DOMINION TOPICS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 267, 6 August 1932, Page 16

DOMINION TOPICS

The Thames Bankruptcy. Between the position of Thames and that of other districts, with few exceptions, there is a gulf. Though overborrowing and its twin-brother overspending have been rife, and loan money has been raised without sufficient regard to the proportion a district’s debt bore to its rateable value, yet it should be recognised that there has been much sound development. The mistake has been mainly to crowd too large a programme of work in a short time, and one lesson to be learned is the wisdom of spreading expenditure more evenly over the years. This is a testing period. There was a fall in the yield from rates last year, which-sug-gested that the limit of revenue had been reached, and the drop in values since has added further to the difficulty. The loan charges are affecting ‘ municipal finance like a form of creeping paralysis; and this raises a problem which calls for national action- The questing of derating, elimination of overlapping and a further reduction in administrative costs are linked up with this problem, and there is need of an Im mediate investigation.—“ Auckland Star.” Grand Juries.

When the Chief Justice at Timaru told a grand jury that its finding of a True Bill would not carry any implication that the jury considered the accused guilty, he was saying what is generally accepted as a fact, although the finding of No Bill would be more than an implication that the jury considered the accused was not guilty. The Chief Justice’s warning was really another nail in the coffin of grand juries, which have no excuse for existing. In so far as they receive nothing for their services, they are not a direct financial burden, but they involve a great waste of time both to themselves and to the court. It is conceded that they serve no useful purpose to the proteetion of . the accused, which was the only excuse for their survival, and when there is an implication that they may prejudice the accused in his subsequent trial it is time to dispense with them altogether.—Christchurch “Star.”

Driving licenses. .It ■has repeatedly ‘been said that in New Zealand there are some local bodies notoriously ’ easygoing •in thematter of granting , driving licenses, their sense of 'responsibility beginning and ending with trying to make ends meet. Because of this they regard all applicants for license purely in the light of sources of revenue which must on no account be turned away. At all events there are many - motorists and many members of the police force who do not hesitate to. say that there are some drivers Who ' should never have been granted licenses. /Though .they may be known as potential menaces' whenever they take their cars out of the garage, they are seldom challenged unless they hit something and subsequent: examination discloses a suspicious aroma about the breath. But there are many persons of abstemious habits whose fitness to handle cars ranges from questionable to negligible. -Dunedin “Star.” . • Conciliation in Industry.

The rather monotonous regularity with which no agreement has been reported in industrial disputes suggests that employers and workers have not yet appreciated the significance of the position created by the amendments to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. When reference to the Court was compulsory the assessors meeting in Conciliation Council knew that they could always shift the final responsibility on to other shoulders. Apparently they are still meeting as if the system . had not been changed. But it has been changed, and the full responsibility is now ■with the assessors, whose duty it is to arrive at an agreement if agreement is humanly possible. —Christchurch “Times?’ Inflation Again. A correspondent seeks to escape from the sting of inflation by discriminating between “inflation” and “over inflation.” Other people use the term “reflation” to describe the very thing he advocates —an issue of paper money to bring prices back to their former level. If it be assumed that this is possible, and that the “reflation” can be halted at. the desired point," the effect of increasing all prices to .their 1928 level will be to intensify the difficulties of the primary industries, because the costs of production will rise. Inflation by means of an artificial increase in the rate of exchange has the same effect, but it gives the primary producer a temporary bonus at the expense of the rest of the community, and this bonus is later paid for by the primary producer himself. —‘‘Southland Times. Brighter Prospects. There is not wanting evidence that the country is emerging from the clouds which have enwrapped it for far too long—that the time is coming when there will be work and plenty for all. We believe that the spirit of hopefulness is becoming a more and more dominant factor in the community—that the multiude are discerning the dawn of better times. With the inculcation of that spirit we will surely enter upon a new era. The country will be encouraged by the optimistic views expressed by the Prime Minister and Mr. Shirtcliffe, and the advance in wool values in t e London market is proof that these gentlemen do not speak at random. Once the world can banish the bl’>cpicture from its mind and look forward to the sunrise of Hope, we will be well on the way to national restoration of prosperity. —“Timaru Post. The Dominion’s Secondary Industries, The purpose of Mr. Havenga in pre- i senting bis case is to assert once more , the right of South Africa to her own . manufacturing Industries, which lie has i already said are too important a factoi in the country’s economic life to be prejudiced. The other Dominions as vet have not been so outspoken as South Africa on this question, but it is one ! which must be in the minds of the dele- | gates. Their first concern, in view of > the embarrassments which have been I caused by the declining prices for their ; exportable produce, is to have those | prices revived if they can, but at the ■ same time a dangerous situation would I be created if they gained new advantages for one set of industries at the | expense of others that are far too im- | nortant to be sacrificed.—Christchurch I “Sun.” > ■ ■■• I

South Island Trade, and the North. The total export and import trad® of all the South Island ports is barely equal to that of either Wellington or Auckland, and. as Dr. Condliffe point® out, for one year (1926) “the North Island, ports handled more than 70 per cent of the overseas trade of the Dominion.” The .facts are depressing for the South Island. Some of the causes have already been given; others are too familiar to need re-statement But if there are remedies, they will probably be found in measures applicable to the Dominion as a whole. Both the South and North Islands need to increase productivity and need the relief and stimulus that will only come when extravagances in public borrowing, State enterprise, welfare legislation, State regulation of industry, and so on, are abolished. “The guess may be hazarded,” says Dr. Condliffe, “that New Zealand-has not yet gained an ‘optimum’ population, and that increase in numbers still normally causes a gain in productivity, other things betas , equal?’—Christchurch “Press.” Public Works. The Public Works Department is the ready instrument of extravagance in many directions. It has a budget of its own, the particulars of which are not disclosed to the country in the Monthly Abstract of Statistics. The offices of- under-secretary and chief engineer are combined in one man, so that the country loses what little benefit it might have by that supervision. Everything to' this world is the better for criticism and competition. The Public Works Department has suffered for the want of it. However often costs exceed estimates, or works come to grief the House retains its faith to the department and the Government recognises its value in placating constituencies who might make the grave mistake of voting for the Opposition.— “Waikato Times.” Trade with the East.

Even on the assumption that there is a market awaiting exploitation in the East for goods which this Dominion is able to supply, the requisite shipping facilities are unfortunately not available. It may be surmised that in order that a substantial trade may- be built up, nothing short of a subsidy to a line' of steamers would be effective. L Mr. Masters recognises the difficulty os regards shipping facilities, hut appears to attach importance to the fact that he has been advised that, provided sufficient cargo should be offering, a Japanese line might be Induced to call regularly at Hongkong or Shanghai, or both, on the outward voyage from Japan, “thus affording direct shipment for New Zealand exporters.” Just how the direct shipment which is desirable would be secured fa this way is not explained, and the. Minister’s figures and deductions might both be clarified with some advantage. If the Government can do something effective fa the way of ensuring the desired shipping facilities, well and good.—“Otago Daily Times.” ‘ Give and Take. .

One thing is ‘certain- —the idea, <Jt mutual benefit may be dismissed as fallacious. Unless typth are prepared to sacrifice business in some particular line to safeguard or promote the sale of another, such agreements are yafa'S’ less. The advantage comes from concessions, and there is nothing to suggest that Canada accorded New Zealand any preferences. Our produce will enter that country handicapped by a duty which makes it impossible xor butter and cheese to compete favourably with local makes, and any consideration given as compared with other competitors is insignificant. If out butter were permitted to enter the sister Dominion free, and we reciprocated fa regard to one of Canada’s leading lines, that would be real preference and we could regard the treaty arranged by Mr. W. Downie Stewart with something like respect, instead of scepticism. What happened in this case will certainly happen again at Ottawa, and already we see signs of a determination to ask favours and a reluctance to extend them. —“Southland Daily News.” A Fortunate Province.

Many of the dairy companies throughout Taranaki have held their annual meetings of shareholders and suppliers, and it is now possible to review with accuracy the season which has just closed. Though prices have been low, the conclusion is forced upon the impartial observer that the chairman or the Hawera Dairy Company, Mr. J. / R. Corrigan, was putting the position, fairly when he said that the dairy far- • mers of Taranaki • should consider t themselves fortunate. With the ’ pos- • sible exception of the wheat growers,. s no primary producers in New Zealand received a better return last season., than the dairy farmers. Production? on many farms has increased, financial difficulties have been eased wherever possible, settlers have responded to the call for extra effort, and Great Britain has absorbed all the dairy produce the Dominion has sent to her markets. Still more cheering is the fact that the quality of New Zealand cheese has shown a decided improvement during the season that, has just closed.—“Tarauakl Daily News.” • , Arts fa New Zealand.

Music has developed tp a considerate extent in this country,; largely owing to the music examinationsThese have the effect of directing the musical work of pupils in definite directions; they discover budding musicians, if they exist, and above all they provide a considerable class which has acquired a training that should enable them to have some appreciation of good music. In art we are hopelessly behind. There are few good pictures in the country, and sculpture and fine buildings are unknown. We are not an artistic people, partly because we have never had our taste cultivated, in this connection a scheme that has . been organised in Manchester, is of infgtest. a circulating art gallery is being established containing the pictures of living artists. Subscribers take out pictures, instead of books, and hang them in their houses. If they become attached to any picture they can purchase it. The scheme tends to foster a love of.art, and also encourages artists by securing buyers for their works. Such a development may be a little ahead of our demands, but it would certainly b® worth consideration in the larger towns. —“Taranaki Herald.” , -