WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 258, 31 October 1929, Page 21

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE LOAN MYSTERY.

REMOVED

SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON", Thursday. The "Evening Post," in quite its best •udicial style, accepts Sir Joseph Ward's explanation of the "loan mystery" and ' ds j-] ie unfortunate incident as Ised. "Vhe statement now made," it IVS "removes any possible source of We are glad this f been done, for the Minister of finance and the ex-Minister are both en of hi"h repute, with a reputation, oreover/for fairness and responsibility in their criticism of each other's nlicv Neither would wittingly leave P legacy of trouble for the other, and LthVeccniise fully that the Dominion's !r<.dit should not be damaged for party c ,noses." Sir Joseph Ward, in his Lenient published on Saturday, did '' t explain very clearly how he had ken lead into the mistake he made, and .. ]j aS been suggested that his .retic-' Le in this respect was due to his disinclination to involve anyone else in his blunder. It seems almost incredible that no responsible officer at the Treasury realised that the Minister had misread documents placed before him. Party Ardour. Turning to the prolonged debate upon the Taxation Bill, the "Post" ; deprecates the warmth displayed by some of the critics of the measure. "New Zealand credit in London," it says, "was good when the Reform party left office and it is good still; but it would not be good long if London financiers were to read and accept as accurate some of tho statements made in the course of the taxation stonewall. In their desire to out-Herod Herod in condemnation of the super-tax, some critics conveyed the impression that insolvency for many producers would follow the imposition of the new taxation. .. . Altogether a credulous listener or reader might have obtained a pretty picture of bad faith, impending red ruin and black disaster," The spectacle certainly was not an edifying one. Perhaps on previous occasions the forerunners of., the United party may have made similar, displays, but Parliament at this time of day, with its largely-increased responsibilities, should not be .reviving the discreditable practices of the past. The Deputy-Leader. The Hon. G. W. Forbes, the Minister of Lands and Agriculture, who has occupied the position of Leader of the House during the absence of Sir Joseph Ward from the Chamber, has acquitted himself very creditably under his unsought burden. Finance is not his strong suit in politics, tho greater part of Ms active life having been spent in agricultural pursuits; but he piloted the much-dis-cussed Taxation Bill through all its stages with tact' and understanding, The task was no mean one, with the finapoier,..q|_ thejgarty..^em i pQrarily ; - laid a persistent Opposition beni upon wrecking the bill, which ultimately was passed on to the Legislative Council without any material alteration TII6. Independents, Mr. J. Poison, th( member for Stratford, Mr. H. M. Rush' wofth, the member for Pay of Islands and Mr. 0. , . A. Wilkinson, the membei for'lEgmont, voted with the Opposition but, this does not mean that they havi renounced their association with thi United party. Labour, of course, side< witji the Government and so made it; position secure. I Railway Construction. The hearts of the opponents of tin completion of the South Island Trunl railway are gladdened by the prospec of .only a comparatively small sum bein; spent upon this work during the cur rent financial year. "It is notable, : Bays the "Dominion," in reviewing th position, "that a vote of only £45,000 i provided in the Public Works Estimate for this year's construction on the Sout! Island Main Trunk railway. It is t bojhoped that this is an indication 0 a change of attitude by the Govcrnmen toiyard this project. At any rate, twelv months is allowed for further considers tion before heavy expenditure ca begin."

It is to be hoped that the opponents of 1 the line will obtain much comfort from this announcement. The truth of the. matter is, -however, that the Government has limited the expenditure upon the line this year to £45,000, simply because no more can be economically employed during the current financial yo&r, which ends on March 31 next. No doubt next year a- larger sum will be available.