DOMINION TOPICS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 9, 5 October 1940, Page 15

DOMINION TOPICS

Rights of Local Government. The question whether there should be a flat rate of increase of all salaries or whether the increase should apply to only the lower-paid employees of these authorities is arguable. It is, however, a question which sinks into insignificance beside the fact that a Government official has intimated his determination to override the decisions of those municipal authorities and power boards that have decided that all the members of their staffs shall participate in the increased payments. To most people it will occur that the object is that of saving the face of the Government; it would be only by a violent straining of the imagination that it could be related to a war measure. But the action of the Electricity Controller strikes a direct blow at the right of these local bodies to manage their business as in tlie exercise of their judgment they think fit. It involves an intolerable interference with the conduct of tlie local government system and a threat of the extension of the bureaucracy which is in existence to purposes that have no connexion with the war effort.—“Otago Daily Times.”

Commuted Sentence. Protests against tlie Executive Council's decision to commute the death sentence in the Cartman case were not inspired by the hope that that decision might be reversed. It would create an undesirable precedent if such a decision, having been made and announced, were to be altered because of public disapprove!. Moreover, as the decision was influenced, or determined, by the policy of the Government, which is opposed on principle to capital punishment, the circumstances of the crime—it can now be seen—cannot be relevant as a ground for criticising the decision. But a Government whose principled objection to capital punishment has been demonstrated to be strong and consistent has no right to retain provision for capital punishment on the .Statute Book. It should alter the law, and make it clear beyond the possibility of vexatious doubt, to all potential murderers, that since November, 1935, murder "in Now Zealand has become just another crime, the penalty for which may be substantially shortened if the prisoner be of good behaviour. —“Auckland Star.” Compulsory Uniformity.

Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., has drawn attention to the probability of disputed amendments to the Shops ami Offices Act being reintroduced in the House of Representatives in the near future and being made law in spite of considerable opposition. . . . The main point at the moment seems to be whether there is a public demand for the legislation. Opinion in the House clashed sharply on the question, and ft is desirable before the amendments again come before Parliament that the public’s attitude should be made known. If there is a general demand for the legislation, well and good; if not, there is a possibility that as a Government measure it will be passed through the House in the near future and the Arbitration Court will nominate the hours and holidays to be observed. If there is local objection the delay and expense of an appeal to a magistrate will be incurred. It is notable that even the Labour Party is not unanimous iu support of the amendments, and it is desirable that the matter should be fully-discussed and understood before it is again brought before Parliament.—“Waikato Times.”

Petrol Concessions. It will give satisfaction to motorists and to those engaged in the motor industry in its various forms to learn that the petrol ration in New Zealand is to be increased. Believing that this could reasonably be done, strong pressure by those concerned was brought on the Government, and it has yielded to the requests. The reason for the course now to be taken given by the Minister of Supply is that by t he-end of October the reserves of petrol will have reached an amount that: will permit of an increase in the allowance to private ears for November. If this explanation afforded by Mr. Sullivan is not the most convincing, that point no doubt will be overlooked in the face of his promise of concessions. The simple fact appears to be. that the Government, iiartly for financial reasons,'went 100 far in the matter of restrictions, and that Mr. Nash in his statements at various times was vague to the point of obscurity. No one in this country would for a moment raise any objection to a course, no matter bow drastic it might be. (hat was required to help the Empire’s war effort, but if Ministers go beyond snelt requirements, to rhe detriment of important industries, resulting in unemployment and other embarrassing' developments, then, as in the present case, dissat isfactiou is bound to arise.—-Dunedin “Evening Star.”

Riflemen and Defence. In the finer points of shooting there are few military instructors who are better fitted to train recruits than the older rifle club members, or as well. Their services should be particularly valuable in the training of snipers and "parashots,” where their experience of shooting under variable conditions of light, wind, and weather would enable them to import many useful points to their pupils. For rapid fire and snapshooting practice tlie ordinary military methods should suffice, since these are branches in which rille clubs do not particularly specialize, but for instruction in deliberate shooting at long ranges no better instruction could be given than by an experienced rifle club member. It is true that individual members of rifle clubs may join the defence organizations for which .they are eligible, and many have already done so, but it would be more satisfactory to the rille clubs if their existing organizations could be fitted into the general scheme of local defence.— “The Press,” Christchurch.

Government by Regulations. An important point, aud one of much wider implications than those immediately opened up, was raised by Mr. Doidge in Parliament when he asked that a day should be set apart for a debate on changes in the law imposed by Orders-in-Council. As he said, many members knew nothing of these regulations until they were in operation. It means that Parliament has given to the Executive much power which ordinarily it exercises itself. The times are abnormal. The exigencies of a state of war no doubt often demand swifter action than would be possibly from the slow-mowing machinery of Parliament. Therefore the Government has been • granted very wide authority to proceed by Order-in-Council. It has exercised these powers freely, and has used them in some very drastic ways. At one time, a very useful condition was often attached to tlie authority to issue regulations. It was stipulated that, within a given time after their appearance, or after the beginning of a session, they should be referred to the House of Representatives. Thus there was an automatic chceck upon the actions of the Executive. It might not be practicable to require that for all regulations made under the present emergency powers, but it would be a very good thing if the House were given the opportunity, at regular intervals, to bring up for discussion any Order-iu-Council the Government had issued under its wartime authority—“ New Zealand Herald.”

New Zealand Butter. While it is true that Increased, exports of cheese must be the chief aim of the dairy industry during the war, it is still essential that exports of butter be maintained at a high standard of quality and in as large a quantity as possible. Concern has been expressed on more than one occasion iu Taranaki lest the. enormous fillip given by war conditions to the consumption of margarine in Great Britain should interfere very seriously with the market for New Zealand butter when the war is over. This view is not held by merchants and others who are engaged in the distribution of dairy produce in the United Kingdom. They point out that owing to war conditions if it had not been for supplies of margarine many people would have gone short of the fat supply necessary for the maintenance of health, and it is admitted also that in appearance and palatability margarine has reached a high standard. —“Taranaki Daily News.”

Petrol Rationing. Mr. Nash has been at pains to defend petrol restriction. But the restriction, as such, has been loyally accepted by the people of New Zealand and by the motor trade in the knowledge that consumption of petrol had lo be cut down—to conserve New Zeu-l.-md’s defence needs and to reduce the drain on dollar exchange. That mueli has been freely conceded and is not now contested. But the crux of the present dispute is the degree and not the fact of restriction in New Zealand, and it is dealing with this allimportant aspect that Mr. Nash's reply is unsatisfactory. He does not show why New Zealand motorists in most categories should today actually have less petrol for use Ilian English motorists. Nor does he explain why Australia, a Dominion as equally loyal tis New Zealand, should be inaugurating for the first time next month a ration policy that will grant Australian motorists more than twice as niucli petrol as New Zealanders are permit ted to consume.—"Taranaki Herald.”

The Government nas not squarely the need to insist that the Minister for Finance spoke the truth when, presenting the Budget, he said this: “Except to the extent by which production is expanded we must inevitably consume or use less luxury products if we are to provide all that is required for a maximum war effort.” In other words, a maximum war effort calls for a lower standard of living, all round. But tlie Government: has shrunk from the truth it embraced and has promoted or tolerated the illusion that money will take the place of goods. An inevitable consequence is that the Government's, tax policy is weakened and turned from its purpose, liml its loan policy rests on a series of very doubtful assumptions. The question, vf course, is not whether a hard taxing pulley is right or wrong. The real and I'er.v serious question is how Im rd a taxing policy should be framed and applied: and the Government has looked at the answer aud run away from it.—‘“rhe Press.” Christchurch.

Good Prospects for Cheese. Only a continuation of reasonable climatic conditions seems to be necessary to ensure that the dairy industry’s objective in producing 15.000 tons more cheese than last year is achieved. In fact, it is probable that the increase will be greater than that aimed at. The New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company alone hopes lo increase its output of cheese by somethin;; like 1000 tons, and similar conditions prevail in other great chee.se-prmlm.-ing iiislriels. This demonstrates how resilient the dairy industry is and how efficient is the free co-operative principle. Admittedly, the spring season has so far been extraordinarily favourable to production. Even without the special organization there would have been an increase in production, but so thoroughly has the industry set about, its task that an outstanding success seems to be assured. Without these most favourable conditions the cheese output would have been expanded because of the planning by the Industry, but the objective would have been achieved at greater sacrifice of butter production.—"Waikato Times.”