DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1927, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

BY TKLEGRAPH PER I’IIESB ASSOCIATION’.!

N.Z. TRADE OUTLOOK. NELSON, February 3,

Speaking to-day at the Takaka Show, lieu. G. J. Anderson, Aliuistcr of Alines, referred to the business outlook for the future. Air Anderson said

be thought the prospects were good. While fancy prices did not rule, yet the various murkest for dairying products were firm, and the fanners could produce butter and cheese and wool 011 a definite paying basis. A new solidity was apparent in the markets. This precluded speculation or deflation in the prices of land.

Concerning trade from a broader point of view, the .Minister said that, unless our exports were at least seven millions ill excess of our imports, the country was not prospering. It was therefore necessary to foster the goodwill of our best customer, Britain, liv

purchasing her goods wherever possible. We should buy British cars, and not purchase from America, who dealt with us to a very small extent, and had prevented us having a market in that country by imposing a heavy protective tariff on our goods. Many ill-advisccl critics were urging the Government to tiling in for settlement large areas of poor, third and fourth class land, but it was the Government's policy to keep men at present on the land on their holdings, and not to open up land for other new settlers to face the difficulty of making it pay. One form of assistance being given in this direction was the Guv< rinneut’s endeavour to supply the farmers with manure as cheaply as possible. The (’awthron Institute ill Nelson was also doing important work that would be of great benefit to settlers.

THEFT FRO.II A WINDOW WELLINGTON. February 3 ponald Clark, labourer, aged 31, was charged before Hr Rage, S.M., with the theft of Clo IDs, the property of a widow, Elizabeth Connor. The police stated that accused was in the habit of visiting at complainant’s house. One day in Decent her. during the temporary absence of complainant. lie found a key of a trunk, which he opined, taking the money mentioned. The theft was discovered yesterday, hut accused was very frank. He said that lie was out of work and had used the money for household expenses, mid his wife's confinement. He was placed on probation for twelve inonllis. and restitution aL LAs per week. LABOURERS’ FEDERATTON. WELLINGTON, Feh. 3. A conference to form a Federation representative of tiie various Labourers’ I’nioiis of the Dominion (those not sending delegates promising unqualified loyalty) was held to-day Tt was unanimously decided till,at the National Executive for (he current year he at Auckland, and Mr Solomon (Organiser) and Mr Sutherland (Secretary) of the Auckland Fnion, were appointed National President and Secretary-Trea-

surer respectivoly. A cony of the following resolution was ordered to he supplied to the Minister of Labour: “That this conference of the Labourers’ Unions views with grave alarm the number of unemployed workers in evidence at a time of the year normally regarded as its busiest season. It, considers that this state, of the labour market lias been brought about chiefly by the action of the Government in continuing its immigration policy regardless of the fact that there are thousands of unemployed already in the Dominiomi. for whom neither work nor homes can he found. Wo therefore, submit that the Government should cease the bringing of immigrants into this Boniinion until such time as work can lie procured and a sufficient number of homes found for those already here. We further consider it the moral duty of the Government to provide work for all honest workmen who are out of .employment at the .ruling award rates.”

It was pointed out hv the delegates that those responsible for the immigration policy had failed to carry out their moral obligations in respect to the nominated immigrants. All the secretaries present who were intimately acquainted with the situation attested to the fact that many of the nominated immigrants have become and are becoming, a charge on the state.