DOMINION TOPICS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 154, 26 March 1938, Page 1 (Supplement)

DOMINION TOPICS

Taxation. The Government is pledged to adjust taxation. Specific items have been mentioned again an'd again. There was the prime Minister’s statement in Parliament: "I will agree quite frankly that I promised to remove, for instance, the sales tax and the high exchange rate. I am not taking back that promise.” The coming session will be the final opportunity afforded for effecting these tilings. It is difficult to s ee how they can be done, especially the reduction of the exchange rates. If they are lowered then the incomes of ail primary producers, other than dairy-farmers, must suffer, unless there should be such an advance in prices ruling overseas that the upward movement would exceed the losses due to a lowered exchange rate. That, at the moment, seems hardly likely. The sales tax, however, is another matter. It is a burden on domestic trade, and this year it is estimated that the return to the Treasury will be £3,oso,ooo.—“Waikato Times.” State Housing—What of the Cost? The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Housing is significantly silent on the' financial phase of the State housing scheme. No information is disclosed relating to any transactions undertaken by the State Housing Department. Blocks of land are purchased and groups of houses are built, but the’ closest secrecy is imposed on all involved in these transactions. Hitherto the Reserve Bank figures seemed to suggest that the advances for housing purposes were growing steadily, and a return issued a fortnight ago disclosed the interesting information that the Government was indebted to the Reserve Bank “for other purposes” by £1,300,000. In the latest returns, however, there is no mention of that indebtedness to the, bank. How has that advance been liquidated?—“Timaru Herald.”

Fish and Flesh. The Labour Leader had always received courtesy from his opponents and it was only fair that now the position was reverse’d the ‘supporters of Labour should be equally charitable. The Opposition’s case was listened to with the same patience as that of the Government during the years when Mr. H. Holland and Mr; Savage endeavoured vainly to achieve victory. That was no more than proper, but at least those who had the places of influence refrained from treating their opponents as undeserving of that equality of ordinary consideration which is the heritage of all in this democratic country. The Prime Minister quite rightly believes that people who interrupt at public meetings are doing his party no good. The average worker has the same conception of fair play as those who are politically opposed to him and will certainly not be favourably impressed with methods which appear to be deliberately designed to wreck the meetings of prominent Nationalists.— “Southland Daily News.” Free Speech and Hecklers. Mr. Savage says he is “surprised” st Mr. Holland’s complaint at the lack of police assistance at his meetings.- The Prime Minister’s experience has been far otherwise. "Whether people have agreed with my politics or not,” he says, “they have always been courteous.” So he pays a compliment to the tolerance and fair play of his opponents and invites reflection on the opposite tactics of his supporters. But Mr. Savage does not undertake that in future an equal courtesy will be extended to his opponents as they have consistently accorded to him. He does not say he will ensure that order will be kept at political meetings so that all candidates for popular suffrage may be heard and the representative system of democracy preserved. No doubt the Prime Minister would repudiate any suggestion that by his'attitude he is conniving at the suppression of free opinion—the sinister feature of dictatorial regimes—but unless he reacts more directly and positively to the challenge of-'disorder and gagging at public meetings, he certainly lays himself and his Government under suspicion.—“ New Zealand Herald.” A Fine Example

A fine example of the highest kind of citizenship has been provided by the late Mr. T. Lindsay Buick who bequeathed the greater part of his residuary estate, amounting to £ll.OOO, to the board of trustees of the National Art Gallery and the Dominion Museum. The income from this money is to be used for the purchase of works of art. In addition to this, he has left a bequest of £lOOO to the Otago University to provide books, engravings and other material for the Hocken collection, which is now one of the best historical sources in the Dominion. For the greater part of his life Mr. Lindsay Buick was engaged in work which was not profitable to himself, and had he cared to use the same talents in other directions he would have had richer rewards. All through his life Mr. Lindsay Buick gave generously to his native country, and the final gesture of good citizenship made in his will assures in another way that his memory will be honourably and affectionately preserved. The example of his public-spiritedness may well serve as an inspiration to others. —“Timaru Post.”

The Territorial Forces. The territorial forces are hopelessly inadequate, and apart from relying on an increase of mechanical equipment to attract suitable young men the Defence Department has done" little or nothing to encourage recruits. Above all, it has shown no real conception of the special problems which belong to the defence of a country like New Zealand. The fault does not lie with the department chiefly concerned. It lies with the Government, which has done nothing to encourage or make possible the vigorous policy that has become necessary if the country is to be made reasonably secure. Intent oil grandiose political schemes, it has neglected the fundamental policy without which its militant Socialism, its bigger, and better public works programmes and its uneconomic formula's for continuous prosperity may at any' time be in danger of sudden and violent extinction. The Government may be able to convince its most gullible supporters that it can “insulate” New Zealand from an economic depression. But it will need spokesmen far more eloquent than are art present on its benches to convince anyone that it can "insulate” the country from danger in war-time.— “Southland Times.”

The Fishing Industry. Disappointment will be felt, with the conclusion of the committee that the continuation of export at the present level is not warranted, for there are great opportunities in Australia for the marketing of New Zealand fish. The Coalition Ministry was able to give valuable assistance to this side of the industry by obtaining concessions from the Commonwealth Government in the duty-free entry of all New Zealand fresh or smoked fish into Australia. Freedom from primage duty and sales tax was also conceded. The beneficial effect, was at once apparent, the figures in 12 months’ increasing by 100 . per cent. In quality New Zealand fish is declared to be much better than that caught on the Australian coast, so it. is evident that there are great market opportunities across the Tasman. It is unfortunate that restrictions should have to be enforced on this side, but such a course appears to be inevitable in the face of the committee’s findings. —Dunedin “Star.” New Zealand and the Commonwealth. It seems quite evident that upon Britain’s wisdom, forbearance and fortitude must depend the maintenance of peace or the awful alternative of an Armageddon that may entail -the downfall of civilisation. In such circumstances one could wish the Government of New Zealand could give more of its confidence to the people. No sellsible person expects the Prime Minister to publish the confidential messages he is receiving from Whitehall. But the position calls for something more satisfying to the common intelligence than assurances, which most people are aware can be challenged seriously, that the defences of the Dominion are better- than they have ever been. Neither in Britain nor in New Zealand should a national crisis be used for party political purposes. It should produce, however, a determination on the part of the Governments concerned to keep public opinion guided aright because it is based upon actualities. Mr. Savage and his colleagues would find that greater confidence in the people would not be misplaced.—"Taranaki Daily News.” Hospitals Finance. If it were possible to feel sure that the methods of financing hospitals were equitable and sound and that hospital boards generally managed their affairs prudently and economically, there would be no justification for complaint, since the maintenance costs of all institutions, public and private, have increased in the last two years. Bat it is not possible to feel certain on either of these points. The case for making the hospitals wholly a charge on the Consolidated Fund can lie argued on grounds of equity and of administrative convenience. And as far as the efficiency of’hospital bodrd administration is concerned, it is at least true to say that a study of maintenance costs reveals astonishing and suspicious variations. The Royal Commission which inquired into the affairs of the Napier Hospital discovered an amazing amount of administrative confusion and inefficiency; and it is not improbable that, many other hospitals would come very badly out of a similar inquisition into their affairs. Not all of the inefficiency in hospital administration is culpable. It is fair to say that no other type of public institution presents such difficult problems of organisation and accountancy. What cannot be denied is that there is room for.great improvement; and it would seem that a general inquiry into hospital management is a necessary first step toward bringing about this improvement.— Christchurch “Press.”

Our Oversears Trade Connections. In repeating his earlier statement that New Zealand has no knowledge of any impending conference to discuss Imperial trade relations, the Prime Minister rather misrepresents the position of New Zealand in relation to world trade . . . Mr. Savage unperturbed. He suggests that, as the country’s views “on the revision of the Ottawa Agreements or any change, that may be contemplated” are known to Britain, there is no need for anybody to worry. But Mr. Savage or Mr. Nash ought to be explicit and say why it is safe for New Zealand to ignore the Washington conference while Canada and Australia are so eager to participate in it. Whether Australia is officially represented at the main conference or not, her delegates will be negotiating actively with the United States, possibly to the detriment of New Zealand. America to-day is asking Britain for on the very- things for which the Dominions ar m.seeknig a larger market in Britain, and, if a trade pact with all that it implies is not to fall to the ground, the Dominions ought to be securing from America, and granting to America, concessions that will expand their own share of international trade in the widest sense, and permit Britain to break away to some extent from the nationalism that so many other nations see with misgiving in the Ottawa Agreements.— —“Christchurch Star-Sun.” Samoan Question. The Auckland “Star” has this reference to a letter published in its columns from Mr. O. F. Nelson, objecting to the “Star’s” advocacy of the rejection by the Government of the proposal that the police force in Western Samoa should ‘‘revert to what it was before the New Zealand occupation”: Mr. Nelson asserts that “not one German soldier, as such, was ever sent to Samoa, and the Police Department was confined to Samoans, with one white man in charge.” The implication, of course, is that all was happy and peaceful under, the German regime. Mr. Nelson knows' Samoan history better than that. lie will remember the occasion, in 1909, when German rule was seriously challenged, and the Governor was compelled to cable for a fleet of German warships, which, arrived from the China station. There followed the deportation of twelve Samoans, who remained.- in exile until New Zealand occupied Samoa. In the face of such recorded facts it is idle to suggest that the Germans ruled without force. We repeat that the Administrator must in the last resort have an adequate dependable force to assert the authority of the mandatory Power. Mr. Nelson does no service to the Samoan people, or to the Government, with which he has promised to co-operate, by suggesting that New Zealand methods are “more militaristic” than those of the Germans.