WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 May 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

PRIME MINISTER AT DARGAVfLLE. PERFORMANCE AND POLICY. (Special to “ Gutmliiui ”.) WELLINGTON. May 20. Piobably the lengthy reports of his speech at Dargaville <lo less than justice to. the Prime Minister. His political friends, at any rate, proclaim this to he the case, and words attributed to him by the newspapers make it easy to believe them. Take, lor insta lice, a few sentences Irom the two columns of print which pin part to give the Minister's views on dairy control. •• I am perfectly convinced, lie is reported in saying, "that the control legislation will stand in some lorm or another. It has come to stay . . f have never suggested that price-fixing was the cause of lower prices . . tt was quite certain there was a very genuine opposition to the policy of price-fixing . . The opposition to the policy of minimum price fixation was overwhelming. . . There was imminent danger of losing that friendly co-operation which was essential for the marketing of our produce. I am of the opinion that the word ‘control’ should he altered. This term creates an impression that lends to prejudice our products in certain markets." Even the ' inion ” alter taking a day to think over the matter was not very lucid in its exposition of the .Minister’s views. ‘ The recital of the facts of the position,” it thought, “should clear away misconceptions.” To the ordinary observer it rather would form the material for a guessing com-

petition. POLITICS AND POPULATION

The figures just published showing the population of electorates at the time of the census last year again hear striking evidence of the drift ol population from the South Island to the North and the consequent growth of political power on this side of Cook Strait. In the city constituencies in the North the largest growth of population between 1921 and 192(5 is in Eden (Auckland) with ail increase of 10,410. and then follow .Manukau (Auckland) with S.liSO. Wellington Suburbs with 7.041!, Roskill (Auckland) with (5.22(5. Franklin with 1.830. and Hutt with 4.2(5(5. The largest increases in the South Island city constituencies are in Dunedin South .‘5.370, Dunedin Central 3,321, Dunedin North 3.044 and Avon 2,032. The Dunedin figures. no doubt, were affected to some extent by the big exhibition open ill the southern ciiv at the time the census was taken last year, while the Christchurch figures in a minor measure may have been prejudiced by the absence of its holiday-makers. 'Hie Wellington Central constituencies evidently have lost residential population to the city’s suburban constituencies; hut this is not likely to afloat materially the interests of any of the parties concerned. Among the provincial centres of population Palmerston North shows a growth from 17. Soft to 20,(537. an increase of 2,<i!L which probably will bring the constituency above the urban quota. LOCAL BODY BORROWING.

Regulations under tin* Local Government Loans Board Act were gazetted last night and are sure to he the subject of considerable discussion Under the new legislation local bodies, except where the exemption provided was obtained, cannot borrow money without the approval of the Local Government Loans Board, which has now been functioning for some months. Ihe regulations provide that, in addition to having regard to the probable duration and continuing utility ol Hue works for the purposes of which the loan moneys are proposed to he expended, the hoard will have regard to the following additional considerations, so far as they may ho applicable:— U) the orobable obsolescence of such

. i- the probable tojuinuuiite or cessation uf the conditions justifying the loan ; (3) tlie probable increase or decrease ot population in a district ; ( I) the change of outlook or advance in public opinion ; (ot the general financial position of the local authority; (f>) the expediency of charging the cost of such works upon the generation of persons who will immediately benoiit by such works. PUBLIC ACCOUNTS.

The entertaining controversy between the Postmaster-General and •‘Contributor” which lias been going on in the correspondente columns of the two 'Wellington newspapers during the week was brought to an appropriate conclusion last evening. “So far. it now seems,” the Minister wrote “we are quite at one, hut what L do take exception to is the downright statement that Air MAssey’s seal for proper audited balance sheets is not shared by his successors. I assure ‘Contributor’ that he is mistaken, f have shown that, the Post and Telegraph commercial accounts are prepared with all celerity ; that last year the fact that they could not he presented to the House before it rose was owing to delay in audit ; and that this year arrangements have been made to ensure early publications. There is, I tliiiik, now no misunderstanding.” To this “Contributor” replied in his most dulcet terms. “ The Minister is satisfied and I am satisfied,” he wrote. “I hope, however, that without disturbing this happy state of affairs I may ho permitted to point out that the completion of the Post and Telegraph accounts on a business basis for the last financial year need not have occupied more than ten minutes, and that there still are 29 missing balance sheets that should ha.ve been available twelve months ago.” And thus the amusing episode closed.