WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1924, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

A STORMY SESSION. (Special to ‘‘Guardian’’.) WELLINGTON, June 13 With the opening of Parliament iilmiit, It lot might oir interest in the session is gaining in strength, and \1 ithin the past J'eiv days neiv features have developed which create Iresli possibilities. U is generally agreed that the session will lie a stormy one, and oratory of sorts will he served up on all -.tuts of ooneeivahle questions. It is the opinion here that Mr Massey is manoeuvring to break a record. He

has still some time to serve as I’riino Minister to break the record established hv the late I!. J. -Soddoii, who was Premier for thirteen years. For this reason, it is asserted that the volume ol legislation this year will be comparatively light and eliorts "'ill bo made to avoid trouble. It he can get through this season saiely and the next vear's Mr Massey will lime established a record. lint such scheme" too often fail, and there are possibilities ol failure now. Mr 1.. M. Tsitt, member for Christchurch North, has announced his intention to retire from polities, and lie holds the fate ot the Government in the hollow ol his hand. Lightning changes in political prospects are quite-ponsiliU; this session ; at all events, that is the opinion amongst men who take an interest in polities and emphasis is given to this l>y the fact that practically all the members of the Ministry have boon electioneering during tin l liast lew weeks. THE MORATORi I'M. The extension of the moratorium beyond December 31 is not favored by the business community ol Wellington. Even the suggestion of Mr Massey's that eases of hardship suffered by mortgagors should lie investigated by a Supreme Court Judge is not accepted kindly. It is contended that mortgagors covered by the iiloraforiuin have had plenty of time to make ar-

raugements for meeting tlioir obligations, and any extension of the moratorium would do harm, for it would be dillicull to convince people beyond New Zealand that this country was prosperous and financially sound it a moratorium already eight years old has to ho extended. It is felt here that the troubles will not lie nearly as serious ;is many people imagine. Foreclosures will he few and will he confined mainly to properties that will not show a failmargin on present day valuation. There still remains for investigation the important question of why it is sn difficult to borrow ott the security of broad acres. It is not merely a question of the rate of interest, hut rather a decided aversion to such investments. Almost every day in 'Wellington financial brokers are hawking round securities trying to raise motley, but without success. Smile of the large institutions that formerly were eager to lend on teal estate have absolutely shut down on such investments. Just at present borrowers have to rely mainly on the Advances Office, the Gnvem’ment Life Assurance Olfice and the I’lihlic Trust Olfice. There is plenty of privately owned funds seeking investment and this is going into Government securities and local hollies’ debentures. Within the past few days the quotations for It per cent stocks and bonds have risen from L'9(> 12. s lid to lift) 17s (id. and eoutinue to display a strong upward tendency. THE THREE It'S. A correspondent of a Wellington paper directs attention to the disgraceful penmanship of the hoys and girls seeking jobs in offices, lie maintains that tlie handwriting generally of nowadays is disgraceful, lacking in

stylc, untidy, careless ami unintelligible, and lie blame:- the Educational tit ll horities for the deterioi'aliou. The foundation of a good education, the three U’s--reading, writing, arithmetic —are sadlv n.'glcitcd and the cones pomlcut add . •'llhlni tiin.iU'ly. export cnee shows that a large proportion of the hoys and girls who pass through our New /calami schools, primary and secondary, arc sadly delieient in the knowledge of these three foundation subject-. Ask Inisine-s employers for their opinion tut this matter. They are , appalled with Ibe poor educational c'ltlipniclil in the e cs-cMlial subjects of most ol those v. lio apply to them for positions." There is a great deal of truth in this, indeed more could he -aid on the matter without exaggeration. I'o make Ihe po-itimi worse solar as penman-hip is concerned a new style nf writing is being taught in the schools—print writing—which has many drawbacks, and is not free of dangerous consequences. There is no “character"' in print writing as there is in ordinary penmanship, no individuality. ami there is milling to dstingnisli it when thine by different person-. If signatures are done in print writing forgery will be much easier than it is now, and it is all too common a crime at present. The country is obviously not getting results for the enormous expenditure < n t duration.