WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taihape Daily Times, 23 April 1919, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

NEW ZEALAND FINANCE.

INCREASED PRODUCTION

NEEDED.

(Special Correspondent.)

WELLIGTON, April 21.

The Hon. A. M. Myers, the ActingMinister for Finnc-ae. is no less of au optimist than is his absent chief. He does not. doubt for a moment the ability of the Dominion to b"ar the burdens it.

lias taken upon itself in connection with the war. But he is urging afresh the urgent need for increased production. It is by this means, and by this means alone', he say, that the country can meet its additional obligations without being seriously embarrassed by " the new condition. Improved methods must be employee!, and greater efforts put forth, while there must be better relations between employers and workers, and further assistance and direction from the Government. The resources of the Dominion are inexhaustible, even its primary industries being in their infancy, and by cooperation between capital and labour its annual income" easily might be sufficiently increased to meet its additional obligation twice over. THE ETERNAL PROBLEM. The soldiers'' votes having turned the scale definitely in favour of Continuance, the contending parties are forgetting the incidents of the recent licensing poll in their contemplation of the next campaign. The Prohibitionists are keeping their organisation intact, expecting tbe trangular duel between Continuance, Prohibition, and State Control to take place not later than October, and it is understood their exchequer has been replenished by a number of very generous donations. It is estimated that the last campaign cost each side about £60,000, and that the next will be scarcely less expensive. It was thought at one time that the Prohibitionists would [join heartily in the agitation for the submission of the three issues to the electors under the system of preferential voting, but it is reported now that their leaders are so strongly opposed to the liquor trade in any shape they will do nothing likely to facilitate the adoption of State Control. STATE CONTROL.

As the law stands .at present, it provides no intelligible 'definition of State Control. The Act of last session makes plain enough what is meant. by; Continuance and Prohibition, but does not even hint at which particular brand of State Control its authors had, in mind. It is being taken for granted that this omission will be repaired by legislation during the short session which must precede the' general election, but so far Ministers have giveliX

I no indication of their intentions in rej gard to the matter. . The only system j of State Control yet seriously discus- ! sed in this country is one by which ■ the State would take over the liquor : trade and leave the owners in possession of the rest of their business, paying them compensation, of course, for such loss as they might sustain from the extinction of the proprietary interest in liquor. It is quite possible the Government's scttcmc will be based on these lines. COST OF THE EPIDEMIC. The Minister for Public Health is still incurring a good deal of angry criticism from public bodies (and private individuals that do not see eye to eye with him in regard to the settlement of accounts .arising out of the influenza, epidemic The truth of the matter is that a number of flagrant attempts to extract payments from the Health Department for which it was in no way responsible has compelled Mr Russell to move with very great caution. A motor company presented a little bill for £SOO odd for services which neither the Minister nor any officer of his De- - partinent had authorised, and scores of "voluntary"' workers sen< in claims amounting to several thousands o£ nouuds. Mr, Russell has stretched all the rules- and regulations in his de#~ sire to satisfy every reasonable demand, but without special Parliamentary authority it is impossible for him to do more than he already has done.

THE EX-CROWN PRINCE

WIFE COMMENCES DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS.

BERNE. April 17.

The Grand * Duchess Anastasia of Mecklenburg-Sckwenu. replying to a report that the German Crown PrinceiDtends applying for o divorce, sent a statement to Swiss newspapers that her daughter has commenced divorce proceedings against the Crown Prince and will be able to prove numerousinfidelities, atrocious brutality and" the grossest cruelty, including blows, by which her face is disfigured. Tne Princess has long desired a divorce, but the Hohenzollerns dissuaded ner owing to the scanSltl that would follow. Once the Princess fieri fr<omt owing to cruelty and was arrested at the Swiss frontier and taken Dack spl Berlin like a common criminal