WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 November 1927, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

“ AVILD AND SWEEPING.”

TALK RY RUSINESS MEN

(Special to 11 Guardian.’ )

AVELLINGTON, Nov. 3

The “Dominion” takes very seriously the criticism levelled against the Government by several of tlie speakers at the conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce held in Clnisteliureh the other clay. “ The wild and sweeping assertions of Air L. J. Gaidner,” it says, referring to a deprecation of the Government’s socialistic tendencies hv one of the conference s invited guests, “ were more suited to the irresponsible political mob orator at the street corner than to a gathering of the representatives of the business community of the Dominion. Their very extravagance robs them of serious weight. . . It is absurd for business men, or any other section ot the community. to attack in wholesale fashion such State institutions as the Public Trust Office, which was recklessly described as one of the country’s greatest menaces, town planning, electric power installations, State railways and State forestry.’ The burden of Air Gardner’s protest was that the Prime Alinister and his colleagues were making hazardous experiments in advanced socialism and on that account were in danger of losing the support of a large section of the community which at the last general election accepted them as the only alternative to the advent of a Labour Government. This is everyday talk in AVellington among business men. NEED FOR PLAIN SPEAKING. That the “ Dominion ” sees some need for plain speaking on this subject may he judged from the admissions with which it qualifies its denunciation of Air Gardner’s frank criticism. “ There can be no question,” it says. “ that whore the State or the municipality enters into competition with private business it should do so on equal terms as to rates and taxes. This is only fair and just. Aloreover, neither the State nor the local bodies should exercise the power they possess through control of public funds to unfairly compete with established private enterprises. It may he further submitted that the State should not enter into business competition with private enterprise where the public is already well and fairly served by such enterprises.” These are the sentiments Air Gardner expressed, just a little differently. The truth of the matter is that the business community has become alarmed by Air Coates’s somewhat crude interpretation of Air Alassey’s doctrine of henefieient socialism and is talking seriously of restraining the impetuosity of youth by asserting its “ independence ” more definitely than it has done in the past, both in the constituencies and in Parliament. There have been demonstrations of this kind before; indeed they seem to he the inevitable product ot umvieldlv majorities in the House; and for the present the Government appears to remain impenitent. THAT FOURPENCE A GALLON.

The principle of the petrol tax spriin<r upon Parliament this week appears to he generally approved by owners of motor vehicles of all descriptions. That the users of the roads should contribute substantially to the upkeep of the roads is accepted as a sound corollary even by the owners of private cars who are given to grumbling. The tax, however, is a much heavier one than the advocates of its principle expected it to be, and it is being suggested that the Government’s easily collected three-quarters of a million will he as easily spent without any corresponding advantage to the payers. Rut this is early criticism and the Alinister of Public AA'orks is entitled to an opportunity to submit his proposals to the public in detail before they are roundly condemned. AA’itli the people who ride in motor vehicles without owning them, the disquieting fact is that a large part of the tax will fall upon them in the shape of increased fares and that they will have no chance of passing their burden ..still further.).!. Rut this is the fate of every “ consumer ” under the existing system of taxation and the prospective sufferers in this case are contemplating the *nevitable philosophically. On the wl'.Ae the protests are many fewer than was expected. RIRLE IN SCHOOLS.

The much discussed, the much praised and much denounced Religious Exercises in Schools Bill received its dispatch in the House of Representatives last- night by thirty-four votes to thirty-one after a second reading debate running into five hours of somewhat purposeless talk. This was on the motion that the Bill should “now” he read a second time. Al.r Sidev (Dunedin South) was the only member of the Opposition who voted with the

“ Ayes.” the rest of the thirty-one being Reformers. Eight Reformers voted with the “ Noes ” and four more paired for the Bill while another four paired against it. The division, of course, was on strictly non-party lines. A consequential division was subsequently taken on an amendment submitted by Afr Atrnnre (Nelson) proposing that the second reading of the Bill should he postponed for six months, and this was carried by thirty-six to thirty-one, Air Coates on this occasion voting with the majority, and Sir Heaton Rhodes with the “ Noes.” This finally shelved the measure as Parliament will not he sitting six months hence. No statement on the subject was made in the House, hut it was understood that the Prime Minister voted for the second reading in fulfilment of his promise to give the Bill “ a fair run ” and for Ah- Atmore’s amendment to express his own attitude towards Bible reading in schools.