Comment From The Capital

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28619, 23 June 1958, Page 12

Comment From The Capital

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON. June 22. A fairly steep rise in the petrol tax is being forecast as one way by which the Government can obtain some of the money it requires for internal development. There is no suggestion yet as to how this can be done within the constitution of the National Roads Board, but Ministers are known to be of the opinion that a higher price for petrol would bring a marked saving in the expenditure of overseas funds.

It is thought that with the present huge number of private cars in the country, any steep rise in the petrol price would result in a sharp curtailment of pleasure motoring. This is regarded as desirable until the overseas funds crisis passes, but there is virtually no way to bring it about other than by increasing petrol costs. Heavier Defence Cost

The “guns before butter” speech by the Minister of Defence (Mr Connolly) at the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association conference is one of the many hints now confirming that the defence appropriation will be increased this year by something more than £3 million. Mi* Connolly gave the bill for modernising and re-equipping “even one brigade group” as more than £1 million. On Government opinion, more than this has to be done. The Minister of Customs 'Mr Boord) may have let a political cat from the bag when, speaking in the Address-in-Reply debate, he said that the National Government had made no provision for the equipment of a fighting force, or its transportation in the event of war. The implication is that New Zealand is doing something now about weapons and transportation. The weapons are likely to be those produced in Australia’s new arms factories, either from British sources or under licence from the United States. Air Transport

For transportation, Australia has ordered 12 Lockheed Hercules Cl3O turbo-prop transport planes, which are the standard machines in service in the United States Air Force. It is perhaps not a coincidence that Lockheed salesmen had their aircraft at the recent Ohakea celebrations, or that another Lockheed official is in Wellington now for talks with service and political heads. New Zealand’s brigade group, it is believed, will be constituted in such a way that it will be ready to leave New Zealand at 21 days’ notice. This scheme is dependent on embarkation, not at a port, but from a tarmac. Parliamentary Traffic Although they have long been a haven for shrewd, motorists in the heart of Wellington, Parliament Buildings have developed a series of traffic problems of their own. For some years now, messengers have fought a losing battle against private motorists (it is whispered they mostly work either in the Big Wooden Building opposite or the State Hydro wing behind) who infiltrate ’*« grounds in the recess hours. A recent count showed more than 200 cars parked in the grounds. Some had stickers affixed, showing their legality, but quite unadorned.

The reason can be found in the attitude of an eminent doctor of laws. Queen’s Counsel who for years has parked in the grounds. When confronted—and novice messengers still do this—he says airily: “I’ll park where I like. You can’t stop me.” The galling thing to officialdom is that the doctor is quite right. Various luminaries from the Soli-citor-General down through the* expert ranks of the Crown Law Department, the Law Drafting Office, and back again to the Parliamentary Historian <Dr. A. H. McLintock) have sought the answer. Nobody, however, can promise with authority that a prosecution for parking within the grounds would be successful. Action Planned

The doctor will not be left in possession of the field. As parking space is now at a premium, the Government, it is understood, is about to take action. A fullscale Parliamentary measure is being formulated which will leave it in no doubt that the of the House of the people are not not just anybody’s parking area.

To enable this to be done, it is understood, certain ancient laws of common land will have to be rescinded. The Parliamentary grounds, which sit in the midst of the Wellington traffic district as the Vatican sits in the midst oi Rome, will receive a transport authority of their own.

The Speaker (Mr R. lane) will be the likely recipient of sufficient authority to enable him to outface the most ingenious of Queen’s Counsels.