DOMINION TOPICS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 255, 24 July 1937, Page 1 (Supplement)

DOMINION TOPICS

Tlie Fruit Industry. | From the point of view of the fruit- | growers, the new marketing arrangement is an excellent one, since it removes the need for seeking alternative export markets and for exploiting the domestic market more thoroughly. But if the fruit-growers imagine that the export guarantee in its present form is their guarantee of permanent prosperity, they are living in a fool’s paradise. No policy which divorces supply from demand can be successful in the long run. At present high commodity prices in the world markets and a favourable financial position at Home are enabling the Government to subsidise all export industries which are in difficulties. When commodity prices fall again, as inevitably they will fall, export guarantees will become an insupportable financial burden. —Christchurch “Press.” “The Flying Minister.” Mr. Nash has been abroad for approximately eight months. There has been a certain amount of information as to his doings, most of it, it has to be said, from indirect sources. The Minister himself has been secretive to a degree concerning the results of his many contacts in many lands. On the positive side there has been mention of virtually nothing except an improved meat quota—an arrangement made with the British Government just as much to the advantage of Australia as to our own. It will be a very satisfactory arrangement—provided we can fill our quota in the coming season. But the “feather in the Minister’s cap,” claimed on his behalf by the official organ of the Government, at least ought to be shared with Mr. Coates. They ought each to wear a portion of the coveted plume. Perhaps Mr. Nash may now choose an eagle feather!— “Otago Daily Times.”

The Labour Front. Together with news from London of the duel between the Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers at the Imperial Conference comes the statement from Sydney that. Mr. Semple is using his health-recruiting visit to Australia to discuss the co-operation of New Zealand and Australian Labour members in connection with the forthcoming Federal election, which is expected in October. It. is not often that political hands reach across the Tasman or that fellow-feeling between Labour in the two countries should cause the New Zealand Premier to take part in a propaganda duel with the Australian Premier at the Imperial Conference table. Some Australians might regard this as an unwarranted interference in their domestic ’affairs and some New Zealanders might protest that they do not send their Ministers abroad at heavy cost to indulge in such tactics.—“Taranaki Herald.”

Health Insurance. The New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association appears satisfied that the recommendations of the committee appointed to inquire into health insurance have reached a forward stage and has produced a plan to place alongside the committee’s assumed intention to put forward “a universal general practitioner service” to operate from April 1 next. Whether the assumption be correct or not, the association's plan is interesting and instructive in itself as embodying the first specific proposals to come before the public. As such, and as the considered plan of a responsible, professional body, it should receive careful study. It is much to be regretted that neither the committee’s report nor any statement thereon by the Government is available with which to compare it. If the Government intends to proceed with a scheme in the coming session, some official information should be laid before the public immediately.— “New Zealand Herald.”

New Tax Impositions. Somebody in the Taxation Department seems to have been deputed to explore all the intricacies of the accumulated taxing legislation of many years, to see if he can discover any new method of harassing the taxpayer by developing extensions of existing systems and wringing a little more out of the well-squeezed orange. The search fo r fresh avenues has been very successful, and the unfortunate payer of taxation has found that he is under a crossfire of new demands. One of the latest, though it was first discovered several weeks ago, is the inclusion in the reimposed graduated land tax of lands held under a weekly tenancy. These will in future be added to the value of the tenant’s own holdings, his home or business premises, and on the whole total the land tax will be imposed. Thus without any apparent further increase in this tax the revenue will be increased by substantial imposts from many business men and companies whose inclusion was not even contemplated when the Act was framed. — “Auckland Star.” Tourists and Prosperity. The future of this Dominion depends on the development of the tourist potentialities to their limit, and facilities for transport must be prepared for travellers from abroad. These two systems will be a wonderful asset to the Dominion when the vogue sets In, as it should do immediately practical ideas of organisation are employed by the Government, which has so far concentrated on class legislation to improve the lot of the workers and the farmers. That has been a mistake, we think, as the tourist traffic is to prove in the long run the salvation of a sorely-tried country.—“ Southland Daily News.” Transport Economics. If the Railways Department had been alive to the necessity for protecting its business it would itself, in the first place, have initiated the road services to supplement and feed trunk railways. These services have proved their utility for wayside deliveries and for the transport of perishable goods where a minimum of handling and maximum of speed are the prime factors, and the fear has arisen that I these minor services would be lost if I the Government took over road transport. On this subject the Minister ] of Transport Is reassuring. He says | definitely that “this mobile and flexible service of motor transport is essential and vital,” and that the Government. has no intention of “reversing the wheels of progress” by withdrawing IL—“Christchurch Star-Sun,”

Our Education System. Nearly 10 years ago it was recognised that in New Zealand teachers in elementary schools had too little scope fo r initiative. Accordingly, teachers were enjoined in the first page of the elementary school syllabus to use initiative and to experiment with new methods. The complaint that teachers do not avail themselves of their new freedom is now a commonplace of official reports. What the Education Department seems incapable of realising is that initiative and the willingness to experiment cannot be called into existence by a word of command; they are plants which must be grown in a congenial soil. The whole spirit of the New Zealand education system, with its rigid controls from the centre, and ife monstrous apparatus of inspection, examination and teacher grading, is inimical to freedom. To write new ideas into the syllabus without altering the system as a whole is as much a wasted labour as planting bananas at the South Pole.—Christchurch “Press.”

The Springboks. To the South African Rugby team and to its members individually, the warmest welcome is extended. It is the wish of all New Zealanders that their stay will be pleasant and that the games they play will be worthy of a great tradition. With honours still even in the two series of Tests played since 1921, New Zealand rejoices at the chance this visit brings of plucking the prized laurel leaf, but some there are who will be well content if it remains on the bough. For them there is something alluring in the idea of neither country .establishing supremacy, so far as that can be done by scores, for another indefinite term of years. There-was a heady day in the history of New Zealand Rugby when some folk wondered at times where All Blacks would find foemen worthy of their steel. Not so to-day. In light of the exploits of the Springboks in Australia the wonder sometimes is whether the All Blacks will be worthy of the visitors’ steel. New Zealand is hopeful, but prepared for a reverse.— “New Zealand Herald.”

Farmers’ Gains and Losses. The expressed desire of the Government in launching the guaranteed price scheme was to give substantial benefits to the farmer, but performance has fallen far short of the promise, for the effect of the new industrial legislation has been to add greatly to the farmer’s costs, thus probably more than counterbalancing any gain from the guaranteed price. The Government itself perceives the difficulty in which it has landed itself. The Minister of Agriculture said in a recent speech: “We cannot go on raising the guaranteed price again and again, but, once having arrived at a fair price to pay for dairy produce, we must turn our attention to cutting costs.” To achieve this end Mr. Lee Martin proposed a reduction of interest rates; rationalisation of methods of production, lowering the price of manures, and the efficient working of the zoning system. Most of this is vague and shadowy, and even if practicable would take time to bring into successful operation. In the meantime we may expect to see increasing restlessness and dissatisfaction among the primary producers.—Dunedin “Evening Star.” Trade Balances. Canada has become an exporter of butter to London, and this explains the promptitude with which latterly she has placed dumping duties on any butter shipments from New Zealand. Manifestly, there is a wide sphere in which Mr. Nash might operate. The disparity in New Zealand’s trading relations between both Australia and Canada ought not to continue to widen, because after all, if New Zealand purchases goods valued at £6,600,000 a year from Australia and Canada, and the two Dominions between them pay only £3,000,000 to New Zealand for goods exported from this Dominion to those countries, the Mother Country, ironically enough, where New Zealand’s accounts are balanced, must make good the adverse balance by the purchase of more goods from New Zealand than would otherwise have been necessary to keep her trading relations with New Zealand on a favourable footing for this country.—“Timaru Herald.” A Licensing Orgy. The intention of the Government in proposing to register motor-mechanics is disclosed in a statement of Mr. J. S. Hawkes that the bonnets of Government service cars are already being sealed, and that in the case of a breakdown they may be unsealed only by a mechanic. The Transport Department ought to make the full implications of registration quite clear. If a position is to arise in which nobody but a licensed, mechanic may touch the engine of a car, high-water mark in absurdity will have been reached. No safety-first considerations could possibly call for such restrictions. The steering gear, the brakes, and the wheels are really the vital parts of a car as far as the safety of passengers Is concerned. The engine is merely the power unit, and when power goes off the safety of the passengers cannot be jeopardised by the efforts of an unregistered person to bring it on again. If it comes on, well and good; if it does not come on, it is time enough to call in experts.— “Christchu’rch Star-Sun.” The Guaranteed Price. With the completion of the first season under guaranteed prices, the farmer is now in a position to consider its effects. The average pay-out by factories has probably been a little less than lid. more than in the previous season and possibly Jd. more than would have been obtained under the free marketing system, assuming, of course, that the policy of control has not had the effect of depressing prices overseas. On the face of it, therefore, the farmer’s gross returns have improved. but if the figures placed before the Farmers’ Union are correct the benefit has been more than nullified by rising costs. Farm costs alone are stated to have risen by nearly 3d. per pound, or twice as much as the increase in the factory payment. On a balance, therefore, the farmer is actually ljd. worse off than he would have been had both prices and costs remained'’ tn the same level as during the previous season—-“ Poverty Bay Herald.’’