WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 February 1928, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

TIIK UNITED PARTY. ITS DEBUT IN AUCKLAND. (Special to “ Guardian.”) 'WELLINGTON', Keb. 13. Later accounts of the first platform ('(fort of tlie United Political Party in Auckland bring no comfort to the followers of the new evangel at this end of the Island, who were sadly disappointed hy the poor impression made l,y Air. G. IV. Forbes upon his debut in the Northern city last week. Ihe member for Harumii and his colleague the member for I’ahiatua, seem to have received less sympathy than they deserved. if only for their undertaking such a hold excursion, and to have obtained no encouragement at all from an audience that was looking rathei for the production of a new policy than for the denunciation ol an old one. ! Mr. Follies was following an early ex- | ample ol Air .Massey in saying he would ! perscribe when lie was called into conj saltation, but it. will be remembered i that Air Afasse.v did not wait for the ! dismissal of the other practitioner bej fore entering. tlie sick room. It was ’ the peascription he issued in the AA el- | lington Town Hall on .June. Dll. that ! practically won him the election of I the following December, and I it mattered to his progress not a jot ! that scarcely one of these perscriptions j was put into practice after carrying ! him into office. The politician needs I imagination as well as vision. .MARKET RATES. The failure of the debut ol the l nited Party in Auckland has naturally advanced Reform Stock on the political market, and has appreciably hardened Labour Stock while it has knocked the various Liberal Stocks out ot the quotations altogether. Act reports from reliable authorities in both Island declare that Reform has lost ground steadily during the last eighteen, months. A keen politician who has just returned from a leisurely holiday tour throughout the North Island declares that the Government has lost a great deal of ground since this time last, year and that all that is required to oust it from office at the next general election, in November or December, is a truce between sane Labour and progressive Liberalism. As he includes Air. 11. E. Holland and Air Peter Fraser in the ranks of sane Labour and many prominent business men in the ranks of progressive Liberalism it may be assumed that his divisions are fairly comprehensive, perhaps more comprehensive than is justified. But. it is a fact that many business men, in anger at taxation anti at the intrusion of the Government upon private enterprise, have openly declared themselves ready to give a Liberal Labour Government “a trial”. There is always talk of this kind before a general election, however, and yet a revolution rarely conies about. THE LIBERAL STALWARTS. Before Christmas it was definitely stated that Sir Joseph Ward had been persuaded to resume the leadership of the Liberal Party and that immediately after the holidays he would take control of the remnant of his old allies with a view of pulling it into shape for the general election, which in the ordinary course of things will take place towards the end oil this year. Sir Joseph did not directly contradict the story at the time, as he wished, no doubt, to avoid prejudicing the case of the old Liberal stalwarts who had hoped to get their party on its feet again. But it is fairly safe l<> say that Sir Joseph who finds his time fully occupied with his duties as a private member of the House and an active figure in the business community. is not. seeking to take up such an anions task as the reliabilit ion of the Liberal Rally, lie rein ins. however. a very keen interest in New Zealand and imperial politics and it it is safe to say as a student and masker of the Dominion's finance he has no equal in the present Raidiameiit. It is <t distinction which should satisfy his friends for the present. PRODUCERS AND EXPORTERS. The fear of the members of the Auckland provincial branch of the Farmers Union that the bulk of the pork export subsidy will find its way into the hands of the exporters and leave little for the producers, is shared by many dairy farmers in the North island. Deputations to the Prime Minister' have been arranged by several of the pig growing districts and it is quite |x>.s.sible Air. Coates will learn more about the operation of subsidies from the men oil the hand than lie has done from his official and business advisers. Rome of the deputation are commissioned to protest against any part of the subsidy going to proprietary concerns, and they all hold that the farmer and not the merchant should profit by the Government’s bounty. Just bow far the Minister will be able to meet their views in Ibis adjustment of accounts will lie a very difficult and delicate proceeding. The farmers’ needs and the merchants’ services are so closely and so intricately associated that it may be difficult to determine exactly where one ends and the .other begins. The-merchants, no doubt, will look alter their own interests as well as the farmers, but they need to be suspected of taking an undue share of flit, spoils.