WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 August 1926, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE DOMINION’S FINANCE

SIR JOSEPH WARD’S VIEW

(Special to “ Guardian.”)

WELLINGTON, July 30. The political event of the week has been the little tilt between Sir Joseph Ward, the leader and solitary member of the Liberal Party, and the Prime .Minister concerning the finances of the Dominion. Sir Joseph spoke with his accustomed fluency, and with more than his usual precision, while Mr Coates, replying at some disadvantage in the absence of the Minister of Finance. acquitted himself uncommonly well considering all the circumstances. Sir Joseph’s attack was a sweeping one, without bitternes or personal point, but still with force and emphasis. The ex-Prime Minister declared that the Financial Statement was a skeleton Budget, which did not disclose the real condition of the finances of the country. He wanted to know, for instance, what had become of the £475.000 worth of Consols that had been “ transferred ” and to whom the securities had been passed, and what was going to happen to the -country if it continued to borrow at the rate of £11,000.000 a year. Money must he cheapened, Sir Joseph insisted, the cost of living must be reduced, enterprise must he encouraged, confidence must be estnbilslied and the country must he restored to smoother water. Towards

theso ends the spirit of the Budget, Sir Joseph declared, made no progress. MINISTER. REPLIES. After the Hon R. A. Wright, the Minister of Education, had made a somewhat lugubrious attempt to stay Sir Joseph’s assault, the Prime Minister stepped into the breach armed with such retorts as could he supplied at short notice by the officers of the Treasury. lie referred to Sir Joseph Ward’s own Budget of 1918 which lie said contained nothing outside the realm of finance and had been commended for its brevity. The policy adopted by the Government in regard to the Dominion’s loans, lie explained, was the same as the one adopted by British financiers and the British Government, as being the best and most up-to-date system. Now Australia, and also, lie understood. South Africa, were following New Zealand’s example in that respect. If they wore wrong New Zealand also was wrong. All this seemed to impress members according to their party colour, the Reformers applauding the Minister, the Nationalists jeering mildly and the Labourites merely interjecting upon particular points. The Hon W. Nosworthy, as an

ex-Mblister of Finance, came to tiie support of his chief. He could not sec that tiie public departments should advertise themselves through the Budget and he invited Sir Joseph Ward to indicate the public borrowing ho would abandon. No doubt the Minister of Finance will take au early opportunity to anmlify his chief’s reply. UNEMPLOYED.

Judging from the statements appearing - in the newspapers unemployment is more prevalent in the South than it is in the North, Christchurch and Timaru figuring most prominently in this morning’s reports; but the North has its difficulties in this respect and fanners on this side of Cook Strait are not calling aloud for the idle hands to ho transferred to the country districts. Au advertisement for a labourer’s job in Wellington yesterday attracted no lower than forty-one applicants and prob-

ably three or four times that number would have been in attendance had a newspaper been a general luxury. There is a good demand in the country for skilled farm workers—men who can drive a team and manage all kinds of implements—but labourers without experience are not wanted at any price, and find the country, generally speaking, less .hospitable than the town. Fortunately the season is now on the turn, and more work will be offering in the course of a mouth nr two. Meanwhile immigration is being openly blamed for the existing state of affairs, even by workers who are not immediately affected, and many eases are being quoted in which recent arrivals .from ;lhe Old Country have displaced New Zealanders who previously had no occasion to think their services were unsatisfactory.

DAIRY CONTROL. The “ Post.” which Tins striven to iVtnin.tnin it judicial attitude throughout tiie butter control controversy, lias taken alarm at the omissions from The amending Dairy Dill. “Afore important than what it contains,” it says, “ are the issues which the Dill ignores. There is no mention of compulsory control, nor any provision for curbing the Hoard in the exercise of those dangerous powers with which it has been vested. This is a matter of the first .public importance. Compulsory control is fraught with the gravest consequences for the public of Now Zealand. It involves a principle, in violation of proper'tly rights which should not be sanctioned except in a sudden and serious emergency; and it exposes an industry, in which every New Zealand citizen has a direct or indirect interest, to the gravest peril. This is not an issue for producers alone. The principle eii absolute control we have always, opposed, and its exercise under the present circumstances is not a matter which Parliament can afford to regard lightly. We hope that members will realise the gravity of the situation, and will give a considered opinion upon what is really a great national issue 1 .'”" Meanwhile Mr William Grounds the chairman of the Dairy Board, has pencilled his berth on an August ! liner in the sure and certain hope that his presence in London will ho required.\