WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 January 1921, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

CABINET RECONSTRUCTION. SIR WILLIAM BERRIES* RETIREMENT. (Special Correspondent.)' Wellington, Jan, 21. There seems to be some misapprehension in regard to the significance of Sir William Merries’ impending trip to the Old Country. It has been stated that Sir William is retiring from Dominion politics altogether with a view to taking up his permanent residence in England. This is not the case. Sir William wished to be relieved of his Ministerial responsibilities some time ago, his medical adviser having been insistent upon this point, but at the urgent request of the Prime Minister to defer his resignation till the new members of the Cabinet had found their feet, so to speak, he remained at his post. He will retain his seat in the House as member for Tauranga at least till the next general election and he hopes to be back in New Zealand early in August to take up his Parliamentary duties. TARIFF REVISION. It is understood that Customs is one of the portfolios Mr. Massey will take up on the retirement of Sir William Merries from the Cabinet, and the Prime Minister’s friends are promising him a merry time in carrying through the House his long promised tariff revision. But times and conditions have vastly changed since the days when customs duties were a constant bone of contention in the New Zealand Parliament. The’ little band of free-traders, who resented high duties as a protection to local industries, are now compelled to accept them as a means of raising revenue and even their hardlywon “free breakfast table” has disappeared. Mr. Massey, however, is aiming at an adjustment of duties, not at an increase, and in this undertaking he is unlikely to encounter any very strenuous opposition. THE PRICE OF BREAD. ’ At the same time some uneasiness has been occasioned among the consumers here by the Hon. W. Nbsworthy’is talks at large concerning additional encouragement and assistance to farmers. The Minister of Agriculture takes. a somewhat restricted view of economics and expressed it much less tactfully than his political chief would in similar circumstances. He has been expressing in very effusive terms his gratitude to the southern farmers for growing, wheat at a price which ought to yield them a very handsome return, implying that something more will have to be done for them from the public purse in recognition of their patriotism. This has provoked talk about “dear bread which has gone some waV to undo the good effects of the, Prime Minister’s efforts to reconcile the conflicting interests of town and country.