VOICE OF THE PRESS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20105, 11 May 1935, Page 9

VOICE OF THE PRESS

NEW ZEALAND OPINIONS The University's Responsibility Besides administering our university system as at present constituted the senate should be in a position to give the legislature an authoritative lead in the matter of reform. There are two unusual royal commission reports to that purpose which are as cogent to-day as they were in 1925 when they were presented to Parliament and forthwith shelved. They are Mr Frank Tate’s report on our post-primary education and the joint report by Sir Harry Reichel and Mr Tate on our university system. These could well be rescued from the dust and reread by legislators. But, whether in an advisory capacity or in discharging its more immediate duties, the senate, under its new chancellor, will, as in the past, be duly alive to its responsibilities. —“Southland Daily News.” The Surplus and Questions A surplus of a million and ahalf in the national accounts is disclosed, which is to be used automatically to wipe off the greater part of the accumulated Budget deficits of recent years. „ It is, of course, impressive evidence of the Dominion’s financial strength that it has been able to come through four or five years of slump with only £1,000,000 of deficits now outstanding. Such a result should be a good advertisement for the country, but it must be remembered that certain items of importance are left out of this picture. For instance, what is the position of the Soldiers’ Settlement account, into which the Government has dipped so deeply to support recent Budgets? And what will be the outcome of the high exchange policy?— “Auckland Star.” Housing in N.Z. Any scheme that is directed to the end of meeting the need which exists for the provision of sanitary homes should be wisely planned and carefully matured. And a step that should in the first place be taken in the planning of this provision is to ascertain the extent of the housing that is required. There has been a good deal of loose talk upon the subject, but no one has so far afforded any information that might be described as authoritative concerning the magnitude of the evil which has to be attacked. When data on this point have been assembled the public will be enabled to realise the dimensions of the scheme which it may be invited to undertake. For any scheme that is to replace insanitary dwellings by dwellings that will be fit for habitation and be rendered available at modest rentals will have to be carried out by a public authority —either by the State or by a local body. —“Otago Daily Times.” Meat Problems The attitude of the British Minister of Agriculture seems to be that because people will not eat beef when it is cheap he will reduce supplies of all meats by levies or quotas in order to compel them to eat beef when it i 3 dear. The obvious remedy is for farmers to turn over from beef cattle to sheep and pigs which are in more demand. Farming conditions may render this impossible, but many are turning from fattening to milking owing to the high prices paid for milk. New Zealand sends little beef to Britain, but many sheep and lambs and she would suffer much more severely ,nan Australia if a levy were placed on her meat. Hitherto Britain has refused to differentiate between the Dominions, but the time has come when she must realise that treatment which might be fair to Australia or South Africa, would be most unfair to this Dominion. Our representatives will have a strong case and will meet men favourably disposed to us, so we hope for good results from their advocacy of our claims.—“Taranaki Herald.” Economic Nationalism So long as the present phase of acute economic nationalism persists, neither Britain nor the Dominions can look with confidence for trade expansion in foreign countries. On the trade returns the conclusion in favour of promoting inter-Empire trade is inescapable. That is one service which the New Zealand reply to Britain’s White Paper on meat policy should perform. In a world economically at war. New Zealand redirected attention to the possibilities of commerce within the zone of peace and co-operation which the Empire should represent, and to the results already achieved by applications of the reciprocal principle unanimously affirmed at Ottawa. The predominance given to British agricultural policy by Mr Walter Elliot has inclined the British Government to regard some of its commitments at Ottawa as embarrassments, and even to seek to vary them under pressure. It is to be hoped that the lesson of last year's trade figures may contribute to an amendment of that attitude.— “N.Z. Herald.”