NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1929, Page 3

NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL

THE CHIEF CITIES. ' AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON. . (From Our Own Correspondent). . - Wellington, Sept. 3tf>. Wellington, quite naturally, is plum< ing itself upon haying beaten Auck« land in building activity and .expenditure during the-first eight months of the Current year. The official figures of the two big cities of the Dominion show., that between January 1 and August 31‘ the value of buildings for which permits have been issued.has reached £l,- . 082,845 in Auckland and a sum of £1,375,223 in Wellington, 'giving t..j ' capital city-an advantage of £292,370 in .expenditure, and- presumably in value. Last. year- Wellington spent £2,024,291 .in , building as against £2,020,833 in the previous year, and the authorities of the capital city are careful to record the fact that “no city in New' Zealand, other than Wellington has exceeded the two million building ; value 'work for one year.” ' In this connection,''how- . ever, is has to be remembered that a few years ago Wellington’s!'', business buildings were less impressive than were those of Auckland, arid that much of" the.expenditure here has been upon renovation.and reconstruction.... . j ■ ' - THE TRIANGULAR PARLIAMENT. ' ■ The active opponents of the Govern- ■ inent are still hoping that a breach between the United Party and the Labour Party will occur'in 4he near future, and. so give the Reform Party at least an . opportunity ..to go to the constituencies, again ,in ...possession of the .Treasury . . ..benches'. . “Although with.. Labours assistance : the House rejected the. Reform proposition to have ..the effect of -the taxing proposal investigated- by the ? lie Accounts Committee and carried tho second reading,” says the Dominipa'this m-'.rning, “the Prime Minister may expect further contention and opposition when the Bill reaches committee stage some time this week.” . Of course,/ as a threat from the Reform Opposition this is a very probable forecast/-Mi\ Coates and his colleagues adhering.closely, to the axiom that “the duty of the Opposition is to oppose”—but its iteration and reiteration are not likely to materially, affect- the strength' of? the parties in the House. IF-ANOTHER ELECTION/ • ' / , That Sir Joseph Ward is .dependent upon-the Labour Party. for. the passage of his legislation, and, indeed,' for his retention of office ( goes without saying, but the ; only feasible alternative. to this"• position is a dissolution and r another appeal to the eletcors. Neither the Reform Party nor the Labour Party is . anxious to enter upon rthis- expedient just now, and if it should become a last resort during the present, session/ it probably would -be.more disastrous to Reform, than to either .of -:*the ?dcfier' parties. The -mere fact ■ that' eighteen . of the twenty-six Reformers .sitting in the present House’ are minority r&pre/ . sentatives —that/is, polled; .fewer ‘ than : half the votes cast in. their constituencies—illustrates the magnitude of' the . rebuff Mr. Coates and his followers suffered last November. At present/ in Wellington . at anyrate; ? there is. no tangible evidence of their/ having, regained their lost . .ground, and their obvious policy seems to be to wait for a’ definite turn of* the tide. ; . MINISTERIAL RESIDENCE.. / ' When the Imprest Supply Bill , was passing through" the House on Saturday, morning quite . a number of members protested against. the proposal to -sell the grounds surrounding the ministerial ife'si- . deuce on Tinakbri • Road, now converted into an establishment for the staff of the Transport Department. .- Appeals , against putting up to auction a spot that had been hallowed: by the presence of a succession of Prime Ministers- were / urged, but tho most .fervid? came from members who wanted the property.lutnd- ' ed over to the city of Wellington that ' it might raise ferns there or. provide A playground for children. As a fernery the place certainly. has features worth considering It is damp and? shaded from the sun for the greater part -of a winter, day; But as a playground ■>for Children it is. not an attractive, proposition, and Sir Joseph Ward, in answering the. supplicants, took this., .view... Mr. . Coates, ref used to be drawn oh. the. subject arid the'property, .probably, will , go to auction. - ’ ; , ■.