WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1927, Page 20

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

INFORMATION DELAYED.

AN EXPECTANT PUBLIC.

(From Oar Special Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, February 22.

No one is to blame in the matter, but it is a little unfortunate that immediately on his return from his educative trip abroad the Prime Minister should have become immersed in the hundred and one details of the Royal visit. Before he left Wellington to meet the Kenown in Auckland he had time only to acknowledge the cordiality of his reception, to indicate briefly what lie would have to say later on and to proclaim that the volume of immigration, meanwhile, was to be substantially reduced. An interested public hopes to hear much more from him by and by. The cable gave the Dominions only the barest outline of the proceedings at the Imperial Conference. ami this country even yet does not understand the real meaning and significance of the new status that has been conferred upon the outlying portions of the Empire. Mr. Coatos himself obviously is pleased by what has been accomplished, nnd so far the Dominion is assured that its interests have been conserved. thdugh it has only the haziest conception of what has actnallyl happened. New Zealand, in its wholehearted loyalty, is not likely to prove very critical in its survey of the new constitution, but naturally it would like to learn from the Prime Minister at the earliest convenient moment the nature of the further obligations to which it stands committed. Information Awaited. It was a diplomatic move on the part if the Prime Minister to announce immediately on liis return to the Dominion that the flow of immigration to the country was to be substantially reduced. Unemployment was abroad in the land, and immigration for the time being could only aggravate the trouble. There are other matters a\Vaiting the attention of the Minister, however, which will not brook indefinite delay. The "Post"' last evening, for instance, returned to the problem of dairy control. "That all is not well with the control exercised by the Dairy Produce Board on the British market," it declared, "is evident from the protest made by certain Glasgow merchants. The merchants come into direct touch with the Scottish retailer, and the retailer with the consumer. Between them, so far from stimulating a better consuming interest in an Imperial product, tliev will be able to point with some truth to attempts made by New Zealand farmers to extract the uttermost farthing from the Scots people means of holding back supplies and creating a shortage. In such circumstances there would seem to be no other way open to competitors." It is believed here that Mr. Coates has returned with very definite opinions concerning absolute control, and that he will take the first suitable opportunity to express them. A National Problem. The "Post." while striving to hold tlie balance fairly between the contending parties, stresses the importance of the Prime Minister taking the public into his confidence as early as possible. "The position," it emphasises, "is not as clear as it might bo from this end, haziness being caused by the many issues raised by interested parties. But the Prime Minister should be able to make it clearer, because he has just returned from the field of battle, he has been interviewed by merchants and others engaged in the distribution of New Zealand dairy produce, and he has seen what cards have been laid on the table. Ho should know, too, whether the confidence in the Government representative on the board in London is well-placed or not. Considering the magnitude of the dairy export trade, everyone is concerned; therefore the Prime Minister should see the reasonableness of taking the Dominion into his confidence on this matter at the earliest date. The dairy farmer is primarily concerned, but it is to the interest of all that this great industry should run smoothly and without prejudice in its relations with British consumers." While at Home Mr. Coates, it will be remembered, seemed disposed to uphold the views expressed by the Government's representative on the London board, and so far there are only the assertions of Mr. W. Grounds to suggest that he has revised his perspective. Legalised Gambling. The totalisator for long has been regarded as a more or less reliable financial barometer, and for some months past it has been pointing consistently to bad weather. A decline of fifty thousand pounds in the amount of money passed through the machine at the Auckland 6ummer meeting, compared with the amount handled at the corresponding meeting last year; of £20.000 at the Wanganui meeting: of £10:000 at the Manawatu meeting, and of smaller amounts at the less important meetings are taken to mean that the predictions of the pessimists are coming true. It is only the Wellington and the Wairarapa meetings, among those held since Christmas, that have managed to maintain their former revenue, and these two meetings enjoy special advantages which cannot permanently save them from being involved in the vortex of retrenchment. The same influences, without | occasioning any regrets among thinking | people, are affecting the art unions which jhave been thrust upon the community with the connivance of a protesting Government. Tickets are moving off very slowly in these anxious days, and the ultimate results must be much less satisfactory to the promoters than were those of a year ago. Still, is seems possible by increased effort, to abstract substantial sums from a confiding public that loves to gilt-edge its bountv with a little gamble.