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Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1924, Page 2

Mussolini methods have their interc ting as also their instriu tive side. <»th‘*r countries might take' a leal out of his book as regards admin's! ralive I :<>oedure and law to <arr.v < n effectively and economically. 'I he story of how he brought the Italian railways to a ■tatof efficiency is an instance of his capabilities. Atussolini estimates that when he came to power the Italian railways everywhere employed three men to do the work of one. '1 lie train services wove in a clmnti • condition, ro •- bevies were life, and accidents fr - moil. To-day all the trains run punctually. and the stations a.c a mod-1 of good older. In an occasional kn.i-v----letlge of Italy extending over nearly thirty years, writes Mr h’ra r. I have neve;- known 'the railways fa efficient is t'-ey are to-day. and that is only one phase of the changes efl'e; ted b.v Mussolini. who has swept through the land like a fiery crusader. Again, he has reduced exonditure and therefore taxation. and he l.o; es to get taxation much lower sti I. 11*' '-'lievcs in lr„--ility in the national administration, a principle which has h. cn ciUirJ.v forgotten in Gnat Itriiain since tlladsl.indied. The icMilts oi Ids «•: >n;.mies are ~g vet fullv shown in the Budge'.. ler lie has del.hera l el.v d-| l ived himself of i ertain suiir.es of re.c---11--. For exam; le. he has p.as c.l a | : .u enacting that if a man leavi i his I : sessions to members ol his own family. lh-v shall not he subjected to death and sic cession duties. It must he re-in,-mberi.fi. of course, that there are Very few huge fortunes in Italy, hut the nt w law affects the lludget and is a .set-oil’ to the economies. Shall we ever a,min have a Prime Minister who will avowedlv make it one ol his (ia-t duties In lower taxation.' asks Mr .1- laser, Who does not answer the «l"« r;e. hut | ie: ceils (•: another as;c: tof theCroiow,.ll,lll lea let's administration methods. In regal I l t encouraging ea| ital, the int-n :-a | O -cells: Am ther .great v, relight hv Mils- 'ini is that In- I;:. • imt'ired ci'i.iiden e t i ta| ital. v, hi ll is now freely oll'eie 1 lor indus-tri-l (level .-incut in Italy, inslca 1 •! rega:ding the (a italist as their na-ti-.ial enemy, the members ol the Musso'ini Cabinet do llu-ir utmost to en- . "inragi- private euteri ■ is-. Iho result is in lb- ri-niarkahle ievi.al • I ni»llist ry now iiiauileM lliroiighoiil the i (-nii -.nla. Fimallauc-ii'-l,\ great |0 lie Works are being | cjeeli 1. and 1 l;c attention ol the (ioverunient is being especially I to the nlilisath u of water |ower as a substitute for i.ie ■ coal v. 1 1 icii Italy lacks. .M i e hydroelectric power s-hciiu's are Icing proje f.|l. not only in the fo;.thills of ih- Alps, lint in otliei I'egi'ns where ai— int it. uni's w at-r .supply is avaihil-li-. - w bile m the ■nut h lln r ■ are picpo.sals ■ lor the collei linn of torrmiti.il wliters ■ into lakes which will I- used for the i cleat ion of ohotriea,! energy. Mussolini sd kc with enthusiasm of the great water-) ower scheme now Icing ; brought ia i oinpletion in I lie island ol 1 Sardinia.

DriiiN': tin* debate tm ilic second rending of l!::■ (I.iiml Ri'l hist week. tin' lijyitsure lit*;i:a t*tiii‘~'tili*.!:itintjc act, the Minister r.f Lands (IL.n A. D. Ah hcod) <■ :i it |. it w ;is mil. | •■ilm; s. I lit* Hill m w.hi. h in n] mi ii|> ilm general 'Hirstinn of tenures, lint lc> w:is in favour o! giving tile flccliold til .'ill tl:n-.‘ who went out mill cultivated 11 ic* Inn I mid wln i wished to acquire th .• [rcelicld. lln hn|ied yet to he aide to give 11 1 • holders of N'atii ii:il F.uduu mint laud the freehold. This is not a very :onifni line; declaration v.illi regard to national endowment lands which the l.ilu nils in the days nf sturdy Sir .Inhn McKenzie vt aside as a secured remnant of the Crown 'hands for State |iur| uses in assist the pension scheme and hospital maintenance. Freeholders piepoinlerale in the present House, and can exercise their sweet will in the matter nf tenure. Hut there is still a good deal of solid opposition ill the House, and a healthy n: inicn outside I’arlialiient zealous that the frcehnhl slinul 1 not he given right and !e.t. and ]arti; ularly in reward to Crown lauds set a].art by the legislature for sleili|iur| uses. 'I he possihilities o! a raid on the freehold are limitless. m:d il tie National Endowment lands are to go. il is diffiult to say where the iaiders will lie arrested. In the course of the discussion we were wind to notice that Air Holland was solid on the tenure queslicai. and was opposed to thelreehnl.l I cine m.plied to Naticua! endowment teiritoy. lie said that the Labour Party would, of eiiurse. op. post? any clauses oiling the Ii it lit to a*, quire the freehold of National Kudowmeut lauds. '1 his is a definite atlitud' very mueli to ho ended. One <:f the ((insulation- (,f the changed lomlitinns when tiie I thor party elimhs into power as a insult of the differ, lice i h.•tween the two | art ies at present more dominant, is that in reward to a land | oliey the l.r.hnr patty will he more sound than their opponents executing that the ecitlis; atorv policy of Labor w ill not he approved. It would appear that l.ahor w ill at hast f top laud aggregation--or prevent it. and perhaps wive a valilal !e lead in reward to closer .settlement without descending to < oidisi ation. The | resent Minister of Lands lonle-sed Ids inahility to deal with land aggregation short of compulsory tesideme. The time is earning soon whin the country must sit iij) and see to a more definite and ill tire land policy if the ills financial and otherwise the country is heir to, me to le cured.