Political Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 144, 8 September 1927, Page 11

Political Notes

l-arm Lectures on Radio I, u '*'' aS announced in the House toI day that the Government will take ur, I question of making arrangements j tor accredited experts in agricultural I pastoral Pursuits to broadcast i ,g ( rs U " e ''' ;es * n re^a tiou to farming matI "GIVE J IE THE or.ri ’ England is proud of her elder I statesmen, and draws heavily upon | the store of their experience and wisI dom - Take, for example, the national | s f r^ lc : e of Lord Balfour, the beau ideal |of British statesmanship. He is now I in his Slst year, and yet is not only | the Gamaliel of all the Empire’s | governments, but still is able to play an active game of tennis, and, of I *l c l urse ’ to swerve disconcertingly. After 30 years' admiration of the man, |an old Scotswoman once told the | writer that she was proud to see that ! Balfour was still to the fore. “I have alwaysl iked him,” she added. “He | has so bonnie a way of getting oot o’ | a difficulty.” A simple and bonnie j tribute to a great statesmen. It is interesting to recall that, over 15 years ago, Earl (then Air.) Balfour decided to retire from the leadership of the Unionist Party because of fear lest petrification might be • setting in. “I must go,” he said, “before I can be suspected ef suffering from that most insidious of all diseases, the disease which comes upon those who, with-1 out losing their health or their intel- j j lect, nevertheless get somewhat petrified in the old courses which they have pursued. . . ” Since then he has taken and maintained in brilliant service the foremost positions in Imperial and foreign affairs. His life and service afford a living lesson to a multitude of groping politicians throughout the Empire.

Out of Order When Mr. M. J. Savage’s Workers' Compensation Amendment Bill was called Air. F. F. Hockly, chairman of committees, ruled it out or order because it provided lor a charge upon the people. ... A Father's Lament The privileges of doing one's duty by the State apparently have their limitations. The Hon. W. Downie Stewart, Minister of Finance, while speaking in the House to-night, quoted the case of a man who possessed 19 children, and who was ever complaining that one or two of his offspring were reaching the age of 18 and emerging from the exemption limit of the income tax. ‘When the Minister quoted this case in such a matter-of-face way, Air. G. W. Forbes said, “But that is not a common occurrence,” and Mr. H. E. Holland suggested, “You would be justified in letting him go tax-free.” Air. Stewart: I agree. Air. Forbes: Better give him a bonus.

Fixing of Prices Another request for legislation to prevent wholesale distributors or manufacturers from fixing prices below which retailers may not sell household commodities, has been received by Parliament, it was signed by 244 Wellington residents and was presented by Mr. P. Fraser, Wellington Central, to-day. * * * Empire-Grown Hogs Endeavours are being made by the Government to see that produce that comes from New Zealand and is marketed : n England is correctly represented as “Empire-grown—New Zealand.” So far, however, the authorities in Great Britain have not been induced to pass the legislation necessary to have this done. The Alinister of Agriculture, the Hon. O. J. Hawken, mentioned this in the House to-day in reply to Mr. J. G. Eliott’s expressed fear that the description “imported” given to bacon made in England from New Zealand hogs would react detrimentally to our credit on the market. The Meat Board is co-operating with the Government in this respect.

Watching Unemployment. The unemployment difficulty remains acute, in spite of endeavours made to meet it, and the position has prompted Mr. D. G. Sullivan, Avon, to ask the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, what are the intentions of the Government in regard to coping with the problem should it continue, as it did last year, into the summer months. “The Government is carefully watching the position,” replied the Prime Alinister to-day, “and will take such action as may be considered expedient in the circumstances.” Price of Super-Phosphates The difference in the price of superphosphates in the North and South Islands respectively has been brought to the notice of the Minister of Agriculture, and investigations are being made by the Department of Industries and Commerce to ascertain why the price in the North is £ 1 a ton less than that charged in the South.

Forestry Dictator “The Alinister in Charge of the Forestry Department is simply a dictator,” declared Mr. J. R. Hamilton, member for Awarua, in the House todav, when complaining that the Hon. O. J. Hawken laid down his policy, and. with a. wave of the hand, said: “Take it or leave it.” Air. Hamilton's complaint in chief was in respect to Southland’s requirements, but this observation was a general one on the side, which merely brought a smile to the face of the Minister himself.