Rangitikei Advocate TWO EDITIONS DAILY SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 1913. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10591, 8 March 1913, Page 4

Rangitikei Advocate TWO EDITIONS DAILY SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 1913. EDITORIAL NOTES.

GIVING evidence before the Empire Trade Commission at Wellington, Mr A. R. Mabin alleged that New ZealandUs not paying its way by several millions per year, and in reply to Sir Rider Haggard, he continued : Our exports exceed our imports by something over a million. But we have three millions a year to pay on our’national debt; probably one mil lion for interest on the debts of local public bodies, and it. is very probable also that a great part of our private indebtedness is due to foreign corporations. Our interest bill is possibly about five millions in all per year.

Sir Rider Haggard: Then you say the country is not pay ingots way by four million pounds a year. Mr Mabin: That is What the figures for last year show, and previous years wore nearly as bad. Sir Rider Haggard: Then the prosperity of this country is not so high as it is understood to be? Mr Mabin: That is recognised by the commercial community. And the Government have recognised it also by drawing in their horns considerably. Sir Rider Haggard: In fact, the position is not sound. Mr Mabin: That appears to be th e case. Mr Lorimer: You say the Dominion is nok'paying its way by several millions a year. And there is no industry being developed |that is likely to become a |large exporting industry? Mr Mabin: No. Mr Lorimer: Then if you wish to pay yoar way yor must develop the land, Mr Mabin: Yes. Mr Lorimer: If the country is to be made solvent von must increase your exports of wool and meat, and all tbe products of the land for whieh you can find an unlimited market in Great Britain. Mr Mabin: That As so. Mr Lorimer: I believe that you cannot manufaeture more goods than are sufficient for local requirements Mr Mabin: No. We cannot export manufactures. Sir Edgar Vincent: You spoke of the danger of increasing .imports without a corresponding increase in exports. The (figures we have are very remarkable. In 1911 there was an excess of imports of nearly a million, whereas in previous years there has been an excess of exports of from one and a half to three millions. Your imports went up %% millions, whereas your exports went down three millions. That is extraordinary, surely. Sir Alfred Bateman; Is not that the year of a large loan? Mr Mabin: That is every year, sir. (Laughter.) Sir Alfred Bateman (referring to the Year Book): Seven millions borrowed in one year 1 Surely that ia not usual. Sir Edgar Vincent: Oh, they got another three millions a week ago. Mr Mabin: One wonders what is to happen when we stop borrowing. We must increase onr exports. Sir Egdar Vincent: Was there anything like failure of crops to account for the drop in 1911? Mr Mabin: Not that I know of. On reference to the Year Book we find that the figures referred to in the foregoing were not correctly given. The imports, excluding specie, amounted in 1911 to £lB,783,609, and the exports, excluding specie, to £18,980,185, leaving an excess of exports over imports of £197,877. Of oours® so long as our exports do not exceed imports by a sum sufficient to pay all the interest on borrowed money the country has the balance of trade against it, but the statistics of previous years seem to indicate that this position is only temporary, and the improved prices for our produce with increased output should tend to restore proper equilibrium. We | observe that Messrs Harold Beauchamp, D. J. Nathan, J. Duthie, and others have very adversely criticised Mr Mabin’ allegations, absolutely denying that they represent the opinion of the commercial world.

THE statement by Mr Mabin that “We cannot export manufactures,’’ gives an indication as to the manner in which New Zealanders are wasting their money and energy, and a reason why -the primary producers are not more prosperous. We cannot manufacture at such low cost as others can, and indeed the others are able ,to undersell local manufacturers in our |own market. But to enable these manufacturers to make profits, high duties are levied, which force up the cost of all supplies required by the producing industries, and unduly handicap them in their struggle with competitors in the foreign markets. It is not the land question that is of real importance; it is the question of allowing such toll of the products of the land to he taken by parasitic industries.

IN his reference to control of traffic, etc. Mr pTisher said: ‘ ‘We have seen in so many cities a tendency on the part of councillors in order to obtain popularity ito increase wages and benefits to the public, and by these means to undermine the success of our municipal ventures. This policy will have to he stopped for we must run our big cities on business lines, and make them nay if they are going to grow. ” It is quite true that in some cities certain organisations led by irr®sponsible persons have an undesirable influence on tbe control of local affairs. But it is also true that in moat oases ie. is the best and moat

energetic business men who form the membership of the local bodies, and asUt is desirable to run public business on business lines these should ne more capable of exercising proper control than any expert wonld be. The expert who understands what may be called the mechanics of tramways, etc., is not necessarily a business mm—indeed as a rule he is not, and while he is competent to manage he must be controlled by business men. What Mr Fisher said could be applied with tenfold force to the State services. The Ministry which he ia

a member has tairen the laudable course of divesting itself of patronage so far as the Civil Service is concerned, but previous Ministries caused enormous waste by expending public money for the purpose of purchasing popularity. They discovered that it was possible to engineer the electorates so as to avoid retribution for misdeeds taking effect at the triennial elections and they deftly magnified minor issues to obscure the mam one, whenever the occasion required such

action to ensure party Interests. The members of local bodies, however, are elected annually, and consequently the opportunities to effect reforms in administration are more frequent.

Westport got another vigorous shake at 6.14 on Thursday night, the tremor lasting several seconds. Weddell’s cable from London today is:—“New Zealand white and coloured cheese 61s to 61sJ6d. Market firm, with upward tendency.’’ A boy named Collins, aged IS years, a son of Mr E. Collins, of Ota Greek, was killed on tbe railway yesterday near Brydone, Southland, while trying to hoard a moving train. The Sydney telegraph messengers threaten to cease work on Monday unless their • wages are raised and they are given a half-holiday weekly, the half-day now allowed for drill not being considered a satisfactory substitute. They have formed a union. The dairy farmers in Turakina Yalley are taking steps to establish a local factory. It is expected that there and the output will he from 130 to 140 tons per season. At a meeting of those interested >Mr O. R. Cooke, of Marton, gave useful information as to cost of building, plant, etc. Suspicion created by the prolonged absence of the chief clerk of the Wairoa Stores, Ltd., led to the examination of hia hooks, says an Invercargill' wire. Defalcations of several hundred pounds are alleged to have been discovered. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of the absentee, who is suppoaeed to have left the Dominion. Yesterday an open verdict waa ; returned at the inquest on Aoheaon, killed in a brawl at Leiohardt, N.S.W., on February 18th. The Coroner said he was quite satisfied gross perjury had been committed. It was a pity the people who saw the occurrence did not have the sense of duty to come forward in the interests of justice. Wilson Hunia did not appear when called at the Bulls Court yesterday to answer to a charge of striking Finnegan Epiha with a loaded whip and threatening him with an axe, but Mr Kerr, S.M., 'decided to proceed with the hearing, no adequate reason for the:non-appearance of defendant being forthcoming. Counsel for informant, Mr Collins, thereupon called H. Epiha, a Maori youth, of about 16 years, and other witnesses, who deposed that Epiha was struck by Wilson Hunia as alleged. It appeared that after the blow Epiha fell on the road, where he was found unconscious, and did not recover consciousness until some hours after. There was'evidence also“that defendant had previously assaulted Epiha. His Worship convicted the defendant and sentenced him to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour, and ordered him to find sureties of the peace. : Costs amounting to £5 0s 6d were allowed against the defendant.

Mr A. r R. Mabin has modified his statements before £tha Empire Trade Commission, and says: —“Whilst it is a fact that our exports at present are insufficient to pay for our imports together with our interest obligations, yet Ido not consider that the Dominion is in£any financial danger. The heavy imports of recent years may he largely attributed to the importations for works undertaken by the Government and local bodies and are in the natnre'.of capital expenditure, which will in" the course of a few years bring in an adequate return for the outlay. In the meantime, trade returns do not look well, but there is no reason to think that the capital expenditure represented by a considerable portion of our imports will not show a better return and tend to increase the volume of our exports. ’ ’

At Invercargill Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday Mr Cruickshank, S. M., received the Probation Officer’s report regarding Colin Gerard, who had been convicted of stealing a motor tyre. The Probation Officer did not recommend accused to probation. His counsel, Mr H. A. MacDonald, ?asked that a imposed, if probation were not allowed. The Magistrate: It seems to me to be a mean, 'nasty theft. The Probation Officer’s report £is notjgood. He is a man who has not had the best of characters in the past. To fine a man worth £IO,OOO would be of no use, as he wonld not feel it. I thnk I should send him to prison, Mr MacDonald: If you decide to take the latter step, your Worship, I will ask leave to appeal, as I have more facts in oonneoton with the case to place before you. The Magistrate: There would be no objection to an appeal, if accused thinks he has a chanee ofjjjproving himself innocent. He will, however, be convicted, and sentenced to six weeks’ imprisonment. Leave to appeal was granted, and a surety of £3OO entered into. At the Supreme Court at Invaroagill.gSir Joshua Williams heard a case of Caroline Cartwright r. O. S. Longuet and tbe trustees of the Church of Bngland, claiming revocation of probate of the will of Dora Clark, plaintiff’s mother, and asking that the will he declared void. Plaintiff claimed that her mother, who had suffex-ed from a paralytic seizure, did not have testamentary capacity when making the

will, which left her only a life interest in the estate. The defendant, who wasjthe testatrix’s solicitor and also the sole executor, gave evidence that Mrs Clark displayed undoubted testamentary capacity. She disliked her daughter’s husband, and ingorder"to avoid the "possibility of his getting the money she left her daughter only a life interest, the estate Agoing to the Church of England ultimately. Medioal evidence was given by Dr. Ewart that Mrs Clark was quite capable of properly expressing Her intentions at the time the will was made. Sir Joshua Williams gave judgment for the defendant, saying that testamentary capacity had been abundantly proved. Messrs E. Lloyd & Go. have just landed an excellent variety of ladies’ and gents’ Hydrolite coats in all the latest styles, including the “Lonsdale,” “Galmac, ” and the worldrenowned Burberry coats. The prices in ladies’ range from 15s, 255, 37s 6d up. to 84s;-and in gents’ from 35s to 105 s. The values are the best possible procurable, having been imported direct from the manufacturers. The saving of the middleman’s profit is always pronounced at i Lloyd’s, where the variety is great- j est and the prices for high grade ! goods are always lowest.* • 1

Or. Vincent will represent Oroua County Council at the meeting convened by Palmerston Chamber of Commerce to consider representation at Auckland Exhibition. A number of prominent Feilding ’ townspeople have asked Or. A. Richmond to stand for the Mayoralty, (and he is considering i the^matter. Mr G. N. Glasgow, of Turakina, has had five stacks of wheat destroyed by fire. They were _only partially covered hy|insurance.~; t . Only two tenders were received for metalling by Oroua County Council yesterday. was accepted. The more important works are to be carried out by day labour. The Sunday Services in St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, morning and. evening,“f|wlll be conducted by the Rev. A. Porter. He will also preach at Upper |Tutaenui in the afternoon. An Italian named Rosario Scibitia was found in Albert Park, Auckland, early yesterday morning, having shot himself with a revolver. He lies in the hospital in condition. Scibitia had been despondent owing to illness. Sydney reports a southerly gale on the coast and very rough seas. Shipping experienced a trying time. The Victoria wirelessed on Thursday night that she was arriving at 6. SOjjlast night, but she has evidently been delayed by adverse conditions. A Dunedin message states that J. Master’s threshing mill was destroyed by tire at D. Barron’s farm, Arrowtown, yesterday morning. The mill was being taken in to thresh a stack of barley, and a spark from the engine set the stack alight, the fire spreading to the mill. The mill was insured, but Mr MoMaster will lose about £l5O, Mr Barron, who lost the stack of barley and a small stack of’oats, “estimates his loss at about £IOO. When the letter from Palmerston Chamber of Commerce was being discussed at Oroua County Council meeting yesterday, on the matter of appointing a delegate to confer re representation at Auckland Exhibition, Or, Vincent suggested that Council should send along its road roller and road grader, and agreed with another councillor that a neighbouring county should send along its tram! The quarterly meeting of Feilding Fire Board was held yesterday. Mr B. Goodbehere presiding. It was decided to send a letter of sympathy to Mr Piran iin his bereavement by the loss of his brother. The superintendent reported the Brigade had had six calls —two buildings were saved with only slight damage, although a high wind prevailed, two houses were before the alarm was given, • and two alarms were false. It was decided to purchase a new fire bell for Manchester street. Mr J. M. Johnston’s many friends will regret to notice that he has not been reappointed to the directorate of the Bank of New Zealand. Daring his tenure of that position he won the high appreciation of the staff, and brought to bear a considerable amount of knowledge gained in his mercantile career. Mr Johnston, however, will now have more time to devote to the further development of his business undertakings, which will probably prove still more profitable.

At the inquest ou Robert James Ewington, who was shot while pig hunting near Pirinoa, Wairarapa, on Tuesday, evidence was given that-deceased, after his comrade had left for assistance, scratched his will and testament with a nail on the butt of Jais rifle and on a leather field glass case. When assistance arrived he asked that what he had written be entered on paper and sent to his brother. The coroner remarked that .this was one of the most extraordinary wills he had ever heard of.

| Mr Upton, it is understood, has I been appointed to the directorate of the Bank of New Zealand, at the request of the mercantile communI ity of Auckland, as the representa- [ tive of the northern part of the North Island. Mr Upton, who is 68 years of age, is a native of England, and since his connection with the northern city has filled many important public offices—Mayor of Auckland, Chairman of the Education Board, President of the Chamber of Commerce, Trustee of the Auckland Savings Bank, President of the South British Insurance Company and Chairman of the Gas Company, besides being a reoongised authority on financial matters. Justice Chapman at Wellington found some difficulty in dealing with a 16-year-old girl, Ivy Myrtle Strong, who recently pleaded guilty to charges of setting fire to the Presbyterian Girls’ Orphanage at Karori. The Crown Prosecutor stated the girl had a propensity for setting places on fire. He suggested that the girl be sent to Te Oranga Home, but the trouble was that the Act did not provide for the reception of girls over 16 by simple committal by a Judge. The order of the Governor was required in cases over 16 and under 19 for detention in a reformative institution. The only course was to impose a sentence and leave it to the Governor to act in the direction suggested. The;? Judge agreed and he sentenced the girl to three months’ imprisonment and recommended the Minister of Jus tice'to bring the case under the notice of the Governor, 11 is Honor added that it would bo advisable to have the Act amended. Chinese shopkeepers apparently enjoy one advantage over their Caucasian brethren of the craft, in being legally entitled to sell’cigarettes after the hour at which tobacconists close. Two Chinamen were charged at Wellington yesterday by the Labour Department inspector with having sold cigarettes after i hours. Couusel for the defence con- ! tended that subsection 8 of section 35 of the Shops and Offices Act, 1908, made it illegal for the occupier of any shop to sell tobacco or cigarettes after certain hours, but subsection 5 of the same section placed a modified interpretation on the word “occupier,” limiting it to include only British subjects. The defendants in this case were not British subjects, therefore they did not come under the Act. The Magistrate, Mr Riddell, upheld the contention and dismissed the case. The characteristics of (Jeylon Teas are robustness, flavour and .strength the liquor being very palatable, and having a fine silky texture.' Orescent Tea combines, In a happy degree, these characteristics. The blending is carried out by an expert, with the result that no characteristic is pronounced enough to weary the palate. Sold by all storekeepers at Is, Is 10d and Is 8d per lb. * i

Members of the Empire Trade' - Commission visited the Weraroa State farm to-day. Several of the Commissioners leave for Taranaki on Tuesday to inspect the dairy country and the iionsand on the coast. The Wellington sittings will probably conclude on* Tuesday. Ex-Detective Miller has been released unconditionally' from Rotoroa. He was committed as an habitual inebriate in September last for one year. Last month he was in Auckland for several weeks clamouring for the re-trial. The authorities refused this until he returned to the ' Island. This he did and he was re- , leased a few days later without further negotiation. Do you travel much? Any headaches? Slip a box of Stearns’ Headache Cure in your pocket or travelling bag. Simple, easy to take, but . effective.