WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1926, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

HAIRY BOARD’S FIXAXCI

ARRANGEM ENTS SI I.LL | IN CO-MfJ.Eli'..

(Special to " Guardian.”)

WELLINGTON, April 1

It turns out that the business community here was right m thinking teat Mr Grounds, the chairman ol the Dairy Board, was a little “previous" in assuming that, a cable- message he had received Horn. Loudon, to Vue client that the hoard’s agents had obtained in writing Iroin the London importers an assurance oi their willingness to esahlish credits in the- name of the board, 'had cleared all financial worries from his path. Ot course, it was in doubt that it the hoard secured legal possession of all Lie dairy produce exported from the Dominion it would have no difficulty in securing facilities for disposing ol trie produce overseas. That is one oi the smallest of the problems with which Mr Grounds and his colleagues are ctyilronled. But messages received hv Wellington exporting houses show that even this minor detail hits not yet been arranged. "After consultation with the London Board and promises of equitable treatment,” one of these messages reads, ‘‘lmporters’ Association has agreed to establish credits in the name of the board subject to agreeing to terms and conditions.” The other messages are to the same effect. It seems then that the message on which. Mr Grounds based a sweeping denunciation ol the critics of the hoard’s policy told less than half the story. So far the hoard has committed itsell to dealing with the Importers’ Association, but still has to leant the terms and conditions to which it will have to submit. The Association being composed of experienced business men, its demand, doubtless, will lie fair and reasonable; but it does not necessarily follow that they will he in accord with the policy ot the hoard. IT I K EDEN SKAT. Though no one here thinks ol asso. siting the Prime .Minister wito any cl the unsavoury proceedings connected with the contest lor the vacant Edmi seat i'll ih. House, some ol the develoomeiils reported during the last day or two must impair the ‘'Coates tnami to some extent. i .to spedaelh ol two such prominent supporters ol the (he,ei'nment as Mr .1. • s . Dickson, the member for Parnell, and Mr \. 11. Potter, the member lor lloskill, taking opposite sides in the contest, and each questioning the attitude ol the other, may he enough to make the Irionds ol licit.riu noop, hut meanwhile it is occasioning its opponents much merriment. Curiously h;ih these members have been mentioned ill connect ion with the impending appointments to tin' Cabinet, and the i|iiii1 11 ■!iic.s are deducing from what is happening in Auckland just non Inat Mr Dickson is throwing himsell '‘.heart anil soul into the contest with very good reason. Local sympathy remains with Miss Melville, to some extent, peruaps, hetausc Sir .lames tiunsoii i< no more than a name to the mass ol the spectators, Inn largely because iiic Independent HiTorin eandidaie has shown herself to be a capable lighter and a philosophic loser. Anoilier ihiug standing to Ihe credit of Miss Melville is the persistence with which she has championed the right of women to lie represented by a member of their own sex in Da ilia men l. Never before has the House required more urgently suili an iiitlueiice nil bin ils walls than it does at tlie present time, and women here who recognise the needs cl l ! e position lor nine in a while nr; applamfing Mr Butler's int.lepeiideiico, NKAV ZEALAND’S CHAMPION.

It is announced this morning that ing raised to send Randolph Rc.se the subscript ions towards, t lie loud heahroail to win furtiier laurels as a distnme runner are now nearing CllMb The slim. require:!, il is slated. is £1.300 and si rciiuoiis efforts have been made during the last Iwo or three weeks to secure this amount.. On Tuesday, by permission ol tin- City Council, a street collection was taken up in the streets of Wellington by an army of ladies and the good round sum of £236 os oil was obtained, suliicieut. il is Imped in save the effort from failure and to ensure Rose making tiie trip. But there is an uneasy feeling abroad lliat. the met hods ot financing file New Zealand champion's descent upon the nlhlelic fields ol America and England savour to some extent of the amosphere of professionalism. There have bean letters in the newspapers on the subject and inquiries by people not unready to subscribe; hut so far neither the local athletic authorities nor the promoters ol the tour appear to have made the point quite clear. In the CniLed States Rose may pass well enough. The Americans are not over-squeamish alx > 11 1 I ravelling expenses, the employment of trainers, appearance money, and so forth. But in England the position is a little different. I here the amateur status must he beyond all question. No doubt the promoters of l,b, c tour are satisfying themselves in this respect, fait it would he well for their subscription list, if tliev also took some pains to satisfy the general public. It would he a catastrophe if Rose should arrive in England to find the field he had come to conquer hedged around with insuperable conditions. CABINET MAKING.

Kill ly lust monill flic Prime Minister indicated. in ii casual kind <d way. I bill on llic close of tin* financial year he would he in a position to complete the reconstruction of his Cabinet. It was a perfectly lion-eonimittal .statement' and no one had any right lo complain when the Minister announced just the other day, in anticipation of the closing of the financial year yesterday, that there would he no occasion to go on with the work until Sir James Parr handed in his portfolios some three or four weeks heme. What is in the Minister's mind no one need attempt to read. Whatever may he said of his statesmanship and of his administration—and on these matters there are the inevitable differences of opinion—it must he said of Mr Coates that lie has kept his own counsel more closely and more effectively than did any of his predecessors in office. Ho shares his more sacred confidences only with his private secretary who. at appropriate season, may he as uncommunicative as his chief, la those (ireumstanees it may he taken for granted that speculations concerning the next hatch of Ministers to be appointed rest on no official foundation. The signs and portends still are that when the Hon. W. Noxwortliy hands over the portfolio of Finance to the Hon. Downio Stewart, lie will cease tp carry ministerial responsibilities, hut. even upon this detail no definite information is available; Mr J. S. Dickson and Mr K. ’Williams are being mentioned as possible Ministers and Mr Hockley is named as a likely successor to the Hon. J. A. Young in the chairmanship of committee. The story of a. new candidate. with influential backing, for the Speakership has been revived, hut Mr Stilt hum's friends are not greatly perturbed by its repetition.