WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 February 1922, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE MEAT POOL. BOARD OF CONTROL. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington. Feb. 17. There was some surprise here when it was announced yesterday that the five representatives of the producers on the board which is to control the operations of the meat pool were to be selected by the producers’ committee and the unofficial parliamentary committee which promoted the scheme. It was expected, in view of the very important duties to be undertaken by the board that its members would be selected by a much wider constituency than the one decided upon by the Government. The ptoducers’ committee consists of fourteen members, seven from each island, and the parliamentary committee of six, so that only twenty individuals will have a voice in determining the constitution of five-eights of a body that will exercise even greater powers than the Prime Minister entrusts to any of his colleagues. Mr. Massey promises that next year the board will be selected on a more democratic basis, but meanwhile the five-eighths majority will have an opportunity to arrange all the preliminary details down to the appointment of that £lO,OOO a year man in London and the equipment of a costly office at each end. Unless necessity compels the Prime Minister to retain a very tight hold on the purse-strings the country may find this excursion into co-opera-tive trading somewhat expensive. POOL THE LOT. Mr. W. J. Polson, president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, is hot alone in thinking the pool scheme should be made to apply to other products than meat. When the Meat Export Control Bill was under discussion in the Legislative Council last week Sir Thomas Mackenzie, probably speaking with a more intimate knowledge of the subject than could any other member of the present Parliament, strongly urged that the scheme should be widely extended. Meat, he pointed out, was only one of the Dominion’s products and there was no reason why it should be selected for exclusive treatment. The argument of facts,, he said in effect, was all the other way. If the arrangements for handling and marketing meat were as complete as they should be they could be employed to the adavntage of all the producers and to the whole country, while the cost of the scheme to the individual would be substantially lessened by its wide distribution. The Prime Minister concurs with this view to a certain extent, but he is riding warily in the matter with a desire to make good in one enterprise before embarking upon another. NEW POLITICAL PARTY. The existing political parties appear to be little perturbed by the activities of the new party announced from Auckland. The Reformers rC-established their full party organisation immediately after the dissolution of the National Government and their work in preparation for the general election has been going on steadily ever since. They make light of the stories of their declining popularity in the constituencies and of a farmers’ party appearing in opposition to them at the polls. The Liberals are not yet able to speak with a united voice, but their general disposition is towards a good understanding between all the sane, loyal, progressive forces in the country and the adoption of a policy that will meet the reasonable demands of the producers. In the meantime, they regard the movement in Auckland rather as a revolt against Reform than as a reflection upon Liberalism. Official Labor frankly rejoices over any additional divisions among the other parties. Though quite content to stand by proportional representation, it is not indifferent to the advantages it may gain from quarrels among its opponents. THE RAILWAY CUT. Many business men in their zeal for economy having committed themselves to approval of the Minister's attempts to stay the continued loss of revenue on the railways by cutting out unprofitable services, are handicapped in their criticism of the Hon. D. H. Guthrie’s latest effort in this direction, but some of them are admitting now that the policy of high charges and lessened facilities -for travelling has failed in its purpose. The timidity of the railway management has proved the opportunity of the motor enterprise, and cars and lorries are running in opposition to the trains over al] the short distances and over many of the moderate ones. The Minister, presumably advised by the General Manager, still fondly hopes that by reducing services he may eventually reach a stage at which the loss on the lines may cease, but so far his cuts have had an exactly opposite effect. Business people in increasing numbers are acquiring the motoring habit, which saves the time which is money to busy men and avoids discomfort that is inseparable from the restricted services.