WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 79, 5 April 1926, Page 12

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

DAIRY BOARD'S FINANCE.

PROVISIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

ARRANGEMENTS STILL

INCOMPLETE.

(By. Telpsrapii.—Special to "Star.") WELLIXGTOX, April 1. It appears that the business community here was right in thinking that Mr. Grounds, the chairman of the Dairy Board, was a little "previous"' in assuming that a cable message he had

received from London, to the effect that the board's agents had obtained in writing from the London importera an assurance of theii - willingness to establish credits in the name of the board, had cleared all financial worries from his path. It never was in doubt that if the board secured legal possession of all the dairy produce exported from the Dominion it would have no difficulty in

eecuring facilities for disposing of the produce overseas. ■ That Ls one of the smallest or the problems with which Mr. Grounds and his colleagues are eon : fronted. But messages received by Wellington exporting houses show that even this minor detail has not yet been arranged. "After consultation with London Board and promises of equitable treatment.' , one of the;-* messages reads. "Importers' Association has agreed to establish credits in name of board subject to agreeing to terms and conditions." The other messages are to the same effect. It seems, then, that the message on which Mr. Grounds based a sweeping denunciation of the of the board's policy did not tell all the story. So far the board lias committed itself to dealing with the Importers' Association, but still has to learn the terms and conditions to which it will have to submit. The association being composed of experienced business men, its demands, doubtless, will be fair and reasonable; but it does not 1 necessarily follow that they will be in I accord with the policy of the board.

NEW ZEALAND'S CHAMPION. It is announced this morning that the subscriptions towards the fund being raised to send Randolph Rose abroad to win further laurels as a distance runner are now nearing £1000. The s.um required, it is stated, is £1000, and j strenuous efforts have been made during j the last two or three weeks to secure this amount. On Tuesday, by permission of the City Council, a street collec- ; tion was taken up in the streets or Wellington by an army of ladies, and the good ; round sum of £236 3/5 was obtained, ' sufficient, it is hoped, to save the effort from failure and to ensure Rose making the trip. But there is an uneasy feeling abroad that the methods of financing the New Zealand ehampion'3 descent upon the athletic fields of America and England savour to some extent of the atmosphere of professionalism. There have been letters in the newspapers on the subject and in- ; quiries by people not unready to subscribe.; but so far neither the local . athletic authorities nor the promoters of the tour appear to have made the 1 point quite clear. In the United States Rose may pass well enough. The Americans are not over-squeamish about travelling expenses, the employment of appearance, money, and so , forth. But in England the position is . a little different. There the amateur status must be beyond all question. No i doubt the promoters of the tour are , satisfying themselves in this respect, but it would 'be well for their subscription list if they also took some pains to satisfy the general public. It would be a catastrophe if Rose should arrive in England to find the field he had come to conquer hedged around with insuperable conditions. CABINET MAKING. Early last month the Prime Minister indicated, in a. casual kind of way, that on the close of the financial year lie would be in a position to complete the reconstruction of his Cabinet. It was J a perfectly non-committal statement, : and no one had any right to complain when the Minister announced just the other day, in anticipation of the closing !of the financial year yesterday, that there would be no occasion to go on •with the work until Sir James Parr handed in his portfolios some three or 1 four weeks hence.' What is in the Minister's mind n one need attempt to read. Whatever may be said of his statesmanship and of his administration—and on these matters there are the inevitable differences of opinion—at must be said of Mr. Coates that he has kept his own counsel more closely and more effectively than did any of liis predecessors in office. He shares his more sacred confidences only with hia private secretary, who, at appropriate seasons, may be as uncommunicative as hia chief. Tn these circumstances it may be taken for granted that speculations concerning the next batch of Ministers to be appointed rest on no official foundation. The signg and portents still are tjiat when the Hon. W. Xosworthy hands over the portfolio of Finance to the Hon. Downie Stewart he will cease to carry Ministerial responsibilities; but oven upon this detail no definite information is available. Mr. J. S. Dickson and Mr. K. Williams are being mentioned as possible Ministers, and Mr. Hockly is named as a likely successor to the Hon. J. A. Young in the Chairmanship of Committees. The story of a new candidate, with influential backing, for the Speakership has revived, but Mr. Statham's friends are not greatly per- ( turbed by its repetition. J