WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 July 1931, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

‘RESTLESS MINISTERS.”

AN OID STORY

(Special Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, July 9

The morning paper again returns to what it conceives to be the extravagance of members of the Government and oi the Civil Service du travelling aoout the country at the expense, as it conceives, of the sadly burdened taxpayers.

“An announcement that the ’memoers of the new 'Radway Board had left Wellington to make a personal inspection of the route of the Napier-Gisbome line,” it says, “prompts the question whether these expensive tours are really necessary. In the Railways, and Public Works Departments there are contour maps, surveys, and reports in abunciance from which such questions can be studied. Why, then, these expensive excursions to find out what is already known and pigeon-holed ? The United 'Party Cabimt, of course, has set a bad example. Members of the Government , had'no sooner assumed Ministerial office ' than they set out on tours up and down ' the country.” The story, of course, is I one that has been exchanged between , the contending political parties for forty years or more l tA MINIS”'

The truth of the matter is that 111 these days the Minister of the Crown who does his job thoroughly, whether United or Reform very soon wearies of the' monotony of travelling either by road or rail. He certainly does not go abroad for fun. The suggestion that the members of the n?w Railway Board have gone from their own homes to Gisborne merely for their personal enterta:nment at this time of year is s ntply ludicrous. If the “maps, surveys and reports” mentioned by the cr tm are all the members require to make themselves acquainted wi h tbrnr d« tlnr then they should be able to give all the service required direct from thejr own homes. The assertion that the Untcrl Party Cabinet has “set a bad example in this respect is surely the wildest charge. The readiest reproach levelPd against the Prime Minister is that he does not move about the country enough. Such is hip reward for attention to business.

“THE LORDS.” The members of the- Legislative Council while waiting for material from the “Other Place” have Wn toying with the Addrcss-in-Reply doubtless to their individual satisfaction. The Hon. W. Earnshaw, whom through the whole of his political career, has been “Agin the Government o" the day, in the course of his contribution to the debate yesterday predicted that within six months there would be seventy thousand unemployed in the Dominion and strongly deprecated the idea of any of the political parties talking flf fiisioh Without lit St ascertaining the wishes of the electors. He was not a pessimist, be wished the Council to undertand, but he believed “New . Zealand was only just entering its slump.” The Hon, R. Moore wished the Government to understand that if the wheat duty was reduced not .a grain of the cereal would be grown in Canterbury and that the Dominion would have to look elsewhere for its bread. The Hon. G.. "Witty took a less sombre view of the situation and Sir Thomas Sidey closed the debate with an assurance of the Dominion’s stability.

FARMERS AND UNEMPLOYMENT. The Farmers’ Union Con terenee. which is sitting in Wellington at the present time, adopted yesterday a resolution which should have the attention of both the Government and the workers. “This conference,” the substance of the resolution runs, “while endorsing the principles of direct taxation and true employment insurance, calls for the amendment of the Unemployment Act so that efficiency is the ruling principle in its administration ; that work of an unproductive character be discontinued and only work of a permanent productive nature he undertaken. Fntallv. that the whole aim of the Act should be to eliminate unemployment.” There can be no doubt that the Government nas done its best in the circumstances to alleviate the condition of the unemployed, but the experience o' several months no\v has to be turned to account and the Farmers’ ■ Conference has indicated how at least a, measure of improvement may be effected.