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Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14073, 19 June 1911, Page 6

Tho Imperial Conference, on the motion of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, has passed a resolution, asking for the appointment of a Royal Commission, representing Britain and the oversea Dominions, for the purpose of investigating the natural resources, the development attained and attainable, the facilities for production, manufacture, and distribution, the trade of each part with the others and with the outside world, the food and raw material requirements of each and th© sources thereof available, and to what extent trade between the different parts is affected by existing legislation beneficially or otherwise. At tho suggestion of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, an addendum was added — '•And by what methods, consistent with existing fiscal policy, each part of the Empire's trade can be improved or extended." No doubt tho main object of this addendum was to exclude "TariiT Reform" from the order of reference, and doubtless many critics will urgo that this cripples tho action of the proposed Commission to a degree that will render its work to a large extent nugatory. We do not sharo this view, believing that tho passing of the resolution is the most important and practical work yet accomplished by the Conference. A good deal will depend, of course, on the "personnel" of tho Commission which is to visit every part of the Empire, but we cannot doubt that men of eminence and ability will be chosen and that the evidence they collect will bo of the greatest value to the Empire in shaping its future policy. | Even although the commissioners in their recommendations are to take noninterference with existing fiscal arrangements for granted, their investi- j gations are bound to throw a good deal | of light on the whole fiscal question i and cannot fail to influence public { opinion. j

We have moro than once pointed out the evils connected with tho large gatherings of which the Maoris are so fond, and urged that tne Government so far from, lending them their countenance

In summing up the case for the Crown in the Puhipuhi. murder case, referred to in our leading article, Mr Tole, tin? Crown Prosecutor, submitted that the evidence had established beyond doubt that the prisoner, Kaka, left the whare on April sth with the intention of robbing the old man Freeman at all hazards becauso ho had money, and he wanted to attend the Maori "hui" or meeting, which was to be held in connection with the Hone Heke memorial. Tho judge also referred to the fine clothes, watch and chain, etc., purchased by the prisoner, and said that the latter was "merely making himself gaudy and playing the 'great niau' among his companions." Wo hope that the Hon. Mr Carroll, who was present at the Maori meeting referred to, and now as Acting-Premier has had to assist in reviewing tho trial of the prisoner, has taken note of these facts.

Tho "Otago Daily Times" makes an instructive comparison between tho remarks of tho Primo Minister in LonI don, regarding New Zealand as a field i for investment, and those made by tho ! chairman of tho Bank of New to which reference has already been mad* in these columns. While the Primo Minister has been declaring in London that "tho investment of capital for any legitimate enterprise in New Zealand is perfectly safe, and that it will return fair interest to those who put it into sound ventures there," the chairman of tho Bank of New Zealand asserts deliberately that " any industrial enterprise likely to rcquiro much labour is not viewed as a good proposition " and that "capitalists are unquestionably .nervous at the attitude of Labour." And our contemporary adds, if proof is required of the accuracy of tho conclusions formed by Mr Beauchamp it seems to be provided in tho statement of the accounts of the Bank of New Zealand from which it appears that the money at short call in London amounto to £0,710,239, or an increaso during the year of tho large sum of £2,818,595. There could hardly bo more striking evidence of the fact that those who have made money in New Zealand from tho proceeds of the natural products of the soil, are unwilling to invest it in local industrial enterprise. They prefer instead to deposit in the bank, and tho latter, failing to find any outlet for its profitable employment in the Dominion, is driven to sending it Home go as to earn tho comparatively low rate of interest which is obtainable by lending it at short call in London. When we bear in mind the largo sums which aro being sent cither for tho purchase- of land,'or for investment on mortgage to Australia, to Argentina, and other countries, it is easy to see why, with the farming and pastoral industries in the full tide of prosperity, tbere is stagnation in other departments of enterprise in New Zealand, and population is leaving our [shores.

The letter from Councillor Gapes, chairman of the Works Committee, in reference to tho proposed £100,000 loan which wo publish in another column, makes one wonder why there is any Works Committee at all in connection with tho City Council. An innocent public believes that the Works Committee is composed of councillors specially qualified to deal with matters of road construction, and other municipal works, and that its business is to consider carefully now proposals with the help of expert advisers, and make a report and recommendation for the guidance of tho Council. The present chairman informs us, however, that when the Mayor's proposal to borrow £100,000 for road construction, involving an entirely new departure in the city's methods, camo before the Works Committee, he (tho chairman) was careful to inform the members that tho scheme was tho Mayor's, and not the Works Committee's, and as each councillor had been supplied with very extended copies of the report, theyj-were in the same position as regards information as the Works Committee were, and the latter had better send it on to the Council, so as to create criticism by recommending it to bo submitted to the ratepayers! This very helpful chairman further pointed out in committee that "the Council and the ratepayers would criticise it severely, and would no doubt require a good deal of information."

As we all know the amount of criticism in the Council was very slight, and tho information elicited still less. Tho Council preferred to do as tho Works Committee did—pass tho problem on to somebody else instead of making any real attempt to tackle it themselves. The result" is that a complex question, involving difficult engineering and financial considerations, has now to be settled by "the man in the street," without any lead from the representatives of tho ratepayers, and without the expert advice and information that ought to have been elicited for their guidance either by the Works Committeo Or the City Council, or both. The ratepayers will naturally infer that either the" Council have not the brains to deal with "the problem effectively, or else they are so deficient in courage that they are afraid to express any decided views on the subject until they have seen how it has been received at tho poll, when of course their opinions will be too lato to be of tho slightest service. Councillor Gapes, we believe, is perfectly right in supposl ing that the scheme will meet with a good deal of criticism at the ratepayers' hands. Wo shall not bo surprised if that criticism does not extend to the councillors who in this matter have shown themselves unfit for tho trust rlaced in their keeping. j