TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9560, 5 August 1909, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

UNEMPLOYMENT. In New Zealand we are suffering not so much from a depression after a boom as from a drop in prices of some of our staple products, and a weakening of the confidence of investors, partly owing to this fall and partly to tha nature of oar legislation. As the trade depression in England passe 3 away our markets will improve. To restore confidence we do not want more State interference, but less, remarks the Christchurch "Press." State in terference is already driving capital out of the country. Our aim should be to try to attract, some of it back again, to encourage the landowner to spend money in improvements to his land, and the manu fa turer to add to his plant and increase his ojtput.

TAXATION., The Government, sliding easily down the sloping years, from Balance to Seddon, from Seddon to Ward, from Ward t) Carroll, have defied the most elementary principles of good government and have ignored the first considerations of sound statescraft, with the result that [after* eighteen, years of office holding by this Continuous Ministry, the country is faced, says the land "Herald," by an decision that in a time of national de pression, when the cjuntry is abli to bsar increased taxation, tie turden of increased taxation is to be imposed. And this rather th in sett la the waste lands and enable iole men to produce new an 1 inexhaust ible wealth.

STIPENDIARY RACING STEWARDS. The proposal to institute the system of stipendi try stewards in connection with New Zealand race meetings was alluded to by the President of the Auckland Racing Club (the Hon. E. Mitchelson} at the annual meeting of that Club. In referring to the considerable sum that had been expended by the" Club in connection with appeals, he expressed the opinion that the app >intment of stipendiary stewards would obviate a great deal of trouble. Mr E. D. O'Rirke, in endorsing the remarks by Mr Mitchelson, said that experts who were always engaeed at the work must be the best judges gs to how a race should be run and ridden, and as they would act .with an unbiased mind, free from all local conditions, their appointment would obviate much of the present trouble ill regard to app-ali.