DOMINION TOPICS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 154, 27 March 1937, Page I (Supplement)

DOMINION TOPICS

Recruiting tiie Dominions.

Tiie idea of a unitied defence plan for the whole Empire is gaining grounds. To have drafts from the Dominions added to tiie strength of historic British regiments would give it life and colour. There need be no suggestion of creating units to be recruited wholly from tiie Dominions. The Empire could be given a share in manning the regular army in a simpler way. In its responsibilities and its service it is the Empire rather than the British Army; so it might bo in personnel. Only one condition needs to be suggested. If the best type of recruit from tiie Dominions were wanted, there would need to be an assurance of opportunity for promotion if capacity for commissioned rank could be proved.— “New Zealand Herald.”

Guaranteed Prices. The Government should have sufficient information now to decide on an equitable figure for the difference between payments for butter and cheese and should announce it as soon as possible. We think that 2d. would meet tiie position. 'Tiie fanner is - worried about tiie cost of labour and his standard of living, but we think that the Government should not endeavour to work out exact figures for this, as they can only be averages, and conditions, differ much. If the dairy-farmer gets a good price for his butterfat, and we think 1/1 per pound or a little over in view of increasing costs is a good price, lie should be left to look after himself. We would also point out that unless a man milks 30 cows he cannot expect to make a living out of dairying. except in few instances. Yet well over half the supplies to factories have not more than 10 cows. These farmers should not count in discussions about •prices.—"Taranaki Herald.” Economists and Reality. Due Ims learned in recent years to appreciate the fact that the lest of economics no longer applies. Schools of thought in tliis science have sprung up like mushrooms, each with a brilliant authority at its head, and all in perfect disagreement. The simple principle of supply and demand persists more or less in spite of extreme discouragement. but props and stays have been utilised in an endeavour to maintain a false equilibrium and bolster up the fiction th,at a pound sterling is worth more than twenty shillings. With all descriptions of mechanical devices to interfere with business and trade it is not easy to realise exactly where one stands, but. it is impossible to ignore the truth that the principles of economies are international and defy merely domestic attempts at evasion. A policy of development which subscribes to the doctrine that none but reproductive works shall be undertaken cannot be inadvisable either in times of prosperity or of adversity.— “Southland Daily News.”

The Golden Fleece. The wool market has been exceptionally firm throughout the season. There have been slight variations, but even if there were a drop of 10 to 15 per cent, before the end of the season, values would still be high. Not that there is anything to suggest that a collapse is at all likely—indications are all the other way. Bradford has been mainly responsible for forcing the pace at recent sales. The Yorkshire houses held off at the opening season apparently with the thought that prices would come back; but they found that they would have to buy at the ruling rates. No material easing was expected, and they had ground to make up. The buying here was well spread, with Bradford bidding dominating and Germany lifting a full quota. All the Continental and American buyers were active, a good deal of wool went to Japan and China, and local interests did their full share ■toward building tip competition. It is obvious ihat there is still a big unsatisfied inquiry, and it seems reasonable to expect firm values for the remainder of this season and probably good prices again next year.—“Southhind Times.”

Defence Programme. In prosecuting its declared policy, New Zealand's Labour Government lias devoted its efforts mainly to social and industrial legislation. Now Ministers are realising that there is a wider issue to be approached. An important statement relating to the provision of an air force in New Zealand Ims boon issued by the Hon. F. Jones, who holds the portfolio of Defence, □'he Minister’s outline refers to the beginning of a scheme which will be capable of great development and extension. In the meantime, so far as practical purposes are concerned, the value from the point of view of defence will not be great. The British Government is spending huge sums in an effort to ensure that peace shall be kept, and no doubt New Zealand will be prepared to take its fair share of the burden. Tlie Imperial Conference will be sitting in London shortly, and this gathering of the Empire’s statesmen will, it. is to be hoped, agree on some scheme embracing the fullest measure of co-ordination and co-opera-tion. British Ministers, at any rate, are determined that their country shall not bo caught in the position that existed in defence matters in 1914. —Dunedin "Star.” Yesterday and To-day.

Mr. Armstrong and his colleagues vehemently condemned the previous Government for abolishing the compulsory jurisdiction of the Arbitration Court. and on coming into power immediately restored it. Mr. Armstrong himself was in charge of the measure. But when he went to Auckland he spoke frankly as an opponent of compulsory arbitration and let it be known that he would not hesitate to over-ride by statute an award he did not approve. He addressed these remarks, dangerous enough in themselves, to a body of men who had voluntarily accepted tlie jurisdiction of the Court, been dissatisfied by the result. and taken illegal action to force their employers to satisfy them. Mr. Armstrong disregarded the illegality of this action and failed to declare his own or the Government's determination to uphold Hie Court. This is the real charge against Mr. Armstrong: and he says nothing that meets it. lie has compromised Hie Government in its relation to Hie Com! and left wide open Hie mischievous possibilities of a system within which employers will !u> botiiid by awards but employees may use direct action awl political pressure to alter what doos not suit them.— Christehiircb ‘Tress,”

Government Pledges.

It is unfortunately true, and not only of the present Government, that political considerations frequently outweigh the opinions of experts. That is, perhaps, an inescapable concomitant of tiie party system which demands concessions to one section of the community at the expense of another. The present Government was concerned, primarily, with carrying out its pledges to its supporters, and there is now evidence of a realisation that, some of these pledges, at least, conflict with the public interest. For example, the guaranteed price plan, which before the election was described as the keystone of the whole economic policy of the Government, has now. according to Mr. Savage, been dropped, and it will not be extended to other branches of agricultural industry — “Poverty Bay Herald.”

Possibilities of Aviation. 'The British peoples can fairly be charged with a lamentable failure to understand the imperial possibilities of aviation. Tiie fault does not lie in British pilots and machines or in any lack of organising skill. It lies primarily in the niggling separatism of most Dominion Governments and in a general lack of imagination. Not the least of the benefits accruing from the establishment of the San Francisco-Auck-land service will be the stimulus it must impart to air development throughout the British Commonwealth and particularly in Australia and New Zealand. Once the South Pacific service is operating, the Tasman service becomes, not an appendage to the Eng-land-Australia service, but the connecting link .between two great air systems. - —Christchurch “Press.”

Counties Amalgamation. It is evident that if amalgamation ot counties is to be insisted upon some of the members of tiie Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association would gain in importance and in the amount of rejiponsibilit.v they would have to undertake. Their opposition to amalgamation can scarcely be construed into fear of loss of prestige, but njtist be regarded as a genuine expression of opinion that efficiency will suffer if any alteration of the present counties is made. The Minister of Internal Affairs has hinted that if amalgamation cannot be achieved voluntarily it will be brought about by special legislation. Tiie justification for .such arbitrary action is that efficiency will be increased and economies made possible. It will be interesting to learn the evidence possessed by the Minister in stqiport. of these virtues so far as amalgamation of Taranaki local bodies is concerned. —“Taranaki Daily News.” Boards and Bureaux.

It is interesting to note, in view of the somewhat reckless pre-election promises indulged in by the leading members of the New Zealand Labour Party, which were designed to give every board in New Zealand its running shoes, that the Government lias discovered that it can tolerate tiie creation of new boards on the understanding that for the future boards may be described as bureaux. Doubtless this plan has been conceived by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, who, in the capacity of Minister of Railways, has deep-seated objections to boards of all sorts and conditions, but the same Cabinet Minister, as Minister of Industries and Commerce, seeks to salve his conscience by appointing a Bureau of Industry, and a Bureau of Social Science! The Minister of Defence, who is more restrained in his utterances, and because of. that commendable trait in his Ministerial makeup is not likely to get into very much hot water, is content to describe the new administrative organisation that is to control the New Zealand Royal Air Force, as a plain and everyday board !—“Timaru Herald.”

Our Historic Buildings. The people of Canterbury will assuredly endorse Mr. E. J. Howard's protest against any structural alterations of the Provincial Government buildings. The Act under which the buildings and land were vested in the board as a permanent memorial of the foundation of the province of Canterbury specifically denies to the board authority to make structural alterations other than those necessary to keep the buildings in repair and it explicitly states that the Crown shall not erect new buildings on the land. The intention clearly was that the historic buildings should be maintained substantially as they were in the year 1928 when the Act was passed. They may be used for general government purposes, and presumably the Crown has the right, to make internal alterations to facilitate departmental work, but it would be contrary to the spirit of the trust to change the character of the rooms in any material respect. To use the old Land Board room for ministerial deputations would be in line with tradition; the reconstruction of the room would not. —Christchurch “Star-Sun.” Social Science. With the Government’s blessing Mr. Sullivan, being Minister in charge of the Department of Scientific and In-

dustrial Research, is proceeding with his plan for the establishment of a bureau of social science as an adjunct to that department. Possibly it will be comforting to the community, amid its uncertainties and tribulations, to know that such a bureau is functioning, watching over Israel, and neither slumbering nor sleeping. More probably, while noting that the creation of the bureau is providing the opportunity for a number of appointments, some of which have been announced, it will forgot that it exists save when reminded on that point by some weighty pronouncement embodying the results of its labours. That a Socialist Government should bo interested in social science is natural enough. ... As for Hie projected inquiry of the bureau in to the period of leisure and home life of our citizens, the picture of its conduct and progress that is conjured up is at once piquant and pleasing. If there is one thing more than another which all people agree in disliking, it is curiosity concerning, and interference with, their leisure. More seriously speaking, the prosjieet is not to be welcomed, without reservations, of further bureaucratic activities such as seem to be suggested on the part of the Government acting in conformity with the “authoritative reports” which it expects Io receive from the new bureau under its control.—"Otago Daily Times.”