DOMINION TOPICS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 59, 2 December 1933, Page 20

DOMINION TOPICS

Local Government Reform. The opposition to compulsory amal gamution of local bodies expressed to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal Affairs represents a large body of opinion in various parts of New Zealand, and is entitled, to sympathetic consideration. The ease for districts managing their' own affairs is a strong one, and when an area has had its own local government for a long while its desire to maintain this right is one that may be entitled to depp respect. On the other hand, the possibility of this desire conflicting with necessary amalgamation of local bodies must be faced. Indeed, it is more than a possibility, for the power of vested interests in existing local bodies constitutes the greatest obstacle in the way of that overhaul of municipal government which the country needs. We have seen this already in th? unwillingness of the Government to reduce the number of hospital boards. Can the principle be adopted without exception that if a district does not wish to lose its identity its wishes should be respected? What of the interests of the whole community? —“Auckland Star.”

Overseas Bonds. The conditions which Ihe London Stock Exchange is to impose on all future colonial local body issues, before they will be officially listed, may be the result of recent experiences and the legal decision in the Broken Hill Proprietary case. The exchange must take whatever steps it deems necessary to protect the interests of investors, but the matter need not be of any great moment to the Dominion. We should be able to place local body loans within the Dominion, and it is a matter for regret that the maturing Dunedin loans could not have been transferred from London. The stumbling block is the high exchange rate that would have to be paid for the remittance of the money, and that alone prevents the Dunedin City Council from obtaining the moneys here at better rates than are available in Loudon. It may be too late to do anything now. but if there are any further early maturities of local body loans overseas the position should be carefully considered.—“Christchurch Times.”

Parliamentary Salaries. It seems inopportune that there should be rumblings of dissatisfaction among members that they are underpaid. In far-off days the honorarium was no more than £240 a year, but latterly it has shown a tendency to revert toward that figure after having reached a maximum in 1920. This was reduced to £450 in 1922, and is now as low as £305. That sum, of course, is supplemented by allowances which make travelling far less .of a deterrent to the parliamentarian than to the average man these times. Stern neees-, sity alone, we are convinced, would' elicit this session a cry for reconsideration of their ease. In the first place there is the deterrent ‘of the Public Service vote at next election time. The member who would be a consenting party to the continuance of the cuts in the service while pleading restoration I for himself, cannot altogether, ignore the approach of the day of retribution. And there is an even more widespread public to be reckoned with. —Dunedin “Star.” A Loan for Public Works.

The Government has never explained why it is impossible to raise a loan internally to provide funds for a large scale policy of development which will lead to the gradual restoration of normal conditions, virtually abolishing unemployment. Nothing in this direction can be achieved by putting men to work on the roadsides, in ditches, or on building houses that are not required. Nothing but essential work should be authorised, and surely there is plenty of this available if one surveys the position with open eyes. Roads that will open up communication with tourist resorts may be proceeded with confidently, because they can be financed without any permanent increase of indebtedness, the men’s wages being paid out. of . the unemployment funds, or from a loan secured on the present taxation over a period of years. By the time they are completed recovery will have reached a point at which a largely increased tourist traffic may be anticipated.—" Southland Daily News. Wool Quality.

“If one-hundredth part of the money that has been spent on exploitation of cellulose had been devoted to research on methods for exploitation of wool,” declared Dr. S. G. Barker, of the Wool Industries Research Association, of Leeds, “there would have been a different story to tell to-day." Some weeks ago a statement was presented to the House of Representatives for the purpose of bringing the question of the quality of New Zealand wool in relation to the requirements of the Dominion's principal customers, before Parliament and the people, because the question is one of considerable national importance, since it appears essential that some action should be taken to improve the present outlook of the Dominion’s wool industry through the adoption of a long range policy tending toward greater stability in the future. It ought not to be impossible to so improve the quality of New Zealand’s wool clips as to assure an uninterrupted supply of high-class wool which is always in demand. —"Timaru Herald.” Public Works Programme.

It. is difficult to see any public works at present, on which large sums can be spent will) any reasonable prospect of return. Mr. Coates is therefore wise in putting forward a very modest programme for this year, and endeavouriiig to select works which will employ as”much labour as possible. He proposes to spend about £3,000,000. which is £700.000 more than last year. _ The increase in expenditure appears justified as giving a little help in aiding the return to normal conditions. Of the expenditure, about £1,000.000 will go to roads and highways, with a little for, i.ail ways; £954,000 is provided for Pnnf'development. including the settlement of unemployed workers: £675,000 will be required for the Waitaki electric power scheme; £196,100 will be spent on the erection of public buildings. Mr. Coates is impressed with the need for metalled roads for backblock settler*, and this certainly appears to be a most valuable outlet for public expenditure. — "Taranaki Herald."

New Zealand and Defence. The campaign for peace and disarmament, led by Sir John Simon and Mr. Arthur Henderson, representing two totally dissimilar political creeds, receives support from New Zealand that is not qualified by political factors. There is no doubt that New Zealand opinion, now that British disarmament limits have been reached, will go all the way to Geneva with the British Government. Should there he failure there to reach agreement on the disarmament question, the Dominion will be the first of the countries of the Empire Commonwealth to realise the risks that have been run through the British “example,” particularly in cutting down the cruiser fleet that must guard the trade routes. However, it may be said that the Dominion has readily faced these risks in the cause of peace. The present policy is to improve local defence, but still our hand is stayed. The next Budget will make whatever reckoning is necessary. For the time being, however, New Zealand hopes against hope, but with an ever-ready sense of vigilance against an uncertain future. —“New Zealand Herald.” Unemployment and Crime.

That unemployment leads to demoralisation is almost a platitude, but the Controller-General of' Prisons is seldom platitudinous, and his-observa-tions are worth studying. Unemployment disorganises the individual, but it does not lead him into crime to the extent that might be supposed. Rather, a period of depression encourages the criminally-minded person to take greater liberties in the hope of obtaining clemency on the plea that he is an honest man driven to wrong-doing by want. In this connection the Control-ler-General of Prisons dwells sufficiently on the need for protecting society from that form of leniency which is as repugnant to ■ the standards of a healthy community sense of justice as undue severity. The danger of the drift toward leniency, in fact, is emphasised by the statement that a large number of youthful delinquents previously dealt with in children’s courts, or placed on probation or sentenced to short terms by higher courts without success, have been straightened up after a term of Borstal or reformative detention. —Uhristehureh “Star.” Unemployed in Town and Country. The facts are against the contention that the unemployed can “get on better” in the country towns than in the cities. That belief is part of the conception that unemployment was a temporary problem, whereas it has now become one that must be regarded as a long-term difficulty and a policy be shaped accordingly. So far Mr. Hamilton has contented himself with stating that “he had always defended the differentiation between city and country allocations.” No one will question the honesty of the Minister’s opinion, but many who are in close touch with unemployed relief, and particularly those who must suffer from the reduced relief available, are not so certain that Mr. Hamilton’s opinion is sound. The protests made in Taranaki and elsewhere against the differential treatment of city and country districts are not mere querulous criticisms. They are the expression of the considered opinion of those qualified to judge, and they deserve the prompt consideration of the Government. —“Taranaki Daily News.” A Timely Tonic.

In recent years the textile manufacturers have been buying carefully, reducing their purchases to a minimum, and the welcome display of interest in the Auckland offering indicates that they are' preparing for a trade revival which will bring many idle looms into fresh use. While the consideration must not be neglected that owing to the inflated value of the English pound in New Zealand overseas buyers have a certain margin on their purchases in this Dominion, the prices and general tone of the Auckland sales augur well for a much more successful selling season for producers of wool in this country than has latterly been their experience. It may be hoped that one effect of the highly encouraging demand that was exhibited at the sales, and of the enhanced value of the wool, will be to infuse into the people of the Dominion some of that confidence of which there has been a too great lack during the past two years.— "Otago Daily Times.” The Kight to Produce and Export. The right to produce and export freely, now that it is in danger of curtailment, is being proclaimed in some quarters as an essential condition of the country’s prosperity. Yet if the farmer thinks over the history of his industry in the last decade he will perhaps realise that the right to produce without any regard for consumers' needs has become a doubtful i blessing. It is at least possible that producers of butter, cheese, and meat will find it to their benefit to exchange a chaotic and ruinously competitive market for one which, though slightly restricted, ensures profitable and reasonably stable prices. There is therefore no reason why quotas should become a bone of contention between farmers and manufacturers. There is room for the harmonious development of both primary and secondary industries in New Zealand z and it is quite certain that immunity from quotas cannot be bought by tariff concessions. “The Press.” Christchurch.

The legislative Council. During next year four members of the Legislative Council are due to retire, ami if the Government maintains its ’recent policy of abstaining from making any reappointments the total strength of the House will be reduced to sixteen. While it is not urged that the Upper House should be packed with supporters of the Government, or in any sense used as a means of conferring rewards for devotion to the interests of State or party, it must be pointed out that the economy of a small Council can be. and has been, carried to an extreme which is no longer profitable. It has been suggested that the Government may be watching the progress and effect of the constitutional amendment in New South Wales, whereby the Upper House is converted into an elective body, a quarter of whose members retire every three years. If that js so, and if the Government contemplates emulation of the New South Wales scheme, there is still no reason why the Legislative Council should be allowed to fall into a state of inefficiency pending any reorganisation.—“Waikatp Times.”