DOMINION TOPICS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 30, 29 October 1932, Page 16

DOMINION TOPICS

Public Trustee and Local Bodies. The Government’s legislation to protect the Public Trustee from local body demands for the return of sinking fund moneys may seem to many an unwarrantable interference with freedom of contract, but really it is another step forced upon the State by its own departure from the straight path of orthodoxy. Once the State begins to interfere with contracts there is no telling where the process will stop, and this latest move is quite a pretty example of the way in which one entanglement leads to another. Certain legislation ties the hands of the Public Trustee as well as other mortgagees, in the interests of the mortgagor. But the Public Trustee, as holder of local body sinking funds, is in the position of mortgagor, so why should ho not be protected also? This is the consideration on which the Government bases its Bill to prevent local bodies from calling in sinking funds until 1935.—“ Auckland Star.” The Meat Workers.

If anyone takes the trouble to compare the prices current for meat and lamb during the boom times with those current to-day, he must realise that the sacrifices which the workers are asked to make is very substantially less than those of the producer. When the value of produce was advancing, the argument of the increased profits of the producer were relied upon as the cardinal one when cases were brought before the Arbitration Court and the Conciliation Council, and, further, this argument impressed those with authority to adjudicate. Now that prices have ebbed it is not unreasonable that the producers should use the new conditions as an argument in favour of reduction of costs. Neither the producers nor the workers can have it both ways.—“Timaru Post.” Selling New Zealand Goods.

We are convinced that half a hundred New Zealand articles which are making good profits for those interested in them could materially increase their returns if the same methods of marketing were used as build. up the huge establishments in Britain and America. Scarcely a successful businessman in the world would refuse to admit that his good fortune was attributable to advertising his wares, not only emphasising the fact that such wares actually existed but that they had been made to be sold in unlimited quantities. The New Zealand manufacturer too often economises when he should be liberal in his expenditure; if he followed the example of his wealthy contemporaries abroad the revenue accruing to our secondary industries would be increased beyond all conception of what is possible. A change of methods should be the reply of our factories ■to the challenge that may come as a result of our Ottawa trade agreement with Great Britain.—-“ Southland Daily News.” Laboar Party and “Repudiation.” The debate on the first reading of the Superannuation Bill was more remarkable for noisy protest than common sense; and members of the Labour Party, who have already in another connection admitted State revision of contracts to be necessary and desirable, condemned the measure as an “act of repudiation.” It is to be ■hoped that in the committee stage the House will settle down to a careful scrutiny of what is a very complex piece of legislation, paying particular attention to the need for ensuring equity of sacrifice and to its probable effects on the efficiency of the Public ■Service. It is questionable, for instance, whether the proposal to remove the power of Ministers to vary the retiring age in individual cases ■at their discretion is wise. Such a -power is very useful when the reorganisation of a department is con“Press.” Parliament and Superannuation. The Socialist members themselves who were so virtuously indignant yesterday about the proposals contained in the Bill, which they condemned with a wealth of vituperation, cannot lay the flattering unction to their souls that they ever pressed the Government to increase its contributions to the funds. It may be questioned whether, even now, if the National Expenditure Commission had not reported in the emphatic terms which it employed upon the insolvent condition of the funds, the conscience of Parliament would have been aroused -to the extreme gravity of the position. But every year’s delay in grappling with the situation would have placed the funds more and more beyond the possibility of an adjustment that will, at-the expense of a sacrifice on the part of the contributors and annuitants, restore the schemes in time to a condition of stability.—“Otago Daily Times.” The Public Trustee. The Public Trustee was instituted to provide a convenience for those of small property to dispose of it by will and have a trustee whose bona tides is guaranteed by Government. It has grown into an institution which overshadows the State and deals with Ministers and banks on equal terms. It finds money for such enterprises as Chateau Tongariro, which the Economy Commission has recently denounced. It is unable to refund the amounts paid by local bodies to sinking funds. It is probable that there are no large loans maturing, but what would happen if there were? And what will hapi>en in the future if large loans mature at a time of depression? The Government may be willing, then as now, to grant a moratorium, but what effect would this have on the credit of the country? By advertising and canvassing the Public Trustee has grown to a size that contains the possibility of danger.—“Waikato Times.” Tiie East Coast .Railway. In deciding that the East Coast railway shall continue open for the present, the Railway Board has had to make up its mind on a borderline case. Here is a branch line, opened four years ago, on which the loss last year, including interest, over a mileage of 111 miles, was £145.000. This was the largest individual loss for branch lines, and the Railways Board, in its efforts to achieve economies, has watched it closely. The decision reached shows that the interests of the settlers and users on the East Coast have been given full weight and the board apparently has preferred to stay its hand at this stage, in view of the impending changes that will be brought about in land transportation generally within the next few months.— "Auckland Star.”

Noxious Weeds. It can be conceded that .every sound farmer will destroy noxious weeds if he can; if he cannot the existence of an Act of Parliament will make no difference. On the other hand, the existing law contains provisions requiring unoccupied Crown land and native land for which the title has not been individualised to be kept clear of noxious weeds, and laying on the Minister concerned In each instance responsibility for seeing that it is done. These clauses may have become a dead letter. Frequent complaints suggest it; but so long as they remain in Die law there is hope that they may be revived. If they are swept away there will be nobody responsible for preventing such land from becoming breeding grounds for the dissemination of weeds. These points should be seriously considered before the advice to repeal the Act is accepted. —“N.Z. Herald.” Why They Came. The scene has shifted from the slums to the Highlands in the discussion of wffiere the pioneers came from, and it will occur to most people that onr legislators are becoming a little bit melodramatic on the subject Let any colonist exchange notes with a few of his friends as to why his forbears came out to the colonies, and he will find not that they were forced out or squeezed out of the Old Country, but that endowed in most cases with that little extra enterprise that would have made them a success anywhere, they chose the adventurous life overseas, speculatively it is true, but without under-rating the hardships they were to encounter. To Wakefield the colonies were to be “civilised communities where men of culture and intellect need not .find themselves companionless exiles.” — Christchurch “Star.” Protected Industries.

An investigation of industries which' are accorded protection is not a new idea. In fact, all protection should be granted with the stipulation that such investigations should be made at intervals to see the effect of the protection given by the tariff. The character of this investigation, however, must be such that the findings are reliable in every sense of the word. In the main local industries can stand such an investigation, but it must be admitted that the basic idea of all protection is that it shall be a temporary measure, and that it can be withdrawn if it is not profitable to the country. Mr. Holland’s amendment to the report was an attractive collection of words, because the phrase “economically produced in New Zealand” begs the whole question by introducing many factors which can -be properly valuated only after a searching investigation.—“ Southland Times.” Cromwell Gold.

The nature of this Cromwell deposit is emphatically virgin ground, evidently of exceptional value, and, let us hope, of considerable extent Prospecting in such ground is of infinitely more value than the retrial of such workedout fields as Cardrona, to which the Government chiefly directed the prospectors whom it assisted as an unemployment relief measure. It is to be hoped that the gold yield of Otago will be substantially augmented by this latest very promisiing activity, and that the old township of Cromwell, redolent of vivid memories, will regain,’ and more, its one-time importance and activity. One suggestion that might be made is that some of the proceeds of mining there might in some way be earmarked for the development of the adjacent Upper Clutha Valley by means of hydro-electric power development and arrigation and closer settlement. A goldfield is a wasting asset, but it might leave behind it a permanent memorial in a long stretch of smiling and highly productive country in. the same district. —Dunedin “Star.” MT.’s and the Press.

“Mr. Speaker, I smell a rat. I see him brewing on the horizon. But, mark me, I shall yet nip him in the bud.” The words are the words of the late lamented Sir Boyle Roche,' but the sentiments are those of the member for Christchurch South. Mr. Howard’s “rat,” however, happens to be a mare's nest. He told the House of Representatives yesterday that he knew the Government had entered into a conspiracy with the Press of New Zealand to prevent the publication of anything from the Labour side of the House. Of course he did not know anything of the sort. He may have imagined it, or, like Sir Boyle Roche, he may have smelt something. We cannot guess what the bad odour may have been that came betwixt the wind and Mr. Howard, but whatever it was it did not arise from any conspiracy between the Government and the newspapers regarding the publication of parliamentary reports. — Christchurch “Times.”

These Hoardings. Local authorities should exercise their wide discretionary power in the direction of preventing the erection of hoardings or other signs on the roadside which would have the effect of marring the beauty of the scenery or of causing offence to those whose aesthetic taste makes them delight in Nature in its simplicity and grandeur. It is not sufficient that in some cases such signs are erected on private property ; not even in such cases should there be constructed signs that would offend. It is reassuring to know that the oil companies have so readily acceded to his Excellency’s suggestion. There are many others, whose efforts to attract attention are perhaps more objectionable.—“Timaru Post.” Ottawa.

In denouncing the achievement of the Ottawa Conference the “Economist” does so on the ground that’ "it failed to reach its only worthwhile objective—the expansion as opposed to the diversion, of trade.” That seems to be a sound objection, but it might be asked how Great Britain could assist the petitioning Dominions and expand world trade at the same time. If the conference had failed absolutely from the standpoint of the Dominions it would have been a body-blow to the political forces In Great Britain which had persuaded the British electors that part of future salvation lay in trade expansion within the Empire. The conference had to succeed, and it could only succeed by granting the Dominions a portion at least of the concessions which were of vital importance to their welfare.—Christchurch “Sun.”