NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1124, 22 July 1913, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Mr Hennessy, Chairman of the Foxton Harbour Board, in referring to yesterday’s deputation to the Prime Minister, informs us that as a result of the conference with members of the Cabinet, the Board is now in a better position to treat with the Government on the vexed wharfages than hitherto, inasmuch as the Premier is prepared to have all evidence touching the wharf taken before a committee of the House, thus giving Parliament an opportunity to arrive at an equitable basis of transfer. Mr Hennessy expressed himself as highly pleased with the manner in which the deputation was received and the keen interest and incisive grasp the Premier has of the situation. Mr Hennessy considers that the end of the wharf tangle is now in sight.

The Government has Introduced the Defamation Bill. The freedom of the press in regard to matters ot public interest is generally extended. Scurrilous papers, however, will find no protection from the Bill. Provision is made to prevent chain libel actions arising out of the publication of the same libel by a number of newspapers. Plaintiffs in libel actions are required to find security for costs, the object being to prevent men of straw from exploiting the newspapers. There will be no criminal liability for slander. The summary jurisdiction of magistrates in regard to criminal libel is abolished. The existing privileges in regard to the publication of matters of public interest are proposed to be re-enacted, and further provision is made protecting the publication of fair comment respecting any matters of which fair reports are privileged, the public conduct of persons or officials taking part in public affairs or functions, the merits of cases decided by any court, and any published book or other literary production. Clause 13 provides that, “It is lawful to publish defamatory matter if the matter is true and it is for the public benefit that publication should be made.”

Mr Vextch, the Labour member for Wanganui, has very little time for the Red Fed Labour section. In this particular he differs from the member for Otaki. In referring to the recent Unity Congress, Mr Veitch said he had been a member of the United Labour Party since its inception, and still adhered to that organisation. “Holding the views I do in regard to strikes,” he added, “I cannot associate myself with the new movement.” Mr Veitch does not hide his opinion that the Unity Congress was a complete failure. “Its only result as far as I can see,” he remarked, “has been to transfer Mr W. T. Mills from the United Labour Party to the Federation of Labour, and I do not regret the transfer.”

The increased cost of living is discussed in the last number of the

North American Review by an American financial writer, who examines the forces that tend to inflate prices, and arrives at the conclusion that values of all commodities must increase, because the circulation of money and cheques will advance in a higher ratio than the probable volume of trade. He declares there is strong reasons to believe that for many years to come the world’s money in circulation in gold and cheques —in other words, the total facilities for the purchase of goods—will probably increase the rate of per cent, per annum, while the volume of trade will increase at most at the rate of per cent, making necessary a probable average annual increase of prices of at least 2 per cent. This would mean that the purchasing power of a sovereign at the end of another five years would have declined by a further sum of 2s. Meantime the cost of living is further increased by the fact that demand has grown with appetite. People have got used to luxuries absolutely denied to their forefathers. By the general rise in the standard of living and the expansion of the scale ot comfort, many so-called luxuries have become necessities in modern times. Owing to better wages there has been abundance of money to purchase these things, and with their universal use the price ot such articles has naturally increased. This is the real explanation of the higher cost of living. We require more ot the good things of this world —so many of them that tbeir supply is insufficient.

Mr Mvrrs, M.P., had something to say recently in respect to the subject of children’s fares on the railways, which should meet with general approval. Referring t© the proposal when holding the portfolio for railways to reduce the fares for children the member for Auckland East remarked : “I believe that in a country like this we could well afford to have our children up to five years of age carried free, and only charge a quarter fare for children up to twelve years of age. I hope Mr Herries will see his way to introduce an innovation in this direction.”