MINISTERS IN TARANAKI.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1928, Page 6

MINISTERS IN TARANAKI.

(To the Editor.) Sir,--I must venture to reply though with some trepidation te Mr. McCul-

lough’s “diffusion” for a man who can reply on the May 24 to a letter published on the 25th is a very wonderful person, a genius aiW. as such will be referred to throughout. These dates intrigue me; reply dated May 24 to letter published May 25)? but reply not published until June 5. Did it go elsewhere in the interval for revision, addition and elision before- its publication? I wonder! On the subject matter of my previous letter there is little to answer. The Seamen’s Rest at Moturoa, the official opening of which was the alleged reason of the Ministers’ visit—the veriest camouflage, by the way—is not a Government building. For the remainder the advice I gave, if not gratefully accepted, was carefully followed. Tho other references were quite understood by those for whom they were intended. The genius gives quite a wealth of information on some matters and a dissertation on pigs. There may bo some analogy between pigs and. Cabinet Ministers. I cannot see it, but I cannot help it, pardon the plagiarism. “The time has come the farmer said To write of many things. Of pigs and Reform Ministers Of cabbages and Kings.” That Denmark saved her bacon by going in for pigs is mentioned, that Denmark pays no crushing impost on tho foodstuffs required for topping off, and that tho Danes have Agricultural Banks is carefully concealed. Then we have advances to settlers and advances io workers quoted, -but the fact that these were Liberal measures is forgotten. Then we have the Intermediate Credits, otherwise election eyewash, and which will ultimately prove about as useful as its predecessor. The Rural Credits Act is featured, but there are many things omitted. No mention is made 'of the Dairy Control measure, its close connection with a prominent plank of tho Labour Party’s platform, and the loss made by the farmers through its operation. A few other things forgotten are worth enumerating: hi 1911 bread was sixpence the 41b loaf;, today’ it is 13d. In 1900, £2,000,000 was collected through the Customs; last year it was £8,000,000. In 1914, the national debt was under £100,000,000; to-day (including tho 731 millions war debt, and disbursements) it has reached tho appalling total of £250,000,000. We are the heaviest taxed people in tho British Empire, the amount being nearly £l3 per individual per annum. Then—but I must save some ammunition for next time, in case there is a next time.

Tho genius assumes that I shall be a Parliamentary candidate. Not on your life, Dear Genius; I am particular about my company. In any ease. I have never heard of a Parliamentary candidate, successful or otherwise, who required an ambulance. I am sure the genius will not need one when the results of the coming election are made known, a strait-jacket will bo all that will be required..! am, etc., A. WINDE BAGGE. New Plymouth, June 9.’