POLITICAL NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14766, 4 October 1921, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES

GERMAN REPARATIONS MR IWAS3EY ; S £500,000. STILL NEED FOR ECONOMY. (By Telegraph.—Special to Times). WELLINGTON, Monday. The half million of German reparation money Mr Massey has in his pocket, figuratively speaking, as he says, will be a very welcome addition to the Government's slender resources. It may Pot .co very far towards satisfying the demands thai are being made upon the Treasury just now, but as an earnest of Germany's intention to discharge tier obligations to the nations she so wantonly involved in war it is entirely acceptable. If, as the Prime Minister thinks possible, a million and a half should be received annually from the same source during Ihe next .'l7 years, the Dominion's finance will be very materially assisted. Bui it is to be hoped that this windfall and the prospect of more will not lend the Government to stay its hand in effecting the economies it has foreshadowed. The half million will be absorbed in a week, and the further payments may never eventuate. The report of the departmental economy committee is expected to make its appearance very shortly after Mr Massey lakes his place in the House, and if it dues not point to savings substantially larger than the German reparations there will be general disappointment. Mr Massey said he would make a statement to the House concerning German reparations at an early date. Racing Commission.

Presumably the communication from Sir George Clifford, the president of the Racing Conference, to which Mr Vigor Brown, M.P.. the president of ttie Napier Park Racing Club, lias made such a vigorous retort, is a circular letter that lias been addressed to all the racing clubs. If this is so ,and if Mr Brown's is the only dissentient voice to Sir George's approval of the Racing Commission's report, then the prospects of the endorsement of that document bj Parliament must be very bright indeed. But Mr Brown claims to have not only the support of a number of other clubs than his own in his opposition to the report, but also the sympathy of a majority of the members of the House. The member for Napier has been lobbying very vigorously since the opening of the session, appealing to both the friends and the opponents of racing 1 , anrl it is quite likely his pleas for preservation of the old clubs and for caution in the establishment of new ones have influenced some of the members. But so far as Parliament is concerned the whole matter rests-with Mr Massey, and there is a growing feeling that the Prime Minister will be on the side of the report. Work of the Session. Mr Massey stated to-day that he does not propose to keep the House sitting all night unless in the case of th.; blocking of business or something of the sort. A good number of Government measures has already. been brought down, and others are ready. There will be no scarcity of work. The Address-in-Reply.

The debate on the Address-in-reply is proving curiously dull and uninteresting, considering the number and importance of the questions that are awaiting discussion. On Friday night it looked like fizzling out altogether after Mr David .Tones and Dr Thacker had spoken, and probably would have done so had not Mr A. D. McLcod been put up to move the adjournment- The Iriu.i is that in the absence of the Prime Minister the House lacks even the pretence of animation. While Mr Masters was delivering his startling indictment of the cement companies and the Board of Trade on Thursday afternoon half the seats in the chamber were empty, and not a score of members were really taking notice. Some life is sure to be imparted to the proceedings, however, when Mr Massey arrives. The four Oppositions, though small in numbers, are not lacking in debating ability, and it may he assumed have been withholding their fire for a more worthy occasion. The other side of the House is quiet because it serves its purpose to mark time till its leader takes his place. In the circumstances the opening of the session very well might have been delayed till this week. The Cement Charges.

Mr Masters, the member fur Stratford, remains quite confident that all the allegations he made in regard to the operations of the cement companies can be substantiated. lie claims, indeed, thai he already has substantiated them by the production of documentary evidence. He is not, however, concerning himself so much about the companies as lie is about the Board of Trade and the Government. What happened, lie maintains, could not have occurred had the Board of Trade exercised any reasonable vigilance, or, if Hie Minister of Industries hnd Commerce, who is supposed to be supervising the Board, had kept his eyes open. The Hon. E, P .Lee. un iiis part, lias expressed his readiness to appoint a tribunal Lo inquire into Mr Masters' allegations, and lo give the member every possible facility for presenting his case. It is possible Mr Massey may be able lo throw some light upon the matter, but his colleagues seem to know very little about it, and there is a general feeling here that the Board of Trade has had very much of a free hand during the last year or so.