NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 267, 6 August 1932, Page 10

NOTES OF THE DAY

To judge from reports from the Irish Free State, discussions on and political reactions from the economic war with Great Britain are beginning to take a more menacing turn. Probably the Irish peop are beginning to feel the pressure; the prospect of trade stagnation is turning into a ruinous reality. To rationahy-rmnded. people it must be in the last degree exasperating to observe Mr. de Valera s efforts, seconded by a fund of £2,000,000 to promote trade and industry and Su new markets. Everyone knows that by the exercise o a htt e reason and commonsense, of the spirit of g’f-and-take the Free State Government could resume its old and valuable market m Britain, with out restriction and without expense reckoned in I "*“ ions ' 9” of the British Government, with true magnanimity and complete lack. ot false pride, has offered’to arbitrate. And were it not for the hair shirt’’ P fanaticism of Mr. de Valera there is little able as well as a practical way out of a deplorable deadlock would speedily be found. • - ■ . • a

No fixed conclusions as-to the trend in the National Accounts can be reached on the figures supplied for the first three months; o the financial year. At the same time the fact that Customs and excise duties are yielding more revenue than had been anticipated is a favourable sign. The movement in Customs was to be expected because; where warehouse shelves are not bare, stocks have been reduced to the minimum; The influence of necessary restocking was bound to show sooner or later on the import returns. On the other the decline in the yield from motor taxation is severe. Stamp and death duties also continue to contract. Commenting on the same tendency in Great Britain, Lloyds Bank Review remarked that last year s falling-off m the yield of estate duties is a very ominous sign, for it signifies a depreciation of our capital assets.” On the expenditure side altered accounting methods obscure any comparison that might be attempted. The net economy of £149,000 offered by the Prime Minister does not,, however, appear to be a satisfactory, result in the first quarter of a most difficult year. It seems that more stringent measures are necessary if expenditure is to be reduced in proportion to the shrinkage in income. • - ' . »

It has frequently been remarked that New Zealand is an over-regulated country, a fault not' uncommon in the newer democracies, testifying to the human weakness for law-making. In its reactions, however, it is apt to be irritating to those who have too indulgently condoned it. To this the strictly-regulated motorist will readily bear witness. A case in point was the prosecution of several motorists at the Lower Hutt Court on Wednesday, for failing to produce their driving licenses. The law on the point is not unreasonable. It provides • that where a motorist has forgotten to put his license in his pocket, he must be given opportunity to prove within a specified time that he has one. Apparently the Lower Hutt Borough inspectors in their zeal to catch offenders overlooked this point. The result was a timely rebuke from the Bench. “The law,” said the magistrate, “is not made for the purpose of multiplying offences,” so he dismissed the cases. Strictly speaking it is the flagrant and persistent offender who has made these regulations so necessary, and it is upon that particular individual that the traffic' inspectors should concentrate. Therein they will do the public, 'and the motorists, a real service. . * * ♦ ♦

Unanimous approval was given at a meeting in Ottawa of 50 representatives of Empire primary producers to a motion acknowledging in the highest terms of praise the service rendered by the Empire Marketing Board. The meeting might at the same time have acknowledged the debt owed to Great Britain for establishing and maintaining the Board at an annual cost of £600,000. Here is one of those hidden preferences granted by the Motherland which the Dominions sometimes overlook. For the Board’s activities are of real benefit to each and all of them. Some few months ago Britain was considering limiting the Board’s functions on the score of economy. It would be retrogression if this were allowed to happen, although Britain should not be expected to carry more than her due share of the expense. Apparently the producers’ representatives recognise this and are suggesting to their respective Governments that a joint plan be devised to maintain and even extend the Board's activities. That would be constructive expenditure in the best sense. New Zealand shou’d support such a plan and, if the Government would be embarrassed at present to find its proportionate contribution, the,, export boards should consider using part of their accumulated reserves for the purpose. Such expenditure would be justified and appropriate on every, conceivable ground,