NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 70, 15 December 1933, Page 10

NOTES OF THE DAY

The Prime Minister’s statement to the House yesterday on the ' subject of local production of fuel oil clarifies a question whitjh has been frequently canvassed in this country. Successful, research and experiment abroad have centred attention upon the possibilities of the hydrogenation process of extracting fuel oil from coal. That it can be made a commercial proposition has already been demonstrated, and plants are now being erected in England to produce and market hydrogenated fuel oil. The difficulty in the way, as it concerns us, is the heavy capital cost of installing the plant. The British Government is subsidising the initial venture in England as a measure of policy iib order to bring about a revival in the coal-mining industry. It may be argued that there are similar and equally strong reasons for the adoption of the same policy in New Zealand, but, as the Prime Minister has pointed out, the market for the by-products of the process is extremely limited. In England the position is different. For tips reason it is held that we should first direct attention to the extent and resources of our oil deposits. By comparison with the cost of installing hydrogenation plants the expense of surveying and boring is a less formidable proposition. The Government considers that there should be “intensive investigation” in that direction during the next few years. It is to be hoped that it will be as good as its word.

Legislation to giye effect to the recommendation of a Special Committee on the. troublesome question of the collection of Native rates is now before Parliament. It is high time finality was reached in this matter, for it has been a sore point with local bodies for years past. Equality of treatment connotes equality of responsibility. It is unfair, to say the least, that European ratepayers should be compelled to meet their obligations while Native payers of rates.to a very considerable extent should by continued default be allowed to fall into hopeless arrears. A policy of pamperihg is neither g'ood for the Maoris nor calculated to raise them in the estimation of their European fellow-citizens. . The payment of rates is payment for benefits received and services rendered in orie form or another, and the European is entitled to say that this obligation should apply with equal force to the Maori. By substantial default the latter has seriously embarrassed the budgetary arrangements of many local bodies, and the disabilities thus imposed upon them react upon the European, section. Thus a position is created which might conceivably engender feeling between the two races. The Bill now before Parliament should rectify a palpable anomaly and through its disciplinary measures sharpen the Maoris’ sense of civic responsibility.

This year’s camp at Penrose for training boys in farm work is now assured, though contributions are still needed. It remains only for sufficient entrants to come forward to make the trouble and expense worth while. Provision has been made for an entry of fifty, and to date about twenty have given in their, names. It is to be hoped that the list will be filled. Last year’s experience demonstrated that the boys who showed aptitude for farm work had no difficulty whatever in finding employment. In fact, they were welcomed, and on the whole gave satisfactory service. Though the farming industries, like most others, have been in the doldrums, the prospects are brightening steadily, and there should be excellent scope in the future for boys wishing to go in for rurpl activities. The Penrose camp provides an excellent jumping-off place for a farming career. What follows depends on the stuff the boy is