WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3499, 29 May 1920, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE YE.-XR’S SURPLUS. 1 ‘ --—----~ I . . PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. ' 3 . (Special Correspondent). WELLINGT();\T, May 28. The long-expected Si-REUJII-._lltnof the public accounts for the your (ended on ;\lal'ch 31 made its aplncanuice in rho Gazette last night and is chiefly remarkable for the iininensitxy ofvits figures. Roughly, the revenue for the year amounted to $326,000,000 and the expenditure to $523,700,000, leaving a balance of revenue over expenditure, in precise terms, of £2,299,415. This exceeds Sir James Allen’s estimate of £478,108 by no less than £1,821,307, and in itself is satisfactory enough, but the enormous growth df the expenditure over and above the -growth of the revenue does not present. so gratifying a spectacle. The Dominion emphasises the gravity of the position by pointing out that while the permanent appropriations during the five years between 1910 to 1915 increased by only £990,768, the permanent appropriations during the five years between 1915 and 1920' increased by £6,884,284. This is additional unproductive expenditure that has been met by additional taxation.

r UP AGAINST IT. This is the term Mr Massey used yesterday in announcing to the conference of meat producers held here that the Imperial Government had positively declined to extend the commandeer. “We are up against. it,” he said, “and it is just as well to know what the position is. The commandcer ends on June 30 and there is not the slightest chance of it being renewed. It is just as well to know what.’ the position is, so that the best arrangements can be made, and I hope the ‘best. arrangenients will be made.” New Zealand, Mr Massey went on to say, would now have to get back to the pre-war methods of doing business and would have to conduct its own affairs. advice to the producers would'be ‘to set up a finance com: mittee Brat could go into the whole matter and let the Government know exactly what they required. The representatives of the shipping companies attended the conference and gave an assurance that there would be space for over ten million freight careases during ‘the year, a. number substantially above the-. annual production of the Dominion. V

WATERSIDE WORK.

Mr_J'. G. Harknes, the chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board, is tackling the problem of waterside work with an open mind and with_a good deal of sympathy for the men‘ who hangg about the wharves from!‘ year-’s end to year ’s end without any: settled conditions of employment. At! lzist night’s meeting of the Board it‘ was decided on his motion to set ‘up a 3 committee consisting of members -and? executive ofiicers of the Board ‘to con-i sider what methods should be adopted “to increase the efliciency of water-. side work on the wharves, and to suggest some practicable scheme that will secure permanent. employment to the um and be satisfactory to the employers and employed.” ‘A movement in this direction has been on foot for some time past and though it has not found favour with all the men it is believed it would be Vvelcomed by a. majority of them and would largely increase the efficieney of the work at the port. ‘

FARMERS’ POLITICAL PARTY,

The determination of the Auckland Provincial Farmers’ Union to form a farmers’ political party distinct from any of the existing political parties, does not appear to be finding much favour with a majority of the farmerswho happen to be in Wellington just now attending various conferences or waiting upon Ministers. The objection most of tnem urge -against the step is that. the definite entrafice of the ‘Farmers’ Union into party politics of any colour would be bound to create dissensions among the members and ultimately result in a loss of membership. The policy of the farmers all over the country, one of the visitors said this morning, should be to join heartily in pressing their legitimate demands upon the Government of the day, by whatever name it might be called,‘ but lie scrnpiilously abstain from threatening Ministers with the terrors of the ballot box. This policy had given good I‘esults in the I_:ua.st land it would be time enough for far- ‘ mers to talk about other means of getlting their rights when this one failed.