WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 April 1922, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE RAILWAYS. A NEW POLICY. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, March 30. Mr. Massey’s statement at Auckland that he hoped to announce in the near future a new railway policy has provoked much curiosity and speculation here. The Acting Minister of Railways foreshadowed the impending change a week or two ago; but he gave no more indication of its nature than did the Prime Minister. One thing, however, is clear. Ministers have recognised that the policy of restricting services and raising charges has failed and that the only way to make the lines pay is to make them popular. How much Mr. Massey and his colleagues will dare in this direction remains to be seen, but people with the best opportunities to ascertain what is going on behind the scenes incline to the view that a modified system of commissioner management, without the abrogation of ministerial responsibility, will be instituted A dozen years ago this would have been regarded as a retrograde step, but during the interval none of the alternatives tired has proved sufficiently successful to definitely establish its superiority. The attempt to maintain the revenue by a policy of starvation has turned out the most disastrous policy of all. COQUETTING WITH LABOR.

Rather late in the day the politicians and the public have come to realise that the ballot now being taken by the members of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association to determine whether or not they shall affiliate with the Federation of Labor may be fraught with very serious conseqeuences to the community. To-day it is stated by observers in a good position to know taht there is about a level chance of the proposal for affiliation being carried. This would mean, if the majority could make its will effective, that the Association would become a militant labor union and that It would join hands with the Federation, not only in fighting its own battles, but also in fighting the battles of any other affiliated body that might require its assistance against the constituted authorities. The country might be treated to the spectacle of the letter carriers, the telegraphists and the mail sorters being called out to enforce the demands of the waterside workers for more pay and less work, or of the whole of the post and telegraph services being suspended in an effort to secure a four hours day for the miners. In some quarters there is a disposition to blame the Government for having allowed the business to get to the length of a ballot, but it is difficult to see what Ministers could have done to prevent the members of the Association expressing their opinion. It is obvious, however, that if a majority of the members should answer the question in the affirmative the Government would be in an extremely awkward position. INCIDENCE OF TAXATION. The Prime Minister does not seem likely to lack for advice on the question of taxation. During the session he was asked by the business men of Wellington to allow the Chambers of Commerce to nominate experts to confer with the Commissioner of Taxes on the various meaW of raising public revenue and he readily acceded to the request. The Chambers of Commerce after very full consideration submitted the names of half a dozen gentlemen to Mr. Massey this week-, and of these three will be elected to discuss the position with the Commissioner. Now, however, Mr. Edward Newman, the member for Rang*tikei, is to the fore with a claim that he has a promise from Mr. Massey that the farming interests would be represented at the Conference. Quite likely this claim will be followed by demands fro the representation of half a dozen other interests; but really every section of the community, including Labor, would be very capably served by any three of the gentlemen already commended to the Minister and a larger delegation probably would achieve less tangible results. WHEAT GUARANTEE. The persistency of the Canterbury farmers in urging the Government to guarantee a minimum price for next season’s wheat crop makes it appear that the Minister of Agriculture has not yet made up his mind on thia subject. But without placing too much reliance upon the statements of people who profess to be in. the confidence of the Minister it is fairly plain from what he said himself in the House last session that the protection afforded by the import duty of 2s per cental is all the fanners can expect for the present. The Prime Minister, too, in his figures representing the economies he is effecting always has included the saving of the wheat guarantee and it is incredible lie now would stultify himself by continuing this payment.