THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 24, 1909. THE PREMIER AND THAT CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3196, 24 May 1909, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 24, 1909. THE PREMIER AND THAT CONFERENCE.

It is unfortunate, possibly, for Sir Joseph Ward that a moat important Imperial Conference on naval affairs has been arranged to take place in London in July next, —no more inopportune time could have been selected so far as our Premier is concerned, but the authorities at Home know, of course, the most suitable time to bring such a conference into existence. It so happens, although the Dominion as a whole is in entire sympathy with Sir Joseph Ward's action in connection with naval matters, that affairs political during the approaching session will be a good deal more interesting than usual; in fact, one is, perhaps, justified in saying that the Premier, in the interests of his party, not to mention himself, should not forsake it during next session—the results of being absent from home might not tie compensated for by the pleas ure of a trip abroad. Undoubtedly, sir Joseph has a very knotty problem to solve, and one that keenly affects him personally. The Hon. Mr Millar, the strongest member of the Cabinet next to the Premier, has expressed the opinion that his -political chief should be present at the Conference, but the Premier is evidently not in a very settled state of mind upon the question, and has decided to consult Parliament as to what he shall do. Sir Joseph's position is one that calls for sympathy. Undoubtedly, it is only most proper that he should represent the Dominion of New Zealand at the Conference, and if he does not, he will, in all probability, have missed the supreme moment of his life. The importance of the occasion to the Empire, and the unique position which New Zealand holds by her loyalty and patriotism in that Empire, seem to justify an adjournment of Parliament tc enable Sir Joseph Ward to attend the Conference. The Opposition, we should scarcely imagine, would care to take advantage of the Premier's absence on such a mission to advance their party views

From one extreme to the oth er appears to be the distinguishing feature ot the Government's financial policy. For years past there has been wild extravagance; no object, provided it was a means of spending money, and likely to increase popularity, was unworthy of attention, and now when the Government fear that they are reaching the end of their financial tether the inclination appears to be all in the other direction. For instance, the Minister of Railways has declaied that the railways must be made to pay —which i 3 obviously the only policy that the Minister should pursue, but on the other hand there is apparently danger of the Government allowing the work of constructing railways that would be payable to remain in abeyance. As a rule, local bodies are fairly chary in the matter ,of borrowing, and the ratepayers have to be thoroughly convinced that the money is going to be well spent before they sanction the raising "of it; yet it seems that the Government are intending to curb''the'rash desires" of local bodies, that, is to say, to hamper natural progress, for the Hon. Mr Millar mentioned at Westport the other day that local bodies must not think they were going to have unlimited borrowing powers. The Government were determined to exercise greater care in granting authorities until things were on a sounder basis. It is the'natural order of things thai a Government capable of "making the money fly" should go to the other extreme when a temporary depression comes about. However, the next few months will disclose the financial policy of the Government, and what extent of confidence they possess in "God's Own Country" in a depressed state.

The cost of war. in a recent speech in the House of Commons, the Foreign Secretary (Sir Edward Grey) declared that the great countries of Europe are raising enormous revenues, and something like one half of them is being spent on naval and military preparations. "You may cal it," he added, "national insurance; that is perfectly true; but it is equally true that one half of the national revenue of the great countries in Europe is being spent on what are, after all, preparations to kill each other. Surely the extent to which this expenditure has grown really becomes a satire and a reflection upon civilisation. Not in our generation, perhaps, but if it goes on at the rate at which it has recently increased, sooner or later I believe it will submerge that civilisation."