WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 February 1925, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

THE PROHIBITION MOVEMENT

THE LEADERS’ PERENNIAL CONI’IDENCE, (Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, February 17. While the controversy between the parties to the liquor question continues to confuse political issues and to agitato society generally, it is well to know what the parties themselves are doing in preparation for the triennial licensing poll which, in the ordinary course, will take place simultaneously with the general election, in December next. They both have their headquarters in Wellington and both have signalled the arrival of the year of decision by a revival and an extension of their activities. Keen to-day, the Secretary of the New Zealand Alliance declared that the Prohibition Party was hotter equipped and more Hopeiu 1 of success than it even had been before. So far from being discouraged by the result of the last poll, it saw in the figures, the earnest of an early victory. Over (50,000 young people would vote for the first time next December, and the young people wire always the strength of the prohibition movement. The party was hoping that the issues on the ballot paper would he reduced to two —Continuance and Prohibition—hut even without this concession to common-sense and fair-play it would make very substantial pi•*gross. Information from the other side is not so easily obtained in a concrete form, but its organisations are covering the ground very thoroughly and appear to he well satisfied with 'he results of their labours. The opponents of Prohibition are urging that Corporate Control should be substituted ter State Control, on the ballot jinpou; but they will not hear of the red iction of the issues to two. THE FOUR PER CENT GOAL.

Among the several confidences the Hon. J. G. Coates has imparted to the public during his tour of the Otago and Southland districts, none tins aroused more curiosity here than Ids statement that he hoped in a lew months- to luife the New Zealand Railways “earning 4 per cent.” He did not say whether this return waste bo upon the hook cost of the lines or upon the actual cost ; but as Mirrsters rarely speak of the actual cos' of a line, which would include interest on the expenditure while in course of construction, it is safe to assume that he had only the hook cost in his mind. This may mean no more than (!0 to iO per cent" of the actual expenditure, m some eases even less, and probably It would he well within the mark to rr.y that the railways have cost fully HO per cent more than the departmental accounts reveal. It has to be borne in mind, therefore, that when the Minister talks about’ the railways earning 1 per cent he is anticipating someth’, lg less than .’i per cent upon the eapt.ii employed. Of course, Mr Coates is simple following the practice ol hss predecessors in office and there is no need to take him to task for perpetuating a little book-keeping fiction which lias been current ever since the construction ol the lirst State railway in this country was undertaken. REDUCED CHARGES.

The public is not interested so much in how the railway accounts are k-’pt as it is in how the .Minister is g-mg in increase the percentage ol earnings |,v some Bid per i-i• nt.. say 2 per cent, on tile hook value ol the lines to I per cent. In recent years aL any rate, the policy ol the Department has been to bolster up a declining revenue |,v raising charges with the result thatmuch goods traffic lias been driven oil to the roads and railway travelling has become an expensive luxury. The general tenor of the report ol the recent Railway Coin mission tactfully condemned the policy that had brought this state of affairs about, and it would seem from, his recent utterances that Air Coates has interpreted it in this way. He is for encouraging travelling, tor extending services, tor employing motor-ears and, if necessary, for co-operating with motor-ears that now are competing against the railways. These all are recommendations of the Commission, and they obviously are sound; but their application will mean a reversal of the policy which lias been in vogue since the beginning of the war. amt the Minister will require all the courage with which he is credited to see it through. During his present tour lie has been taring some of the most intricate problems ilial beset him in connection with the ius* tic lias undertaken, the South isi.iiiil presenting administrative difficulties peculiarly its own, and apparently so far lie has acquitted himself to the satisfaction of his local critics. EXTREME LABOUR.

Extreme Labour in both liemispheies appears bent upon estranging itsell from progressive people who would gladlv give support to any sane practical ‘ scheme for the advancement of the legitimate aims of the workers. While deluded Labour members of the House of Commons are denouncing a vote of £2.1)00 towards the expenses ut the Prince of Wales’ trip to South Africa, the Labour Party in New Zealand is distributing an appeal to the workers for subscriptions towards a fund of £25.000 being raised in order that Labour may contest every constituency at the forthcoming general election. Of course there is no n! Action to the Labour Barty raising money for tile promotion of its political ends. Probable the Reform Baity and the Liberal Barty are doing the same sort of thing, although according to current reports, neither of the old parties is finding campaigning money very plentiful at the present t me. That by the way. The objection to the Labour Party’s appeal is not to its purpose, but to its assertion. Ds authors declare that the Court t Aibitration “is a political institution controlled by the party in power,” that the law denies the workers ’‘industrial freedom.” that they are “mere chattels in the hands of a class made law which has been dictated and is administered by your aggressors,” finl that, in short, the rest of the work] is arrayed in an evil conspiracy against down-trodden labour. The signatures attached to the appeal are those of two prominent figures in the Labour Party who must be giving the worlcms little credit for intelligence.