WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 June 1924, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

POLITICAL VIEWS

(Special to “Guardian”.)

WELLINGTON, June G,

Tin. political views of tire men in the streets of Wellington are variegated, ami it i> marvellous Jiow current political questions are viewed by different people. Tim streets are a never failing source of rumours, of actual tacts ami theories, .hist now the men in the streets happen to display a remarkable unanimity in the opinion that the Massey Civeinment must go out. It is just that tired feeling that has germinated this opinion. The people are tired of the .Massey team. One man will tell you with considerable phasis that there cannot bo a dissolution jii'L now because no member would be willing to sacrifice a year’s sainrv merely for the public good. Another will tell you quite confidently that Sir Joseph Ward is coming back into polities and will stand for Oroua ; this information would be contradicted by the next man. and Ashburton would be picked as Sir Joseph’s next constituency. The business man will

sav something like this: •■.Massey appears to have lost ilis political running. He is playing to the country

partv and is setting town against country. The towns will vote Labour.” ••Isitt i- retirng from polities niter

this Parliament” is the information obtained Iron) another source, wdiile yet another is positive that Witty will lie called to the I’pper House, and that the Christchurch constituencies will be a gift to Labour at the next election." It will be a hot session, for members will want to get off a '"t of propaganda work, but there will lie no dissolution this year ’ was the opinion expressed by an ex-member o! Parliament. Political rumours, true ami false, are pretty thick about the streets of Wellington, and there is a gp'iit deal of genuine amusement to he obtained by those who have the time

others

to spare and the art of getting others to talk. FARMERS’ POLITICK. There are many political questions of direct and special interest to tanners that arc hound to receive considerable attention during the coming ses-

sion. Cor instance the frozen meat industry must lie discussed lor it I* certain that the sale o! the Poverty Mac .Meat Works to \ esty Pros will be introduced and I lie altitude and action of ibe Meat Hoard severely criticised. The Hoard refused one freezing company the privilege ol liaising CJjJHiri of licitish capital by the 'issue

of nrel'croiiiv shares, and very soon afterwards sanrl iened I lie sale In Vesly Eros. Of course there is the legal aspees of tile question that cannot he overlooked, and iiti tltnilit the Minister for Agriculture will disclose that. Then there is the cutting out the S.S. Admiral ('ndriiiglon from the list ol meal caniei's. which is another alleged penally imposed oil Hie Poverty Hav Meat Works. It is not unlikely that the impotence and the costliness of the Meat Hoard will he p.tiiilc,l out hv some of the aggrieved parlies and there is further the ques-

tion of tlit* meat companies' meteor, whirl), by the way, appears to have been -till born. The original scheme ha- not met with much support, and the promoters appear not to have done anything since the meeting held in Wclliiigl on some weeks ago. There i' further the question ol ait Agi ii-n 1 1 uraI Hank. Ii the (lovcrnmeiil is not asked lor a charitable bequest to this proposed institution Hie promoters can have their Agrieult ii’al Hank. It i' quite a fallacy la think that hankers are opposed to an Agricultural Hank. They are not. They merely ask that the institution should not he given privileges that the other hanks have not gol. The la: liters al o want control ol shinning, at ka-t that i- one ol the Inui plank* in Hi" l-'.n met •’ l iii<ni phitlorm. and it is dil'icull to see what Parliament can do in Ibis matter. The overseas shipping trading in New Zealand is privately owned. and the owners are not hkelv (o submit lo their all'airs being (oiitrolled liv New Zealand farmers. I’ll lb-; p|.:rr- !••()!! DAIRY PROD ITT' Mr .Middleton. Chairman of the South l-1.-iiid Daily Association, staled. a; tlv annual meeting of the Association, thill Ihe future did uni hold out very blight nrosnects for dairy produce prices. A Wellington Inisi-

Mr's man cnminenl ill!; mi this remark<■'l iliat (lie statement conl'numT* Iwith profits. It (lues not matter in thf (litiry farmer li' price' recede, 'o Imtu ns his margin ol‘ profits remains. That prices of Initti*r will lull i' genemilv admitted. hui willi th f drop in values must dim:* it redurti'ui in charges. Thus railage ami freight iiiiisi hr lowered. aii(| other iiuidfnial charges reduced, thus leav-

ing tin* margin ni’ profit pretty much whai it i' limy. Hut a drop in values dims mil liifau the cud nf things. Wilh improvements ami is nnoiiiie' mi tiif farm :hf margin •>1 profit can he increased, an I tins Mr .Mithllfruii liiniM'l! iii'iiit' rail, whim Ilf mi if.to 1 -1 s ilia* the yield ni butter-lut per cow. which "OW :i vi rii;;< s about ! 7-Tllis, riiuli] Tic -really increased hy herd-lestvtg and r-tiili it;£. liificasa - tin* production and reduce tin’ costs and the margin of profit becomes oMit'iimly satisfactory. The dairying industry of New Zealand is o il in any danger of extinction, or even ai Inane (rippled, lull illtonipe lint, n ".dial'll!. ami exl raragani j larinprs will he eliminated. The pro war price of New Zealand salted hatter. that is ai the end of .May, Mas hhs rer ewt in the London market ami a return to that level in the near future seems probable, and dairy farm- j et's should hear that in mind and prepare lor an impending change. !