WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1931, Page 6

WELLINGTON NEWS

SEEKING THE RECQVERY GERM. ’ (Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, September 8. The Inter-Party Parliamentary Committee that has been hearing evidence disclosing the present economic con-! ditions of the Dominion will, it is be- | lieved, complete this part of its task j this week. The witnesses have represented all interests in the community, and the Committee has gone a little further this week and has taken evidence on local body finances. This promises to be an exceedingly interesting and intricate problem. The debt of the local bodies of the Dominion rims up to about £71,000,01)0, but a relatively small proportion of this has been borrowed overseas. The debentures are held Dy State departments, banks and insurance companits, and a fair number of debentures are held by private individuals Tfltib have latterly shown' a.: very keen desire'!..to sell their holdings ! There has been great pressure to sell on the Stock Exchanges out buyers are not to be found. Local bodies are feeling the depressed conditions like every one else including the State. . .-Rates, which form the chief source of revenue of local bodies, are not .coining in quite so readily as usual, aild pressing for payments through the Courts would be useltss. Thus, while the revenue is contracting the expenditure, including the interest, shows scarcely ally recession. ISome of the local bodies are not getting in>v more than'"enough revenue to pay the interest oii loans, leaving very little for other purposes. There must be some very drastic "changes with respect to local bodies and a system of- rationalisation may be founu imperative. Many of the local bodies will need State assistance and how the Government is to find the money required will perplex the politicians: The Economy Co'mrfiittee should' be able to report to Parliament very soon. Parliament has now been in session since June 28, and precious little has been done since. At the end of this month members will become restive, and will be anxious to get into the election campaign. The candidates that Have announced themselves will probably consider next month as not too early for addressing the electors with a view to getting a start of the sitting member. All this must be taken into ednsideraI tion, and it is quite unlikely that a I workable scheme wdl be forthcoming. ] At the same time the majority of members may realise that the conditions I call for drastic action, and in 1 view of suggest postponing the election and the formation of a National Government at in Britain to carry out a definite programme of economy. While this, is possible it is not probable, consequently little or nothing will He done, and the country will go on, drifting. It is unfortunate that, we have a minority Government in power, and the Prime Minister has repeatedly referred to the fact and tile limitations imposed upon the Government in consequence. In the oponion of men competent to judge 'the situation, drastic actf; n will be necessary::'- -Econoniids"and increased taxation are believed to be inevitable, but these can cnly be pushed to a certain point. They believe that the Social; and Labour legislation 1 now on the . Statute Book must . -Be amended or expunged. Some hold that the Industrial Conciliat on ’and Arbitration Act must be abolished or at least recast in the direction, Of making arbitration optional. Compulsory arbitration serves the workers iii good films but at the present tin'o it is of no value-to those out of tvork. ,

The leaders of Labour -Were insistent at the outset that relief work should be piiiid for at award rates, but;;., they have had to abandon that claim, as the number of workless lias increased. Then again there are some leading business men who are of the opinion that the Apprenticeship Act wants rewising. The restrictions are so numerous that employers are averse t' emploving fads, as apprentices. Today there are boys ready to iegin work but there is no open ng for them, neither in the trades cv the professions and their future is tragic. So far the authorities have confined themselves to relief measures, but this depression will last for some years and relief cannot go on. Something more than that must be done, «'e_ must tackle the fundament Is, and that is being shirked: