WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1931, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS

»SIR FTvAXCLS HELL CRITICISE!). DISCONCERTED CAPITAL. (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, .March 10. Sir Erancis Hell’s proposal that a larger measure of the slump should he home by Capital and a smaller one bv Labour has moved Mr James Begg of Dunedin to protest strongly against so good a Reformer as Sir Francis has shown himself to he. suggesting Unit the Budget should he balanced, not by economy and expenditure but mainly by an increase in taxation. This, Mr Hegg emphasises, more in sorrow than in anger, tshows a leading light of Reform to be “entirely out of touch with the present march of events.’’ “If the lead given Sir Francis is followed by other members of the Reform Party,” Mr Begg says in summing up his indictment, “then the party will disappear and will dew rve to do so.’’ Apparently Mr Hegg has taken his friend’s brief words too literally. Sir F'l’ancis’s suggestion was that Capital might relieve Labour of a larger measure of its burden.

RESTORATION. From time to time during the la/st three or four weeks complaints have appeared in the newspapers to the effect that the constituted authorities had taken steps to facilitate the restoration of wrecked districts in Hawkins Bay. As a matter of fact this subject was mentioned in Cabinet within a few hours of the catastrophe, and has been discus-cd again and again since then. To-day Mr J. Mawson. Director of Town Planning, left for tire scene of the disaster with a completed scheme for Iho work of restoration. and though this may not l>e put into operation on a large scale for several months it will be pushed ahead with all possible speed. The difficulties in the way are enormous, and the cost will be heavy, but everything that has boon possible up to.the present stage lias been accomplished. Mr Muwson’s presence on the scene will go far towards facilitating further preliminary work.

THE SHORT SESSION. At the beginning of last week the Prime Minister, with a line air of confidence, talked of getting the short session, which opens to-morrow through in three weeks, or in a month at the moist. To-day he is less sanguine. The Leader of the Opposition, and his considerable battalion, are in no hurry to make their attitude towards the Governmout known, and Labour is still more secretive in view of the revelations to be made by its leader, Mr H. E. Holland, in the Town Hall tomorrow evening. Mr Forbes is by no meaiifs perturbed by the task that lies before him; in fact he appears to be more composed than do the leaders of the other parties, and to have time for all his numerous callers. His admission th i/3 evening that the session may run into four or five weeks, if Reform and Labour, want to talk, is accompanied by no misgivings. “TWO OR THREE PARTIES ”

That well meaning body, the New Zealand Political Association, continues to appeal to a listlpHp public to concentrate itself upon a single political party and to brush all other parties aside. “Is is not opportune,” it asks, “that the Reform and the United parties should, bury the hatiTiet r' petty political differences, amalgamate and thus prove that the country is receiving first consideration? Opportunity offers during the next few days enabling supporter* of both parties to discuss the matter from every possible angle.” The dream of two parties could be eclipsed only by a dream of one party—a goal to be reached perhaps in the far distant future—but, to talk of the United Party and the Reform Party joining in one political creed, of which neither fully approved, in order that Labour should be perpetually kept out of office, would aimply mean that what a majority of the' electors desired would never be achieved.