WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 August 1929, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS

(Special Correspondent.) RENT RESTRICTION. REINSTATED. WELLINGTON, August 1. Contrary to general expectation the Reformers offered only a mild protest against the prolongation of the provision of the Rent Restriction Continuance Act., The Hon. W.- D. Stewart presented the case for the landlords very logically and cited instances within his own knowledge in which owners of houses had suffered much greater hardship than had their tenants. From personal observation he knew this to be the case in Dunedin and he had reason to believe it was the case in other large centres of population. The leader of the Opposition endorsed the view of his lieutenant. In principal, Mr Coates held, the legislation it was proposed to prolong was entirely wrong. In the end it probably would operate prejuricially to those now seeking its assistance. He did not intend to oppose the extension of the existlaw, but he believed if the measure were swept off the Statute Book altogether tiie position of both tenants and landlords would be speedily improved. The United and Labour parties saw the measure through all its stages without amendment. NEW POLITICAL ORGANISATION. -f Both the Wellington dailies have devoted editorials to the, advent of the “New Zealand Political Association,” which was foreshadowed in this column a week or two ago. It is not to be, it seems, an organisation fighting for a political party, but rather a high , school for the .production of superior candidates. “It proposes,” the “Post” tells its readers, “to support desirable candidates irrespective of party. If it can do so and maintain its independence, it will serve a useful purpose. Any movement which- helps to raise the standard of candidates and to organise public support for men of high qualifications should have a strong appeal for those electors who have regretfully seen approved policies losing ground because of the personal weakness of the parties submitting them.” All this, of course, is Very obvious—the quality of the candidates standing even more in need of improvement than does the quality of the politics—but the rub will be to and first the teachers and then the examiners to bring about the desired results. “AN ACTIVE FORCE” The “Dominion” takes a still more optimistic view of the possibilities beiore this political academy than does its evening contemporary. “Too often,” it says, “the range of selection uy party organisations is restricted by circumstances which lead to undue weight being attached to past party services. If the new body can assist to raise the general standard of candidates offering themselves it will render a valuable public service.' Men capable of rendering useful service in public life frequently are discouraged from coming forward through lack of organised support. The names associated with the new political body suggest that it is likely to develop into an active force.” There are gentlemen of the very highest professional and commercial standing behind the movement, and if they can realise but oue half of their aspirations they will render a very real service to the country. Even to-day popular representation is not all it should be and the new organisation will find much useful work at its hand if it really is looking for "such opportunities

WHERE SHOULD WE BE? The Hon. James Craigie, who works just as assidously in the Legislative Council as he was wont to do in the House of Representatives up to a few years ago, submitted to his fellow “Lords’* on Tuesday an array of figures which must have set them wondering where the Dominion would have been hut for the high prices maintained for its products since the beginning of the Great War. His figures showed that if the exports from this country for the twelve «?onths between July 1 1926 and June 30 1929, valued at £51,076,522 had met the same' prices as those that prevailed between July 1, 1913 and June 30, 1914 their value jyould have been no more than £33,177,000. This means, according to Mr Craigie s calculations ,that but for the inflated prices the exports for the year just closed would have realised some 18 millions less than they actually did. Of course there are factors Mr Craigie had not taken into account, but his calculations are significant enough.