WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

AX INCONCLUSIVE DISCUSSION

(Special to “Guardian”.) AY ELLINGTON, February

P’lirtbcr information that lias leaked out concerning the discussion of control h.v the Dairy Hoard last week tends to show that of the twelve members of the hoard—nine elected by the factory suppliers, two appointed by the Government and one nominated by the merchants and shippers—only the three members recently returned from their overseas tour, Messrs Grounds, Motion, and Thacker and the redoubtable Mr Goodfellow, were at all enthusiastic over the proposal that the hoard should go to the length of taking into its own hands the shipping and marketing of all dairy produce exported from the Dominion. A resolution to the effect that the Hoard should exorcise its powers of control was followed by another postponing the discussion of the extent of the control till the next meeting of members and hv a third affirming " that as far as passible dairy produce shall he marketed through the present channels.” Tt is understood that during the next few weeks Mr Grounds and Mr Goodfellow will “stump the country” in favour of extreme control; but tbev are not likely to have the field all to themselves and already protests arc being made against what one indignant critic styles the agrarian autocracy of the Minister of Agriculture. The “Post ” last evening, without taking sides with either party, rebuked the Minister of Internal Affairs for encouraging the producers in their belief that they could fix the price of butter in London, and bluntly told the producers themselves that their faith in control was jllusory. TUP, PROPOSED FUSION.

The talk of a fusion between the Reform and Liberal parties as a protest against the insidious advance ol extreme Labour, which seems to have been revived in connection with the recent meeting of the executive of the. Liberal Party in Christchurch, no longer arouses interest in political circles here. Even Air Massey has begun to realise that a return to the twopartv system can he effected only by a reconciliation between the Liberal and Labour parties and that such a reconciliation is not a thing to ho encouraged hv the Reform Party. The stars in their courses still are fighting for the Prime Minister. The leader of the Liberal party fears to associate himself with Labour because such a step would involve him in charges of confiscation and disloyalty and the leader of the Labour Party resents any advance from Liberalism because he suspects a coalition would lessen his opportunities and impair his personal dignity. Not unjustly, the two leaders of the divided opposition have boon described as -Mr .Massey’s best friends in" politics, and flic Minister himself has smiled broadly and not unuppreeiativelv at the jest. How the constituencies regard the method of fusion which detached two prominent members from the Liberal Paty at last general election still remains to he seen; but meanwhile Mr Massey holds the stage and given a complete restoration to health and an inclination to remain in polities he will he a hard man to displace. It is a case of the old dog for n hard road. THE ELECTORAL ROLLS.

Mention of the possibilities of party fusion is a reminder of the fact that the requirements of the new system of compulsory enrolment, instituted by the Legislative Amendment Act of last session, is, according to the report of the chief officer of the Electoral Department" being ignored by the great mass of the electors. Iho Act places upon every person entitled to vote at next election of members ol the House of Repescntatives the responsibility of getting his name on the roll, and if lie has not discharged this reSpousibil.il s by Mar, h 0 next. four weeks hence, lie will be liable to a substantial fine. The matter was mentioned at a meeting ol the executive of the Licensing Reform Assetiatioii held here yesterday and it vis decided to make strong representations to the Minister in Charge of the electoral Department, with a view to stimulating the activities of the Department ami increasing the interest of the pubic. It was stated confidently at the meeting that nut. m -c than one. in ten of GOII.OIKi or 1)0,00!! people entitled to vote were aware that their names had been automnticnllv removed from the roll and taat they were personally respunsnde lor their own re-registration. The suggestion of the association was that Gio

Electoral Department should send a personal notification to every elector who had recorded n vote at the last general election accompanied by a warning that if he neglected lis duty t-c----yontl the proscribed date serious cons.'fjlUMues would follow. The representations of the Association may not be wholly disinterested, but they have been made at an opportune time. BRANCH RAILWAY LINES.

It is to the credit of the Ifon. J. 0. Coates, the Minister in Charge, that he is hot allowing the grass Lo grow under his feet while the report of the recent Railway Commission is under consideration. One matter that is known to be engaging his personal attention just now is the working of the branch lines, some twenty-six of twen-ty-seven if them, up and down the country, which have been a sore burden upon the taxpayers for many years past. A few examples will give some idea of how much these luxuries are costing the country. Complete oflieia! figures are not available, but from such data as comes readily to hand it seems that the great majority of these lines, taking interest on their capital cost into account, are being run at a heavy loss. The 832 trains run on the AYing-atui-Crom well line last year involved the country in a loss of £SO -Is per train ; the 520 trains on the HornbyLittle River line, CIO -Is per train; the 100 trains on the Wnipara-Parn-assus line, €3-1 71s per train; the 024 trains on the Tinwalil-Spiiiigbum line, jj-_>| I7 s; „er train; the 62-1 trains on the Pukeuri-Hokotaramea line €l6 5s per train; the 1560 trains on the Eden-dale-Clenhani line, .€l4 11s per train; the 621 trains on AVaiareka-Ngapara line €l-1 per train; and the 988 trains on the -Milton-Beaumont-line, €l3 16s per train. It is significant that all these losers are in the South Island, but it is only fair to remember that in manv eases they opened up country which otherwise would have remained unoccupied for many years.