OTHER PAPERS' OPINIONS.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 16425, 24 February 1925, Page 4

OTHER PAPERS' OPINIONS.

SAFEGUARDING. Mr. Baldwin has had no difficulty in resisting the first attack on “safeguarding,” and he will be unlucky if lie is less successful in the future. He has had his own way because those who differ from him must him, while those who agree with him know that it would be fatal to disturb that trust. In other words, he has been able to convince the House that the Government intends to “carry out, in the letter and in the spirit, its election pledge to safeguard industries, and not to introduce Protection.” Safeguarding is, of course, Protection pure and simple so far as any particular industry is concerned, but while the number of the protected industries remains small, it bears no resemblance to a general tariff. And the safeguards against the safeguarded are the Prime Minister’s precise pledge and formula. An industry will have no claim to consideration unless it is “efficient,” is of “substantial importance,” and can show that it is “subject to exceptional competition arising from such things as depreciated exchanges, bounties or subsidies, and lower wages in foreign countries or longer hours.”—Christchurch Press.

RACING PERMITS

Since we have not recognised the existence of any 'clamant need for an increase in the number of totalisntor permits, we are little concerned about the manner in which the Minister or Internal Affairs has exercised bis discretion in the allocation of the new permits. More interesting, indeed, than the distribution of the permits is Mr. Bollard’s explanation of the motives by which lie was actuated in making his recommendations to the Cabinet. Mr. Bollard may, for aught we know, be a profoundly wise administrator, but he hardly impresses us as a student of human nature, lor it is difficult to believe that the expectation which in his innocence he has formed that the bestowal of a racing permit on, say, the Y aipa pakauri Racing Club—where that club may hold its meetings we do not profess to know—is going to “keep men on their farms producing for the good of the country in general'’ will ever be realised. Incidentally, we gather that life in the North Island is regarded by the Minister as more dial) and more depressing than in the South, foi the palliative of new totnlisator permits is administered to the North in overwhelming measure.— Otago Daily Times.