WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 14727, 4 August 1921, Page 8

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

BOARD OF TRADE.

NOT COMMITTING HARA-KIRI

(Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 1.

There was something like rejoicing at the meeting of the Farmers' Conference on Friday when, the newlyelected president, Mr.' W. J. Poison, stated that the Board of Trade was about to commit "hara-kiri." For one reason and another, the Board is no moi'e popular with-the farmers than it is with the townspeople, the general opinion being that it has failed to realise the purposes ,for which it was appointed. On behalf of the Board, it is said by its few friends, that its good intentions have been restrained by the Government. However this may be, it has hastened to. make it known that it has no idea of, extinguishing itself. It is a statutory body, and will remain in office till Parliament decrees to the contrary. The impression that it was contemplating resignation appears to have arisen from a state ment made by its chairman, to the effect that he expected by this timo next year that sugar would be released from Government control. The chairman has explained since that the price of sugar is not theonly matter concerning himself and his colleagues. STATE SHIPPING AND SHOPS. A delegate to the Farmers' Conference . still in Wellington says his enthusiasm for a State-aided shipping line and State-aided retail shops in London for the sale of New Zealand produce is by no means damped by the report of an interview with Mr. Massey on these subjects, published in this morning's papers. On the contrary, he thinks that what the Prime Minister said to the Australian Press Association' is, distinctly encouraging to the advocates of the scheme. Mr. Massey could not be expected to talk of State Socialism in the commercial heart of the Empire, where the tenets of individualism still persist, but it. is obvious, from the summary of his words, that he has not abandoned the views he expressed before leaving the Dominion, and these were very largely in accord with the views of the farmers; "Anyway,"- reiterated-this authority,' "we must have a reduction in the cost of transit, "and if we cannot get it one way we must get it another." ■