WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 19 September 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

TARIFF REVISION. DIFFERENCES OF OPINION. (Special to “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, Sept. 15. While Ills critics admit tiiat the Minister of Finance lias made an honest attempt to readjust the tariff on sound fines they are by no means unanimous in applauding the result of liis effort. The British Trade Commissioner, naturally. welcomes the extension of Imperial preference and sees no reason why it should not redound to the advantage of both the Mother Country and the Dominion without disturbing their established channels of trade in other directions. The wholesalers and. retailors generally arc satisfied with the Minister’s proposals, doubtless seeing that a large slice of the concessions will remain in their hands. On the other side, many of the manufacturers are coinpfaining that sufficient has not been done for them, and the three Oppositions in the House—the Labourites, the Nationalists and Sir Joseph Ward—aro protesting that the concessions never will got as far as the heavily burdened consumer. The contention that they will cover the additional sum taken under the income tax is no longer regarded seriously. It has passed into a jest of the lobbies, and the clubs, and the salaried man is accustoming himself to the humour. Tho amount of tho remissions is still undetermined and in any ease it will not he available until nine or ten months lienee.

SOME INCONGRUITIES. The ” Evening Post ” in dealing editorially with the tariff proposals, under the encouraging title “An Approved Policy,” points out what already has been emphasised in these columns. •‘The Minister.” it says, •'estimates the remissions at £IBO,OOO, to which may he added a further £'150,000 ii the bargaining schedule leads to bargains. As this latter remission is contingent on events which cannot be foreseen, or wholly controlled by the Government of New Zealand, it cannot yet be taken into calculation. The annual net reduct’on in duties is that estimated by the Minister at '£lßo,ooo, and these remissions will not generally become effective until the second quarter of 1028. If tho Minister’s estimntes of the yield of the new income taxes and of the tariff remissions arc both correct, he is neither losing nor gaining by the changes; hut he is giving to Paul what ho takes from Peter. We c-an heartily approve the gift, but not tbe exaction. Tlie salaried man shares in the remissions; but he receives back only part of that which will he taken from him by tho Minister’s left hand. The essential injustice of the added burden oil the salaried man remains.” The unfortunate individual for whom the “Post” is concerned will ho lucky if he gets back one-tenth of tho sum of which ho is to be relieved. EDUCATION BOARDS.

The presentation of the annual 1 report of the Education Department in the House on Tuesday gave members another opportunity to heckle the Minister concerning his intentions in regard to education boards. It had been bruited about for some weeks before that the Government had made up its mind to bring down a Bill providing for the abolition of Education Boards, and tbe Hon. R. A. Wright’s disinclination to admit the House to his confidence on the subject had provoked considerable feeling among certain members. The Minister evidently had come prepared to tell members what ho intended to do in the matter, but so many of them were determined to air their own views on the subject that it was far on in the afternoon before lie obtained an opportunity to satisfy their longing for information. When he did speak he made it plain that the Government had been gravely perturbed by the growing cost of education during the last five or six years, and was anxious to find means of reducing the expenditure without impairing tho efficiency of tlie system. lie hinted at tho possibility of enlarging tlie scope of tho school committees, without implying that this would entail the abolition of the boards of education, and then sat down with-out-having satisfied members’ curiosity. Ho had indicated, however, that the hoards were safe for another year. DAYLIGHT SAVING.

Just before breakfast this morning Mr Sidcy’s Summer Time Bill completed its tempestuous passage through the House, and in due course "ill be sent on to the Legislative Council to receive, most probably, the imprimatur of the revising chamber. The opposition to the Bill during the early part of the sitting in the House was intense and fairly confident, the obstructionists having provided themselves with endless amendments to cast in the path of the measure; but at the supper adjournment the Chairman of Committees let it he known that he would permit no tedious repetition and no abuse of the forms of tho House. This was the death knell of the opposition, Mr Hoeki'y being as good as his word, and tho obstructionists, having exhausted tho last of their resources, recorded their votes and accepted the inevitable with what grace they might. Mr Sidey and his friends will not he quite happy til! they see the' Bill safely through “the other place,” hut they are not expecting a further rebuff from the Council, and local sympathy, it may bo judged, is entirely with them. Needless to say Mr Sidey already has received sheaves of congratulations upon his approaching victory. He has put up a clean strenuous fight for which his opponents are giving him much credit.