WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 March 1922, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE LIQUOR QUESTION. TRADE CONFERRING. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, March 15. A further conference of representatives of the various interests concerned is being held here this week, putting the finishing touches to the Trade’s preparations for the impending licensing campaign. The delegates are very reticent as to their plans, but it is known that their organisation is on an exceptionally large and comprehensive scale and that abundance of money is at their disposal. In this respect the Trade is more fortunate than its opponent, the New Zealand Alliance. The Prohibitionists’ organisation made its supreme effort at the last poll, and failed only by the votes diverted to State Control; but it exhausted its financial resources in the fight and there is little prospect of it being able to resume the struggle with its old vigor. The Prohibition leaders do not admit as much as this; but they realise their activities must be somewhat restricted by their lack of funds. The Trade, however, is leaving nothing to chance. It already has the country mapped out into districts each under a capable organjser backed up by a small army of assistants. It. is going into the flight equipped at every point. THE WHEAT SUBSIDY. North Island farmers are not showing themselves very enthusiastic over the proposal of the North Canterbury Farmers’ Union that the Government should guarantee a payable price for next year’s wheat crop. The fact of the matter is that the growers of wheat in this part of the Dominion have not profited by their enterprise to the extent they expected. The cost of production has been high and the harvest weather has not been altogether favorable. In the circumstances it would take a price quite as high as the one guaranteed this year to tempt them to remain, in the industry. Meanwhile the Government is showing no anxiety to fall in with the suggestion of the North Canterbury farmers. Probably the Minister of Agriculture will make an announcement or the subject within the next day or two and it is pretty certain to amount to a refusal to spoon feed the wheat growers any further. Mr. Nosworthy has produced a fairly large subsidy for them by inducing Parliament to impose a duty of 2s per 100 lbs upon, imported wheat and with that they should be content in normal times. SHADOW OF GENERAL ELECTION. Mr. T. M- Wilford, the leader of the Liberal-Labor Opposition, is away in the South Island, where he is expected to remain for a fortnight or so; but his friends here are not allowing the grass to grow on , the party patch. Their leader at least has managed to inspire ; them with the idea that the time is I ripe for a great revival in politics and I that the opportunity of the “progresi sive forces” is at hand. No doubt the ! Government, like all Governments that I have lived beyond the span allotted to ■ them by tradition, has wearied some of I its ffiends, but Mr. Massey remains the strong man of the situation and very likely much of the criticism he is encountering to-day will find no expression at the polls. • The real danger confronting him lies in the improving relations between Liberalism and moderate | Labor. If this movement should continue the contest next December will be very interesting and full of possibilities. The Hollandites and the Fraserites, in all probability, will continue to plough their lonely furrow.