WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 8 September 1917, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE LOAN. I " ■■■■ ! A GRATIFYING SUCCESS. , V (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON Sept. 5. -The success of the second War Loan has exceeded the expectations of even the Minister of Finance, whose lighthearted optimism approaches very nearly to the faith that moves mountains and accomplishes other incredible miracles. Sir Joseph Ward never doubted the twelve millions he asked for would be fully subscribed. He had that much in view when he issued his prospectus. But the response of the small investor, and the comparatively small investor, the custodians of the ■country’s patriotism/ was beyond his most sanguine calculations. Naturally he is gratified and elated. With four or five milliins beyond his immediate requirements in hand he has no fear for the success of the further loan to he ,raised later in the financial year. The position is assured and doubly assured. Congratulations are pouring in upon Sir Joseph and his colleagues from overseas and it is pleasant to think of the impression this manifestation of the patriotism and steadfastness of the Dominion has created in Berlin. It is a proud day for New Zealand. THE SESSION WORK. The political machine is running so smoothly to-day—in view of the success of the loan no doubt —that Ministers are professing to see no reason why the session should not end in the second week of October. But probably in their elation they are a little too sanguine. The committee stage and the third reading of the Finance Bill seem likely to occupy the whole of- the present week, and after those arc out of the /way there will be the Liquor Bill to provoke a good deal of feeling and a vast amount of talking. It is a very short measure, merely an amendment of the W T ar Regulations relating to hotel hours, but it is a highly controversial on e and lobby gossip suggests the debate will run into several days. Both sides, or perhaps one shoud say all sides, predict that the Government’s proposal, whatever it may be, will be carried in the end, but this prospect will do little to stem the flow of irresponsible cratory. MORE TO COME. ■ ( I The work of the session will not bo over by any means when the Liquor Bill has been sent cn to the Legislative Council for formal endorsement. Ther e will remain the Expeditionary Forces Bill, containing the Government’s proposals for dealing with the Second Division men, perhaps a Gaming Bill, and at least half a dozen other Government measures of more than passing importance. One day at least will have to be given to private member’s Bills, of which there are a number on th e Order Paper, hopelessly buried, it would appear, beneath Mr Sidey’s perennial Daylight Saving Bill. Then there are the Estimates, which will afford opportunities for airing all kinds of grievances and might even produce a vote of no confidence, and the Public Works Statement, the report of the Cost of Living Committee and a host of minor matters. In normal times such a programme would not be completed within two months and even in those days is is difficult to see how it is to be disposed of in four or five weeks. COST OF LIVING. The Cost of Living Committee is working long and tedious hours and is obtaining a great amount of useful information from a small army of witnesses. The members are taking their duties very seriously, as well they might do, but it will not be surprising if the burden of their report is a complaint That they were appointed too late. Had the Government seen a little further ahead at the beginning of the war it might have done a good deal to keep down the prices of the accessaries of life. The whole of the produce of the Dominion might have been requisitioned by the Government at prices which would have more than satisfied and would have been most advantageous to the consumers. There would have been less talk of war profits and probably less uncertainty about shipping. But the opportunity was allowed to pass. Production is now proceeding on a war basis; many farmers have paid war prices for their stock and even for their land and the public seem doomed to pay war rates for their food. YET POSSIBLE. If its order of reference is wide enough, the committee even yet may do something to lighten the burden of the wage earner. Certain articles in common use belonging to the drapery And grocery groups have been advanced in price out of all proportion to the increased'cost to the importer and the xetailer. Careful enquiries have shown that goods which have been raised only 5 or 6 per cent, in the wholesale houses , have been raised 20, 30, and even 50

per cent, in the shops. Further proof of this is provided by the figures supplied by the Governmen Statistician. Groceries are from 10 to 12 per cent, dearer in Wellington than they are in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. They are slightly dearer in the Capital City than they are at Taihape, where the transit charges must be enormously greater. This surely is an anomaly, to say -the least of it, for which the committee might suggest a remedy.