WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1920, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

. jh4;' legislative council. DEFERRING DAY OF DECISION. (From Our Own Correspondent.)' Wellington, Oct. 8. It was made fairly evident by the little discussion in the House last night on the proposal to further postpone the operation of the. Legislative Council Act that the whole principle of the measure is in jeopardy. When the proposal for postponement waa before the Council, the Attorney-General declared that he would not in any shape or form countenance a renunciation of the policy in this matter laid down by the Government in 1914, and there ia no reason to doubt his profession of caflsisteney. But Mr. Massey warJNt nearly so emphatic in his adhesenee to the principle of an elective Uppet fiouse last night The undesirahfc. itndta of ~ the nominated - iygtem width were so obvious in .1914', be contended, had disappeared in 1930. He waß not prepared to repeal the Act, but if the House insisted upon doing so that was members' own concern. HALF-HEARTED REITCRMERS. Probably Mr. Hasan was very neat 'the mark, when he said the Reformers had lost their liking for their own Act. The party that has the power of nomination naturally sees more virtue in the present system than does the party that is-Opt of office. Mr. Massey's waning enthusiasm for an elective Council JMtj be due to a very proper appreciation of big own impartiality and . discrimination in the constitution of a nominated one. But the wavering is not on the Reform side of the House alone. There are. indeed, many good Liberals who held that a nominate ', chamber is consistent with the most democratic professions. Mr. laitt, again, represents another school of Liberal thought and rejoices that "the Act is as dead as Julius Caesar," because it would ■make legislative councillors responsible to the electors and compel them to appeal to large constituencies. THE TENURE QUESTION. The Government issued another challenge to the leaseholders of the House last night by bringing down the Rotorua Town Lands Ijill, which proposes to give the tenants of the Crown within the ".town of Rotorua the option of acquiring the freehold. There has been a persistent demand by the tenants for this concession for several years past, and at the last general election they made it the deciding factor in casting their votes. Mr. Hockly, the new member for the district, came to the House pledged to their view, and, to do him justice, be is not the kind of man to neglect any legitimate means of discharging his obligation. The motion for the accept- ; anee of the Bill, which was brought down by Governor-General's message, was carried by 38 votes to 26, a strik- ! ing feature of the division being that (Mr. Wilford, the Leader of the Op position, voted with the Government. This dose hot end the matter, and meanwhile the leaseholders are pluming themselves on their display of strength. RATIONAL BALANCE SHEET.

A SUBSTANTIAL CREDIT. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Oct. 11. 1 The National Balance Sheet submitted' to the Hons* by the Prime Minister when moving the second reading of the Soldiers' Sfttlemmt Loan Bill on Friday, though it contained only figures with whidh most people who take an interest in public finance were familiar,, has concentrated attention upon the «aohnous cost of the war and the substantial increase of private wealth. BetWMtt Mini 3rd, 1915 and March 31, 1990, a period of the public debt grew by bringing the total debt up to <201,170,765. The amount, of course, ia colossal for a young and ip&rsely populated country lika New Zealand, and when all the ttaata of the Dominion, Crown Lands, friMie buildings, State advances in hand and the rest, are placed on the credit aide an exam of liabilities over assets •f £5£;143,321 remains. But against tfcl* there ia private wealth estimated by the Treasury at £300,000,000 and the fkandal authorities join with Mr. Massey in pronouncing the position perfetly sound and satisfactory. SOLDIERS' SETTLEMENT. The debate on the second reading of the Soldiers' Settlement Loan Bill, Which Was passed through its final stages in the House on Saturday morning, has been followed by a raristy 0 f additional information concerning the position and prospects of the returned men placed on'ate land. There seems to be no doubt that a very large majority of 'the men have good prospects before them atid every reason to be satisfied with what has been done for them by the State. But a considerable number of soldier settlers, chiefly inexperienced men on small holdings, are disappointed With their ventures and unlikely to make a success of them. The "small industry" men, in particular, who dreamed of an easy life and ultimate fortune in poultry raising, bee-keeping and market-gardening, are not finding their occupation all they imagined it to be and probably will be bade to the Goveramyit for further assistance.