WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1918, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. DOMINION REPRESENTATION. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, July 3. So far as can be gathered from the very meagre reports of the proceedings at the Imperial Conference now in session in London, British statesmen have a much better conception of the needs and aspirations of the outlying portions, of the Empire than they had five or six years ago. This is one of the good effects of the war, one of the first fruits of the efforts and sacrifices the pominions have made in the common cause and one of the consolations offered them in this time of stress and sorrow. It is opportune, therefore, to recall that six' or seven years ago the Hon. A. M. Myers, the present Minister of Customs and of Munitions and Supplies, was urging the representation of the Dominions in an Imperial Cabinet constituted on much the same lines as the one now being evolved in London. Of course he was not the first to suggest the idea, but he may fairly claim to be the first to indicate the shape it is now assuming. THE MINISTER FOR NEW ZEALAND. The prospect of the Imperial Cabinet being really representative of the whole of the Empire has provoked a good deal of speculation as to' who will be Minister for New Zealand in that august body. Sir Joseph Ward's name comes tripping from almost every sagging tongue, and it is generally admitted that Sir Joseph's long association with public affairs in this country and his intimate acquaintance with a generation of British statesmen would qualify him in a very special degree for the position. But people who may be supposed to be in his confidence declare he would not think of taking up his residence in London unless it were made perfectly clear to him that this was the best service he could render to the Dominion. His personal inclinations all turn towards New Zealand, and though he might be prepared to make commercial and political sacrifices to meet the wishes of his colleagues he would much prefer retaining his old associations here.

THE POLITICAL MACHINE. Though the various branches of the Farmers' Union have neglected—several of them with a certain measure of reservation—the suggestion that the parent body should take a hand in politics, a number of remits are down on the agenda paper for the Colonial Conference dealing with the political system. The authors of these want to find some' means by which "party" will be permanently abolished from (Parliament and members left to discuss every question on its merits, irrespective of the views of leaders of Governments. One branch goes the length of suggesting that the Cabinet should be made elective, presumably by the members, so that every shade of opinion might be represented in the Executive. Others simply demand "the abolition of party government" without indicating in any way how the reform should proceed, and altogether it seams likely that the Colonial Conference will hear more of party during its approaching session than it has ever done before. DAIRY MATTERS. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie, the Minister in charge of Shipipng and Imperial Supplies, has announced that he knows of no authority for the statement that arrangements have been made for ship* ping the whole of the butter available for export in the immediate future. The statement has been widely circulated, with the supplementary information that the Prime Minister has succeeded in securing the necessary space; but Mr. Guthrie 'has received no confirmation from Mr. Masaey, and in these circumstances is not inclined to accept the statement as authentic. He also warns the dairy factories against rushing into the dried milk business without making the very closest inquiries. It would be extremely hazardous, he says, to enter upon a costly undertaking merely on the strength of the boom prices prevailing in America, which are due entirely to war conditions and unlikely to be maintained.

WOOL IPRICES. Mr H. M. Campbell's telegram to the. Minister of Agriculture protesting against any attempt being made by a section of the woolgrowers to obtain higher prices for their commodity from the Imperial Government is meeting with the warm approbation of a great many people here. The general public, of course, having neither wool nor butter to sell, might be expected to sympathise with Mr CampbeJl's protest. But disapproval of ttie attempt to exact more money from "oppressed ■England" is not confined to the thriftless men in the street. Financiers and commercial men, who are directly inter-, ested in the maintenance of good prices and the measuro of prosperity they bring, draw the line at haggling with the Motber Country over pennies here and there, and declare the existing arrangement, considering all the circumstances, is satisfactory to the length of being generous. The advocates of still higher demands are not likely to receive a very sympathetic hearing from the Minister.