WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taranaki Daily News, 8 May 1920, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE PRINCE'S,VISIT THE CAPITAL EN FETE. (Special Correspondent). Wellington, May 5. Wellington has decked itself with much bunting and greenery for the reception of the Prince of Wales, and at the moment the weather is gloriously fine. A disagreeable Government meteorologist has predicted strong southerly winds and cold changeable, showery weather, but a loyal public is refusing to credit him and is dressing itself in its; best. The royal guest will arrive bv train at Lnmbton Station at 7.30 tills evening, having travelled from Napier by way of Wairarapa. rejoicing the. hearts of the country folk < ii route, and will proceed to Government House, through the decorated and crowded streets, for the first night's rest he has been permitted to enjoy since leaving Auckland. After that," the deluge of entertainment. HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER. Colonel Mitchell, the milch alive new member for Wellington South, has not contented himself with merely condemning the dilatory methods being employed in the development of the Mangaliao liydro-electric scheme. He has obtained a report from a well-known firm of electrical engineers endorsing his statement that Mangahao will not provide sufficient power for the city, and his sug-! gestion that a stand-by and supplementary power should be obttiii.ed from the Hutt river. This scheme could be completed in three years at a comparatively small cost and while ensuring a constant and reliable supply of electricity. Would make the erection of additional steam power in Wellington unnecessary. With the authority of the engineers liehind it the scheme is bound to receive official attention.

THE COST OF LIVING. Speaking to a, deputation from the Post, and Telegraph Department, which approached him yesterday with a. request for an increase in pay, Mr. Massey said no power on earth could have kept the cost of living down after such a war as the world had experienced- But in this respect New Zealand had done better than any other country, Australia alone having figures that were comparable with those of the Dominion- He instanced sugar as a commodity in which New Zealand had stood pre-emin-ent during the course of the war—omitting to mention, by the way, the factor of duty—and predicted that though an inerease in price was inevitable New Zealanders would continue to have the cheapest sugar in the world.

MORE' TAXATION. Pressing his point, Mr. Massey appealed through the deputation to country to do its duty. ,: We cannot go on as we are doing without arranging for additional revenue from the revenueproducing Departments of the State," he said. "I am satisfied of that, though I had thought it might he avoided. It is only right we should do anything we can t° pay you salaries in keeping with the increase in. the cost of living. I lay that down as a principle on which we ] have stood up to the present, but I am afraid we shall have to arrange for. more revenue from the Post Department and more revenue from the Railway Department and from any other revenue-pro-ducing Department." In plain words this means more taxation and an inevitable increase in the cost of living. This is the prospect with which the country is faced to-day.