POLITICAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8484, 11 July 1907, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(From Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. AN INTERESTING RETURN. The annual comparative return, purporting to show the consumption per head by the population of the colony of articles of consumption in common use, has just been presented to Parliament. It is ar. interesting document, but would be more so were it compiled on a truer basis. It comprises a series of tables dealing with the consumption of articles in common use; but, apart from ad valorem goods, these are limited to spirits, tobacco, cigarettes, cigars, snuff, wine, beer, tea, coffee, cocoa, chicory, and sugar. The Secretary of Customs evidently imagines that only males consume spirits or cigarettes, for in the per capita statement in regard to these articles, he has excluded females, and thus throws the whole of the onus of consump- [ tion on male adults. This is not putting the position quite fairly, seeing the heading is "Consumption per head." The uncritical reader is apt to assume that the average consumption per head of spirits, tobacco, etc., is for the entire population and thus it is made to appear much larger than would be the case were this supposition correct. It is interesting, however, to know that the consumption of spirits was no greater during the past year than during its immediate predecessor, while there has been a steady, if slight, 'downward tendency for the past half-dozen years. Women, and all persons from over fifteen years of age, are included in the wine, ale, and beer list. Between the years 1894 and 1902 the consumption of wine fluctuated very little, being between 0.22 gal. and 0.21ga1. per head. Since then it has diminished between 3 and 4 points. The consumption of imported ale and beer per head of population has a distinctly declining tendency. In 1886 the quantity consumed was 0.89ga1., last year it registered 0.38ga1., per head. The consumption of tea per head w«*s almost exactly the same quantity last year as it was 20 years ago, viz., 6.401b, 1886; 6.411b, 1906. The highest record in the 20 years wai 7.-iolb per. head in 1888. It j.—.: Ui 'i y got down to under 61b. lc now shows an upward tendency. The popularity of coffee is very definitely on the wane. Its consumption has gradually diminished from nearly lib per head in 1886 to half a pound during last year. On the other hand, the consumption of sugar has increased. In 1886 there was debited to each member of the community 71.71b of sugar; last year the quantity consumed reached 1051b. The increased consumption has been steady and considerable throughout the two decades. In the ad valorem t.ible the duty paid per capita has gone up (with slight fluctuations) from 10s 9d in 1886 to £1 5s 3|d. A note appended to the returns states that the total revenue from Customs in 1836 was equal to ,22 Is 7d per head; in 1906 it was equal to £3 Os BJd per head. The increase is equal to 45.9 per cent. INSUFFICIENTLY COMPREHENSIVE. Mr Fovvlds' Pure Food Bill, just introduced into the House, is essentially the same as the Bill cl: last session. It gives power to officers to enter premises, procure samples, have analyses made, and to px-osecute for adulteration of food or drugs. Anything that diminishes the nutritive qualities of a food or drug by addition thereto or extraction therefrom constitutes adulteration. The operation of the whole Act. however, is mainly dependent upon regulations to be made from time to time by Order-in-Council. That an Act dealing with adulterated or otherwise impure foodstuffs is'needed in this colony must be admitted by every consumer who is not also a vendor, but it should be of a more comprehensive character than the one introduced by Mr Fowlds. There is an urgent, necessity to go far beyond mere foodstuffs, if the consumer is to be protected from exploitation by sellers of every-day necessaries or conveniences of life. To take a few instances. Coal is an absolute necessity, and, with the exception of the State coal, the price is almost prohibitive to the poor. In consideration of this iact, the coal vendors should be compelled to indicate the character of the article sold. At present, in this city at any rate, the average consumer has to accept whatever is supplied, and he has no remedy. Then, potatoes that are partially diseased are sold mixed with moderately good samples. Bread is what is technically called soft-baked in order that the moisture may contribute largeiy to the weight —which, even then, is generally under the legal standard. The average loaf in this city, whatever it may be elsewhere, is deadly to the dyspeptic, but it has to be accepted. There are many other articles of common consumption in which the consumer is victimised, but as the adulteration or any other clause in the Bill under notice doe.3 not apply 'to them, the protection afforded by the measure is very partial. Even if it is passed, it will probably become a dead letter like the average statutory provisions of its class. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. WELLINGTON, Last Night. Ministerial replies to questions, which I have previously referred to as being on the Order Paper, are as follow PAHIATUA RAILWAY STATION. Mr Ross to ask the Acting-Minis-ter for Railways, whether he will take into consideration the urgent necessity that, exists for the extension of the platform verandah 1 at the Pahiatua railway station? (Note— The Napier and Wellington mail trains cross at Pahiatua, and great discomfort is experienced by the travelling public owing to the inadequate length of both platform and verandah.)

Reply.—The accommodation provided at the Pahiatua station reasonably meets the requirements of the business, and until more urgent and important works, now in abeyance in vai iuus parts of the colony awaiting funds, have been provided for, I regret I cannot see my way to comply with the honourable gentleman's request. THE DANGER AT WOODVILLE STATION. Mr Ross to ask the Acting-Minis-ter for Railways, whether, in view of the great danger to life and limb of pedestrians that now exists because of the absence of reasonable arrangements at Woodville railway station, he will issue instructions for the erection of a footbridge or the construction of a subway in order to place matters on a more satisfactory basis? Reply.—Convenient means of access is already provided to the Wooc.'ville station, and there is no necessity for persons to cross the railway yard, or otherwise jeopardise their safety to reach th'e station. The facilities that exist are at present ample for the business requirements of the place. VOLUNTEERS AND RIFLE CLUBS. Mr Hogg to ask the Acting-Minis-ter of Defence, whether he intends at an early date to revise the regulations affecting volunteers and rifle clubs, and if in so doing he will endeavour to remove the restrictions respecting the age, qualifications, and residence of members of rifle clubs that are now operating most prejudicially against these valuable institutions? Reply—The mattei is under consideration by the Council of Defence with a view to having the restrictions relaxed. PAHIATUA-WELLINGTON TELEPHONE. Mr Ross to ask the PostmasterGeneral. whether he will at the earliest possible date arrange to give Pahiatua direct telephonic communication with Wellington, and in the meantime to connect when required via Palmerston, as is done in the case of Woodville? Reply.—l am getting a special report upon the whole matter, and I will write the honourable member on the subject. WAGES OF THE OPAKI BALLAST GANG. Mr Hogg to ask the Government, whether it is intended to increase the pay of the ballast gang a: Opaki, near Masterton, from 8s to 9s per day, so that the married a3 well as single .men may be able to earn a living-wage? Reply—The men in the Opaki ballast gang are receiving the standard rate of wage for the work—namely, 8s per day; and it is regretted that the request to increase the payment to 9s per day cannot be complied with.