AUCKLAND NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 30 January 1933, Page 6

AUCKLAND NOTES

(From our Correspondent). The holidays are now over, and those who are fortunate enough to have work to go to, are getting into the collar again. '.I lie le,stive season mis not bec-n without i>.s i&stivity. Tlialign the social workers know that there has been much poverty and distress, it lino not been glaringly a-p----pareu:, and most people appear to nave gone in tor holiday making, though perhaps on a more modest scale tnan in termer and more pros porous years. There lias certainty been money to s:pond, and a stranger arriving 111 the country and seeing tne thousands or excursionists and tourists passing from north to south and from south to north would come to the conclusion that tilings could not, on the whole, be as bad as they are painted. But- looking below the surrace possibly the gaioiy would be found to oe. somewhat loiced, and the cheerfulness tempered by apprehension more or lojs name ns lu wnat tne new yx-ar liokts in store.

The. lion nay season as usual has provided an opportunity for tne enterprising burgiar. Jaundices or people- go iia ay leaving tneir houses lueneii up inore or less securely, but u lew or uiem on their return uuU trie premises nave been bioKc-n into and r a lisa t Ked, I'lr a,, ivortlieroit .iiatl tins unpieaLant experience last ween, when on his loturii li'om a. three weeks’ ya'chorng cruise /he found his rosicit'iice nad oeen entered and some ±.oo worth of jewt'/ilei'y stolen, toon.e of die articles taK-eu were of sentimental value and cannot there lore L-e replaced, the only Hope being that they may lactr on be traced.

Thefts of jewellery have been more frequent lately owing to t.-e demand lor old gold. If cnis demand eontiiiueu there will require to be more careiul supervision over the- house to house canvassing by itinerant geld buyers. It is quite possible some of these may be in league with crooks, and locate jewellery which may afterwards ba stolen, by U-eir criminal coiiireres.

The was consternation in the city yesterday when i-t- was realised that the Government had forced the banks to rake the rat® of exchange, to 25 per cent. The concussion arising from the dropping of this bomb has probably dazed all of us—more or less. Of course, as is usual, those who know least have had the most to say, and there have been hurriedly called meeting of protest, arid the drafting of resolutions bristling with indignation. Liu real fact js that the Government Irak had to act on its own initiative, and without any precedent to guide it under circumstances of uaparralleled difficulty. It has sought advice from technical experts, but the advice has been .so oontraidietory, as to show that in the multitude of counsellors wisdom is not necessary inherent. As immediate action had ito be taken the Government lias taken, it—let ns trust wisely. It may be said safely at this juncture-, that the results will be so far reaching that their effects cannotnow bo fully estimated. I believe it i> the first time any country has deliberately, and against the advice of the majority of the banks, deflated its own currency, and what the result will be time alone can tell. Professors of economics and banking authorities hold divergent views which will now be nut to the test of ,-prac-

' ; tical experience. Polit-it al!v of course there are still .possibilities that the Government may ! be defeated. The resignation of Mr Downio Stewart which will be almost 1 universally regretted, to a certain extant will weaken the Cabinet. Some 20 members of ithe House had opposed the attempt to artificially raise the rate of exchange, and the Labour party will. of course oppose anything : and everything the Government proiposed, if bv so doing they can secure its defeat. The defeat of the Government, which would lead to a dissolution and an, appeal to the country is an alternative which, for very good reason is not likely now to be taken. Some are inclined to the belief that nothing coukl be worse than our present condition. But with the recent object lessen of New South Wales and the Lai’g regime it should not he : difficult to realise that it is quite possible to step from the frying-pan into .the fire. 1 One thing is evident. This country will he thrown more on its own resources. In this connection importance attaches to the 1 statement made by Mr T. 'S. Edge, the well known racing motorist and pioneer of the motor industry that there is no reason why New Zealand should import- any motor fuel at all. It has been well known for ■ years past that a mixture of alcohol (which can be cheaply distilled from over-ripe fruit, potatoes, maize and many common agricultural products) and benzol which is produced from brown coal of which we have probably almost inexhaustible supplies will make a perfect motor fuel. Mr Edge has, however, very opportunely called attention to- the matter at a time when the farmer i,s looking for an assured market for his ,produce, and overseas importations are bound, owing to the increased exchange rate to rise some fifteen per cent. Mr Edge’s statements that this mixture gives better results than petrol and is a- groat deal cheaper, must, 1 owing to lib wide experience command j respect. An Auckland firm of engineers has already communicated with the I Department of 'Scientific and Indue- [ trial ■Be search offering to assist in I demonstrating the practicability of a stnT.VK'Stion the extreme importance of / 1 which, should be self evident.. if