WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON NEWS

.MOKE CONTROL LEGISLATION'

RESIN ESS MEN PROTEST

(Special to “Guardian”.}

WELLINGTON. September

Tin. passage of the Kauri Gum ( ontn/| Rill through the House of RepromMltattvos on I'T'i'lny has sol tin* ton--ues of !.i! -moss inon atrcsli against Iho Government’s penchant for interfering with tin* established chan-iu-L of 1 1;« i!<_• and oominoroo. 'I ho Kill loot li on liufuru the sessiona l oonnnilroo to which it was referred m the orlinary course for many weeks In.loro i! marlo ils tvappenra noo in the Il'UtsC. ; in,l it is uinloi'slno.'l iitt-iiihors of tin' oomiiiiltoe were sharply ami not very cquallv divided on tire question of oonr l'o ]. Tj;e position seems to lie that . v ,i|- sinee till* beginning ol tho great, war Liie Government lias been nursin'.; tho l.auri mini industry and now lintls 't '.oil' out of pocket to the extent of some L' H)fl:t!lK> and a large slack ol tin - saleable on in on its hands. Ihe lion. V. |). M< Lend i lie .Minister ol LaiM.-.

l 1( i,l charge o! tile Rill in fhe House, implied that the Government had sufficient senility inf its advances ,iid ilia! it was only a matter of lfine when it would he able to qe.it its stool; ,f .mm to advantage. Rut critics of tlie Government declare that it will he hi. kv to eel. out of its venture with no 'treater loss than 10s in the pound, and that delay in realisation, which ap,enr- to lie (he purpose of the present legislation, will make the position even

:• than il is at present. A HER I NESS .MAN’S VIEW

Commenting noon the matter to-day i Wellington business man admitted that the cont nil "of kauri gum was i small allair compared with the control ol meat and dairy produce. Rut the under-lying principle, be cniphadsed, was the -nine and it was one which people who fully realised what it mount could not contemplate wtih equanimity. The Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Lands were ready to liave any litisiness or industry brought under " control.' and even the Piiii".' .Miiiister--whom this aulhoiily ’'.olds in very high esteem- had alloweri himself to he persuaded into .-eliding tliree delegates ahroad to investigate the various fanners’ banking schemes ’ hrorp.dioul the world. Mr l oates s purpose, in that ease, however, may have hern to eel this hardy annual El till |y out ol the way lor election year. Rut Mr Noswori Iry and Mr Ml.cod. nne might, imagine, were bent upon muloing the l.ahoc.r Party in its desire for the socialisation of everyt-liitisi in the shape of production, transport and exchange. The institution of a Kauri Gum Control Board might mean no more than some delay in bringing to luiok a loss tire Govcrinnent was bound to make, but it was significant of the loose coneeplion of economic-; which wits growing up niiiiiiiy the politicians and cost ing the country many thousands a year . THE LARGER CO NSC IEN'CE. Tin- local papers, accepting Mr 11. E. (omits, the official Labour candidate for Wellington North. as the keeper ol the party’s cuiiscietict'. are denouncing strongly the attitude ol tiie l.ahour Parly lowartls the seamen who are t.akin.,; part in the maritime strike and utterly disregarding lire interests ol the Empire ami tiie <on nimbly. The " Post" on Saturday. alter quoting a pa-sage Irom a summary of a speech delivered by all Combs t" a gathering ol I,is politic:!| friends, in winch lie was represented as -ayiny, that the ve-sel. now lying idle ru Wellington liai'hottr were held up because of industrial injustice ami that the l.ahour Party was in lull sympathy with the strikers, declares that the l.ahour Party i - confessedly in sympathy "with men. who in defy in >. tho in; 1 ho it > . <!• pa ft I r otn

>•!!;■ ill' tiiist ptineiples of nn'einsle.. ] Mr C'.iiiiljs litis nothin;; to smv coiii-orii- I in 4 I !■■ 111 ■•:si■ I■ oi tipreenioni. lie homo; eMiiain \\ hat ]>ri■ ■ • -i)■!«• he would < 1 iviiK* aproeineiii , into itvo ;-lii>-'os. those uliieh inusi he kept ami » hose \\ iiiel! i:iay he !ir.> 1.,■ ji. Inn he upproto, v. it he'll 11 semi ( ion ilie eomiuet of men who hnve hroken n eleiir 11 nil ih hnito eoiilrnet. Tliese nieii al e riplii anil - c.'iiiiimly lln* men who are loyally ahiiiine hy llieir articles. of j*fjTocii’.flil are wrnie.;!" What, l.ahonr will have to say in replv to this indictment remains In l>e seen, hut it is eerlain the party is not oainiipj; ]iopnlarity llirouph the present disloenlion of trade. I'TIJTIIKi! IXVUI.VKI).

Tin* ' Pominion " tlii' morning i> riiorc cnndinlic than its evening inii--11-I:ll>c>r:ir\ll>c>r:ir\ i- in imm-ithe niii(it.!-' ill' tlio Labour Pally. Ii t n kcs t !ir -‘New /.i'll In ii'l Worker " as its authority Ini' a-stiming llint tin' parly has placed llic ivhulr of it. resources :il tin l ilis|uisnl nl' tlii' ■ t libers. •• If tliis 11 >*■:i!is nnytlting," it says, “it ir,Clips that the Labour Parly i-. |iropiii'cil n Iways in support any body ui’ iih'ii calling I lii'iiis.'lv.'s strikers in any nl lin k they care to make dm the |n-f>|>l'■ ui’ iiic I)11111inii>»i. including its wage<'ii i hits. It Is clear also that it t In* I .:i 1 '"ii r Pally were in nflice it would allow I!i• nresenr strikers id hold up the espial trade id the Dnimiiioii as I. ii.; as they liked. It is well that llieso things should lie known. and Ihe electors nl' the f)< >ini it ion will he foulislt indeed if they do not hear them in mind on pollute' day. .Meantime it is cioni' that llie (Jiivorninont has not intervened a moment 100 soon. There can he no qnefdion of allowing the export trade of (lie Dominion to lie held up by a few hundred eontraet breakers, and if these men will not man the 'l ips, others inns! lie iicind to lake their places." To-day the Prime Minister is turning his personal attention to the tmtihio and high hopes tire entertained nf his bringing about a 1 set t lenient. I