PRESS COMMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 January 1927, Page 3

PRESS COMMENTS.

It is the duty of the New Zealand millers to improve their methods, and let the price of Hour he the price that pays the most efficient mills. During next year millers and growers alike should take cure to prepare their ease for protection, since the tariff is to he revised. In the meantime, since it is impossible that a selling organisation can he arranged now, tanners ought not to he misled into thinking that there is going to lie a surplus of grain this season. The harvest ought to he a good one. lin t it is most unlikely that it will he nearly large enough to provide the Hour required and the needs ot the poultry industry, and to leave ain cnrrv-over.—C uristehnreh “ Press.”

The gum trade is depressed, not through any acts of any local section of the industry, hut through economic causes over which no one in New Zealand has the slightest control. Export is declining, for the simple reason that cheaper gums are becoming more popular in the manufacture of varnishes. The Government entered the gum-trade and lost money. I here is not the slightest reason to suppose that the Control Board will improve a position which seems to ho growing steadily more unfavourable to both producers and middlemen. It/may,' on the other hand., by reason oh its levy and its interference, make it worse still. Indeed there is reason to believe that the Act has already had a bad effect on the industry’s customers. Star.”

The New Zealand* farmers are suffering from the effects of the tariff and the rulings of the Arbitration Court. There is now a demand for an increase in the tariff, while the demand for increased wages is a continuous affair. There is what is called a maladjustment between the primary and .secondary industries, and in the present state and outlook for the primary producers this cannot- he tolerated. Tt is the business of the farmers to look after their own interests, and as the problems involved must he settled by politicians, there is nothing for. it but to keep on agitating and demanding a reduction in the tariff and tho elimination of the Arbitration Court.—“Wanganui Herald.”

Tt cannot he doubted that a svstom of penny tram fares would induce a great volume of short-distance traffic, in the suburbs as well as in the c.tv itself: whether it would be sufficient!' remunerative cannot be decided without full inquiry. The same reservation must he made upon the suggestion o a transfer system, the popuhiritt ° which would he a decisive argument if there were no economic difficulties to measure. In the meantime, the. prospect of a complete review of tramwavs policy upon 1 liter a V lines nil I b generally welcome. —“New Ze,a and Herald.”

There is ample scope for an agricultural college or branch of a main college in each island, with each institution enjoying modern equipment and all the'melius for rendering efficient service to agriculture in the one island •iml to the dairying industry m the other Tn some respects the two islands are as different countries. and one college for both, must fail to achieve complete success. Lincoln Gollece is the foundation of an 'deal branch agricultural college for the South Island and should he developed to that status and service.—’ Christchurch Sun,”