NOTES & COMMENTS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 April 1938, Page 2

NOTES & COMMENTS

(From our Auckland correspondent). We have practically a ‘‘Labour’’ Council in the City, and as might have been anticipated it went in for a big loan of £377,000 to relieve unemployment' and carry out certain works of which a programme was submitted. The engineer now reports a general increase in costs from 20 to 25 per cent. and the Council has either to curtail’some of the undertakings or apply for permission to raise the statutory additional 10 per cent, on the loan and seek higher Government subsidy.to meet the inflated cost. The Mayor,issued a warning in November last, shut it was disregarded, and the outlook for'the ratepayers is far from re-assuring. They are, however, apparently awaking to the seriousness of the position. It is improbable that the efforts which will be made next month to elect a “labour” mayor in Auckland will bo more successful than have been the attempts in the past. Bat the wide scope of the existing municipal franchise, is a danger to the bona, fide ratepayer who may he at any time outvoted by an. element which is financially irresponsible. This danger is of course more clearly apparent in'the larger towns anil cities where what- is known as the “floating population is more in evidence. It is a danger, however, which is far from negligable even in the. smaller communities. ;

The Easter holidays are now over, and business activities are again being renewed. The holiday traffic has been larger than usual and the weather on the whole' has been favourable for picnics and excursions. Yachtsmen had almost ideal weather for their Easter races in the Gulf. The Empress of Britain made a stately denarture, her huge white hull catching the sunset reflections as she steamed out round the North Head. Tt is estimated there, were about 20,000 cars lined up along the water front, and every point of vantage was crowded with sightseers. New Zealand has done well this year with the overseas tourists. One other vessel, the Franconia (20,000 tons) is cxoected ,and this will practically close the., list of visits from luxury liner excursion ships for the year. .

It is anticipated that a total of somewhere. over £9.000,000 will be the return to the wool growers of the Dominion for the; season now, closing. The market was somewhat erratic but lateron, it steadied up and the return for. the year will probably be not much ■•less./than for The comparison with last season, .’however, when .the return , was close on fifteen millions, . shows' that there are factors governing wealth-pro-duction in our primary industries which are quite beyond-local control.

•There is considerable anxiety at present amongst, farmers in the Auckland Province at the continuPd-spread,of eczema amongst stock. For some time it has been more or less prevalent with sheep, but some three weeks ago cattle were .also reported to me contracting the complaint. The lo=s is verv serious as the meat from animals affected is not fit for consumption and sheep have had to be sold for boiling down, and the manufacture of fertilisers. The pause is attributed to the abnormal season, heavy crops of now grass, the result of periodic rainfalls after exceptionally hot and dry summer. An officer of the Agriculture Department is now stationed at Hamilton investigating the disease which is said not to be contagious and which it is hoped therefore may shortly be held in check. The assurance of the Prime Minister, Mr, Savage, that he has. recovered from his. recent indisposition and never felt better in his life will be gratifying, I trust and believe, to all New Zealanders, whatever. their political ops mom may be. There is going .to he a political testing time within the next few months. Many believe, and rightly.'that the whole future of New Zealand .and the welfare of its people will depend oil the wisdom or otherwise of the 'decision to be given about November next. Many believe also that the ’ Socialist structure the Government, is endeavouring to build is, economically con si dm cl, on a foundation of sand, and must eventually collapse as all other such structures have done in the past from the time of Owen and Fourier. Tt is the bounden duty of those who hold such belief to show their reasons for it, and to issue warning. But this does not imply any vindictive feeling toward those holding contrary views. It is