NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 35, 5 November 1919, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

An impoitanfc stop in the direction of organised effort to advance the welfare of the great stretch of country stretching from Taranaki and B'awke/s. Bay in the north to Wellington in the south may be expected to follow from the Conference to be. held at Palmcrston North to-morrow. It is then proposed, at what it is hoped will prove a representative gathering, to give practical effect to the proposal to form what is known as the. Wellington Provincial 'Development or Expansion League. The idea is to form a league/having for its aim the advancement, prosperity, and intensive settlement of the. province of Wellington and of the Dominion generally. A similar organisation already exists in Otago and has done valuable service in watching over and forwarding the interests of the province. In the/past the provincial district of Wellington has been at some disadvantage in having no permanent or recognised organisation whose business it should be t,<> watch the course of public events and public policy as affecting the interests of the district. From,time to time spasmodic and hurried'agitations and movements have been set afoot as occasion demanded, but these usually have been of a. limited sectional ' nature, handicapped through lack of a guiding authority and rallying centre. There has been no organisation which would ensure continuity of effort . and which would enable weighty influence to be exorcised by reason of its known power to rally in support of the causes it advocated the combined strength of the local bodies, chambers of commerce, and kindred institutions throughout the province. Had such an organisation existed in the, past such disabilities as the llimutaka railway and the Paekakariki road and railway would have been so powerfully and continuously impressed on those in authority that to-day, in all probability, they would haw, ceased to exist as ground's for public grievance. It may be hoped that the Expansion L'caguo will be given birth to-morrow on There is plenty of scope for its activities.

In another. column the secretary of the Iron Trades Industrial Council of Workers, Mr. P.,E ; Warner, makes reference to a leading article which appeared in The Dominion recently on the subject of industrial unrest. In the article in question we commended the attitude of the Employers' Fodcration in holding out the olive branch to unions of workers with a view to a better understanding of one another and of the promotion of more harmonious industrial conditions throughout- the Dominion. Mr. Warner now brings under our notice the fact, that his union has acted on the lines which Avon our approval, but tho employers in the particular trade with which lie is "concerned failed to respond in a like spirit. The inference, of course, is that this particular set of employers is not acting up to the professions of the Employers' Federation. The answer is to bo found in the letter of the secretary of the Employers' Union. We do not profess to know the technical relationship of the different branches of the iron workers' trade, but it seems clear enough from the eorresnondence that the nnlv difference between the parties is as t'. the inclusion of the representatives of a particular trade (building) in the conference. Tlie main desire of Mn. Warner's union appears- to be to secure a conference on Dominion lines instead of having senar.tie agreements in each centre. Th« employers it will be noted seem willing to meet the union in this resnect provided the conference is confined , to tho iron trades directly, conoern-

fed. Such being the cusp, the way \ should be open to the parties tn icome together on the desired lines. | If so, Mi:. Waiinei: lms served uusoI'ul purpose in giving" a publicity to the matter which _ has cleared away a misunderstanding and possible source of irritation. Tiik .Reform candidate for the ! Ilutfc seat has tlie reputation of beI ing an energetic, plain-spoken, capable man, and his address to his supporters last evening clearly supports this view. Most people are rather weary of the class of politician who is constantly "playing to tiie gallery,'' and in this respect: Mil. liiSHivoimr should prove an admirable foil to the sitting member. There was no "soft pedalling" or trimming about his address to his supporters last evening, and his downright attitude on the outstanding questions of tho hour will no doubt count in his favour. _ Ma. Ktsiiwohth's campaigning will be, followed with interest by a wider circle than that embraced by the boundaries of the Hutt electorate. The country is badly in need of practical men of progressive ideas, workers as distinct from talkers, who will give first place to national n.« against sectional interests, and the new candidate for the Hutt seat gives promise of fully meeting rcquircments jn these respects. The latest report on repatriation, covering the eight months to Octo- . her 20, discloscs'a particularly satisfactory state of affairs. _ Tho best proof that soldiers are being readily absorbed in civil life as thcy_ are demobilised is afforded in the limit- ■ ed calls that are made upon unemployment sustenance allowances. During the past month '16 men throughout tho Dominion received such grants for a week or more, but at the date of the report only twelve men were actually in receipt of this form of assistance. The record is creditable alike to the Repatriation Department and to returned soldiers. Another indication that returned men are readilv securing employment is supplied in _ the fact that the total number registered in all parts of the Dominion a fortnight ago as waiting for employment was only 307, about as many as the Department customarily places in employment each week. Judging by the figures'supplied, the arrangements made for training men in new -redes are also wo v king smoothly. Taking account of the facilities afforded in recent legislation for grent.ly expediting the progress of soldier settlement, there seems to be every prospect of th.i repatriation scheme being rounded oft under conditions that, will leave little ground, for complaint.