WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 114, 15 May 1926, Page 14

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

i - ! THE DAIRY CONTROVERSY. < i J SUPREME COURT INVOKED. ; (From Our special Correspondent.) ! WELLINGTON", May 14. j The long-expected procedings to stay the hand of the Dairy Board in introducing absolute control have at last made their public appearance. An originating summons has ben filed by the Dairy Proprietary Association and the Waitaki Dairy Company, asking for an interpretation by the Full Court of Appeal of the meaning of the Dairy Produce Control Act. The Dairy Control Board is cited as the defendant, and the case probably will come up for hearing early in July. The wording of the Act is admittedly ambiguous, and there is much uncertainty as to the ' meaning of many of its clauses. The purpose of the proceedings is to determine what was the intention of the : Legislature, and how far this intention 'is expressed in the Act. Having done I this, the Court, it is being assumed, will ibe to decide whether or not the provisions intended to institute absolute control are "ultra vires" and therefore ineffective. It should be explained that the Dairy Proprietary Association of Wellington and the Waitaki Dairy Company have been named as plaintiffs for the purpose of simplifying the proceedings. Practically all the proprietary , concerns and a very large proportion of the co-operative companies have asso- • ciated themselves with the movement, , but their appearance in the proceedings i would only add to the cost and com- . plexkies of the case. j Still In The Air. The Prime Minister has only himseli to blame if the humorists are making ! merry over his reiterated promises of information concerning the completion of Cabinet construction, the opening of , Parliament, the appointment of new ■ Legislative Councillors, the date of his '. departure for the Imperial Conference. . the selection of a site for the Agricultural College, and a number of other i matters that have been in the air for , months past. Even the "Post," the most . diffident of all the critics, is becoming a I little impatient of the delay. •'Hitherto," it says, '"the public, though closely • interested in these subjects, have boon . kept much in the dark. It has beer, taken for granted that Mr. Coates will i attend the Imperial Conference, but no ; inclination has been given of how this \ will affect the business of Parliament or the length of the session. Recently Hero was a suggestion that Parliament would close down upon the Prime Minister's departure, but this report is surely not correct. With a substantial mfcjurity and two members of Cabinet, other than the Prime Minister, capa.jh<:f leading the House, there is certainly no necessity for postponing it. If Parliament sets to work earnestly, however, most of the important business should be transacted before it is necessary for Mr. Coates to leave." In political circles here it is expected that Mr. Coates will make an effort to '"close clown" Parlia ment before leaving for the Imperial Conference. j More Lords. Tlie indication given by the Prime Minister yesterday, to the effect that two new "members, in addition to Sir Francis Bell, would be appointed to the Legislative Council shortly, came as a surprise even to his intimate friends. It is true there is room in the Council Chamber for two more elderly gentlemen of leisurely habit and good repute, but the need for their presence ! may be questioned. It still has to be j discovered how {he Council will comport itself deprived of the very cap- \ able leadership of Sir Francis Bell, but for vcars past its most serious duty has ? been to nod approval of the Govern- ' ment measures pnnsed through the other r place, and really it needs no intimate \ acquaintance with politics, nor any ' great insight into public affairs, to conform with dignity to a formality of this kind. Further appointments to the ' Council very safely might be postponed till it is seen how the new House of 1 Representatives is disposed towards that j j branch of the Legislature.