the export ot butter, or any other commodity until the price loea’lly wore brought to a parity with London prices. The principle of the embargo is well established in respect to wheat, bran, and pollard. An embargo on the export of butter would he all of the same piece. It is marvellous that business people do hot see the far-reaching and dangerous effects of this form' of exploitation.