WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 February 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

“ WELLINGTON’S WONDERFUL SUMMER.” “EASILY REST FOR YEARS.” (Special to “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, February 15. Under the above headings and several others to the same effect, to-day s morning paper proclaims that “it is many years since Wellington experienced such a spell of hot. dry veathei as has ruled during the last six months.” The parched suburban gardens and the withered wayside pas tores are but incidents in the capital city’s “ wonderful summer,” “ easily the best for years.” From the restricted urban point of view, while the water supply holds out, the weather conditions certainly have been very delightful. The total measurable rainfall since January Ist has been 87 points. There were US (joints last month and a few passing showers on February 1 added 1!) points. Since then no moisture. not even a friendy dew. has fallen and the temperature has been soaring clay after clay. Last Thursday 8.1 degrees in the shade was registered and on Saturday the reading was S.'S.3 degrees. The highest shade temperature ever recorded in Wellington was 88 degrees in February. 1895. The nearest approach to this during the present summer was the 81 degrees measured on January 31st. Wellington has not been without sunshine for a single cViy this year. The maximum. 13 hours 20 minutes, was registered on January 27th and the minimum. 50 minutes, on February Ist. The city is demanding that the outsiders’ opinion of its climate shall hc> revised. IMMIGRATION.

The Prime Minister came down tno gangway of the Makura yesterday armed at every point against such criticism as he might expect to encounter on his return to the Dominion after his labours at the other end of the world. “In the case of New Zealand,” he told the first reporter that accosted him, “it is, of course, necessary to see that immigration is not allowed to become greater than the country can satisfactorily absorb. We are, of course, anxious to proceed as far as possible, but economic conditions in New Zealand at the pjc.xent time have rendered necessary a reconsideration of the volume of immigration, and it lias been decided that during the winter months the number of assisted immigrants will ho reduced to a minimum. The greatest care is already taken in the selection of the migrants, and it is not proposed to relax in any way the standards that are considered necessary in the interests, not only of this country, but of the immigrants themselves.” It may lie conceded that the greatest care is being taken in the selection of iniinigarnts; but .somehow or another a considerable number of unpromising people are making their way into the Dominion, perhaps under the nominated system, and sooner oi later these neople may become a tax upon the community. I HR IGATTON.

The Rev. W. E, Kanoen, a resident of Victoria, who passed through Wellington yesterday on his way home from a visit to the West Coast of the United States, in a casual chat spoke interestingly of tilings he had observed during his travels. The parched appearance of the hills around Wellington. due. of course, to the unusually long spell of dry weather, had reminded him of the splendid work the people of California had done, and still were doiim. in the way of irrigation. He did not know if New Zealand was as well equipped with opportunities in this respect as were the western States of America: hut he understood that the Dominion was developing great electrical schemes by means of water power and this necessarily implied a very generous supply of the first! requisite for successful irrigation. If the conditions were at all favourable, J M r Kaneen emphasised, New Zealand | should be developing tin’s great asset! i ll every way possible. Irrigation had: accomplished for California much more' than gold had Accomplished, and in a i great many instances had converted,!

arid, fruitless districts into blooming. pi editable farms and gardens. The redemption of the .wilderness from poverty to wealth had involved the expenditure of a great deal of money, but the expenditure had been repaid a hundredfold and had contributed very materially to the present prosperity of the United States. The traveller is going home with the settled conviction that in irrigation lies the salvation ot the waste places of the earth. UNEMPLOYMENT.

The announcement made by the Prime .Minister yesterday to the effect that assisted immigration would be practically suspended during the winter months will take some of the sting out of the criticism levelled against the Government by the leader of the Opposition at Denniston. Probably assisted immigration lias bad less to do with unemployment in the Dominion than the critics of the Government would like the electors to believe, hut it is fairly obvious that the importation of labour at tile rate of ten or twelve thousand workers a year is beyond the country’s powers of absorption. There were thousands of workless men in the large centres of the Dominion clamouring for work-, Mr 'Holland told bis audience at Denniston, and at the same time there were numerous public works waiting to be done, on which every unemployed man able and willing to work could be absorbed. Both these statements were a little extravagant, hut they wore founded on facts which ought to be receiving the very serious consideration of the Government. If the State, represented by the Government. imports more labour than can be absorbed under normal conditions then it is the duty cf the State to adjust the balance. If that is the argument "f the leader of be Opposition, then it is entitled' to ministerial attention.