PRESS COMMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1928, Page 4

PRESS COMMENT

If Mr Holland and his party had thrown their energy and ability into considering the welfare of the native Samoans, rather than that of the representatives of certain interests which now find themselves out ol favour with the Government, he would have impressed us more with the sincerity of his party’s claim that it is out to assist the. underdog. It is quite easy to imagine the line and cry which would have been raised by Labour in New Zealand if the Government had been suspected of assisting “ vested interests ” to the detriment of the interests of the natives. The Labour Party would then have lieen in more familial waters, but in tlio present instance it has only succeeded in making most people believe that.it has got badly out jof its depth.—“ Hawera Star.”

If we are to rely solely on our strong right arm and insist on standing out for our full rights at sea in case of war, wo shall find that right arm has been crippled by modern developments in weapons of’war and by the altered conditions of sea-borne commerce all over the world. And it is we British who have most to lose by the want ol a common maritime code in the event ot our being involved in future great wars. In other words, even more important than a naval agreement with the l oiled States is an agreement as to the rights of search and the seizure of contraband. if we are to avoid an inevitable quarrel with other commercial powers in the case of another war.— •• Hawke's Bay Herald.”

When one considers the vast sums which the Government is able to spend on material things, and the generosity with which it treats the Public Service, it is incomprehensible that it does not forthwith take stops to ensure just treatment, to the' l niversity touchois. What makes the case worse is the tact that the superannuation scheme fenced upon these teachers amounts almost to robbery. The professors and lecturers are not numerous enough to he able to exercise any influence, upon the politicians: if they were, our duty might become the duty of protest against the too lavish out-pouring of money into their pockets. But the case for better treatment is so strong and clear that it ought to appeal to the good feeling of the Government, which in any case cannot with' a good conscience ignore the strong representations made by the Royal Commission on University Education.—Christchurch “ Press.”

If wool and mutton fetch lower prices tlio land must he worth less than it was. But the- price of land seems to bear little relation Vo the price ol its produce, and perhaps one of tho most important duties the new agricultural college could undertake is to give some instruction to farmers in the economics of their industry, and the relation of their income to the prices in tljc Old World’s markets. We do not mean to imply that the rise in land value is New Zealand’s only fault; there is as much danger, we are told, in careless trading by its merchants, which, disregarding tho signs of a waning in public 1 purchasing power, leads to an accumulation of merchandise in shops and warehouses as embarrassing as the multiplication of mortgages upon a farm. Until such a slate of things is altered, there is sure to lie a tightness of money which has very unploasing effects on all sections of tho community. In short, a little caution now wnlld probably assist in avoiding a repetition of the unsatisfactory expel icnees of the last few years. “Hawke’s Bnv Herald.”

A certain amount of excitement and interest accompany an election campaign. though the voting figures generally show that far too large a percentage of the population remains untouched. Thereafter the country settles down to three years of very perfunctory attention to public aflaiis. New Zealand remains lortunaiely tree Iroin the open and unabashed corruption which flourishes in some other countries under the shelter of such indifference to the duties of citizenship. Other ill-effects are not avoided in the same degree. A prosperous people tends to he contented and apathetic about public hie. The year opens with good indications ol general prosperity. If it could also be cliarac terisod by that active concern in public affairs which hard times bring it would lie a combination of circumstances making a splendid augury for 1925.—“ New Zealand Herald.”

To some extent the export- price of wheat has to he taken into consideration in assessimr the duty on Hour, nut there is no sanction for a similar reference in regard |lo wheat. The matter is of great public, interest. Since domestic wheal production is inadequate. t’-'er; must lie importations of wheat or Hour, and, fur economic reasons, preferably of wheat. But il importers of wheat are MihieC ad to a tariff which is so uncertain in its operations that they cannot carry on their business without taking unreasonable risks of heavy losses, supplementary sunplies will either not .lie available at all or will be subject to such wild fluctuations in cost that the local markets will lie utterly disorganised. There is no doubt that the tarifl is oppressively high, even if its operation could lio kept within the limits of the theoretical proposal; in practice, it threatens to prohibit the importation of wheat altogether.—“ New /calami Herald.”

In Xew Zealand the primary producer is offered protection for products which no foreign country would dieam of sending here—protection which, except tor wheat and its products, is of no use to him and which he could probably dispense with. The fiscal legislation of the Dominion, indeed, is heavily loaded against the farmer, and the result must be the continued hampering of primary production, to the great loss of a community whose welfare is dependent upon the primary producer in an uncommonly high degree. Australia has about reached the point at which the result of high Protection and industrial regulation, working togeter, is clear enough to be observed, and it is certainly the duty of our Government and our legislators to give serious attention to the situation in the Commonwealth.— “Christchurch Press.”

The crowning feature of last year so far as the Dominion’s primary industries are concerned, has been the advance in the prices obtained up to date for this season’s clip, which should he much greater as a result of an increase of nearly three-quarters of a million in the Dominion’s Hooks. What is particularly cheering is that prices appear to be fairly well stabilised. The smaller rural industries have participated in the year’s improvement of conditions and share in the fair promise for the incoming year. Taking a general view of the position we reacli the conclusion that those engaged in rural industries appear to have a good year before them. It is our sincere wish that nothing will occur to cause a failure of realisation to wait on fair promise.—" Oamaru Mail.”