WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 May 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

WHEAT GROWING. ' AUSTRALIA'S ABUNDANT j lIA I? VEST. j .Special to “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, April 20. C ’ x i A nomadic young New Zealand who returned last week from a six or seven j months’ wandering in the Common- . uTalth, where he earned enough in the j harvest fields of South Australia to treat himself to a tour of the rest oi i the States, laughs at the idea of New . Zealand continuing to grow wheat as . a national necessity or as an economic proposition. " I had been harvesting in Canterbury for seven or eight seasons before I went over to Austinlia last October.” he said in the course of a chat this morning. “ and 1 had (-01110 to imagine the farmers down there were doing their best to grow wheat at a reasonable cost. Perhaps they were. But they simply have no chance against the Australian growers. The Australians have a more assured climate, cultivate better, harvest more economically and concentrate on the particular jolt. They always will he able to sell wheat at a much lower price than the New Zealanders’ cost ot production.” This, in effect, is the stori/ being told by other visitors to Australia during the harvest season. They all admit that if wheat growing is to ho maintained as a profitable industry in New Zealand it must be at the expense of the consumers and tintaxpayers. MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. The municipal elections here, notwithstanding the efforts ol the Labom Party, the Civic League, and the candidates themselves, did not arouse the enthusiasm that was desired and expected. The personal element again counted for more than anything e's> in the various contests and the ele--tet's, generally, voted in the chi way for the old candidates. I la* “ Dominion ” this morning, having solemnly warned the city against the inroads of Labour, comforts itself with the reflection that the country is safe if not. partioularl-y well served. “ The outstanding feature of the local bodies election throughout the Dominion,” it says, after having had twenty-four hours in which to examine the position. “ appears to have been the general tendency towards conservatism on the part of the electors. From all directions come reports indicating the re-elections of sitting councillors, and in most instances where the sitting mayor offered himself for re-election be was again successful. The re-election of members of local bodies has become quite a habit, and this year’s elections, therefore, arc not unusual in that respect.” The reflection is scarcely in harmony with the laets. even it the Labour triumphs at Christchurch and Wanganui are left out of account, but it will serve to comfort the timidhearted ratepayers. FRANK CHTTrCISM. The “Post” with less time than its contemporary had to make up its mind concerning the results of the election was more critical. “A greater change, it said, “ would have been desirable, for though it is advisable that there should he some continuity in polic.y (which is assured by a proportion of old members) the Council and the electors have much to gain bv the presentation of new points of view. I lieprospects of a greater change were, however, not bright. The new candidates, with a few exceptions, were little preferable to the worst of the old. Tickets are not so all-powerlu! ns may ho thought. 'I here are prools of this in the placing of both successful and unsuccessful candidates. ( oiineillor Semple, lor example, evidently obtained much more than the straightout Labour vote, ami Councilor H. D. Bennett secured a good place without ticket support. Admittedly, a now mail lm ; to work to make himself recognised ; but merit does not go long unrecognised.” ’I he strong suppo 1 . l given to Mr Semple, who was lifth on the City Council poll and only 309 votes short of topping the list, was due in a measure, no doubt, to th.s erstwhile fireliralid’s consistent denunciation of Communism. UNIMPROVED VALUE. Really the outstanding feature of Wednesday’s polling was the overwhelming majority secured by Mr P. .T. O’Regan and his fellow workers for the full adoption of the unimprovo:! value system of rating in the city. There were 8,(fill votes cast for trio proposal and 4.2(32 against it, shewing, of course, that an unusually large number of ballot papers wore not used ; hut the majority- of 4.072 leaves little doubt as to the bent of the hulk of the well-informed ratepayers on the question. Air O’Regan may he left to toll his own story. “As tar as Mollington is concerned,” he declared last, evening, “ llic fjuestion is now settled for all time. The result shows that the ratepayers have a better appreciation of the position than some of their so-called leaders. On the rate issue at any rate their reply to the Civic League is in effect that given by the men of Judah on a memorable oc-(-sision long ago, 4 Y\ o have no part in David.’ ” Of course it is well that every side of n question should be presented. and .1 am bound to say that Mr laiekie made the best case possible from his point of view.” Had Mr O’Regan led a progressive party into 'office in Parliament he could not have shown greater satisfaction than liedoes over this triumph.