WELLINGTON TOPIC.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1917, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPIC.

War Conditions. The Paper Famine l (Our Special Correspondent.) Wellington, May 23 The fact that two loi>g-eP 4 ab!ish6d in Chri.«'c l 'orch are suspending'publication f r the duration of <hs war will direct g*neral attention to the trouble of a section of the c immunity that has not been receiving the sympathy it dseervee. The popular delusion that running a newspaper is always an easy and' a profitable job is even more persistent than are the fxmhiar supert-titions concerning lucky and unlucky numbers end days.

But people behind the scenes know that the war has hit the newspapers far harder than it hit most other commercial enterprises and that during the past year they have beeu struggling along under gathering load of unparalleled difficult^. Now, as a last straw, the acute shortage of paper is threatening to submerge some of them ahogether, THE MINISTER CONCERNED. The Hon A. M. Myers, the Minister of Munitions and Supplies, i 8 the person who b&B to share the troubles of the immediate suffereis fromrtho paper famine and, it must be added, the troubles of many other people who are befog seriously embarrassed by the shortage of shipping. He is beieg bombarded by requests and demands to do this or that or the ether thing in order that folk may get goods into the oountry or eeud goods away. His office is converted into a huge inquiry bureau where sufferers of all degres seek rtlief from some Condition created by the war. But amidst it all the Minister remains imperturbably calm, patient and courteous. If ho cannot satisfy all the peoplb who appeal to him he et last sends them away with the impression be is doing hia beat. ~i

WHAT MAY HAPPEN. But courtesy and tact, even when supplemented by business ability can* not overcome all the difficulties that beset the paper question. The Government is now taking a census of the supplies on hand in the hope of getting a hotter insight in-o the position. This proceeding is being resented by some of she newspaper proprietors who apparently suspect the authorities of having designs upon their stocks. But there need b 1 no fear on that score. Mr Myers and b : s colleagues are net contemplating making a raid upon the supplies prudont proprietors have ia : d up for a rainy day. Their purpose is to a?«'st *he newspapers as far «s pos-riMe in -*e • he*n g the or>Bis and in continuing te se»ve the public ap is their special province and du'y at the present time. POSSIBLE ECONOMIES. It is understood that the National Efficiency Board has suggested to the Government that the suspension of some of the newspapers would release a’ number of men for the front and save amount of matti.ul. But e-mirtbe Board has hesitated to make its suggestion a recommendation, and Ministers being only human, and politicians at trial, are not likely to consider it seriously. It is expected, however, that very drastic economies will be ■ effeoied in the Government Printing Office and that tbßy will reaot upon the employment of labour. Protests have been made in Parliament and in the Presi ' times without number against the was e of paper and labour in printing unnecessary reports and .returns and the war has provided aa excellent reason for effecting permanent economies with great advantage to the tax-payer and tbe State.

The Returning Ministers. Troubles Awaiting Them. Wellington, May 25 The authoritative announcemert that Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward are now on their way home has set tbe tongues of the political gossips wagging with redoubled energy, and mauy and strange are the stories of impending events flying abont the city.

Perhaps the strangest of them all, repeated with quite an impressive array of'circumstantial detail, tells of au arrangement made between Mr Massey end Sir Joseph by which tt a former is to retain to London almost immediately as a sort of glorified High Commissioner with a sent in the War Council and ths latter is to remain in the Dominion -fcT' units the progressive forces in all the. political parties under tbr safe ucd eminently respectable, banner of Moderate Liberalism.

Of oonrse, all this'is the flimsiest invention of the gossip?, There are a hundred reasons why Mr Maseey should not wish So taka up his permanent residence ib Lmdon and at least as many why Sir Joseph should not care to take a band in mobilising the ftuioss of the confl cting political parties. PRESSING PROBLEM Bat when the party leaders reach the Dominion they will find a number of very knotty problems demanding their serious attention. The loyalty and patriotism and military spirit of the country, in tbs beat sense, have remained unimpaired daring their absence. They have, indeed, been strengthened and proved, Bat as the people have grown accustomed to war conditions they have become mote confident of themselves and less disposed to acoept the National Government as the embodiment of all the administrative wisdom and virtue existing in the community. All this is sure to be reflected in the attitude of members when Parliament meets next month. They will want to know a great deal more about the administration of the Defence Department, for instance, than the Minister in charge has told them daring the recess and they will not be pat off by the diplomatic phrases which served the purpose of the Government well enough last session. , THE HOME PRECEDENT. In insisting upon their rights and privileges in t his respect members will bb encouraged and justified by what bas happened at Home. Mr Lloyd George and his colleagues have not pleaded reasons of polioy for withholding information to which the Mother of Parliaments and the people it represents are fairly entitled. They have not resented reasonable criticism and they have cot suppressed constitutional protests. There can be no sane objection to the exercise of the same measure of tolerance in New Zealand, where the Germans cannot bo encouraged by a

conscientious effort to make the assistance the Dominion is giving to the Allies more effective and the local conditions more satisfactory. That, at ■ any rate, is the view of many members of the Hoqsß of Representatives who ; remained silent last session and who are determined to have their Say this

year. the labour position. The good news from the West Coast of the South Island concerning the better temper of the miners there will not be without its effect upon Parliament. The wild utterances of the extreme section of the Labour Party, consisting of only two or three members who made up in noise what the> lacked in discretion, really were of th g«ea e<t assistance to the Government laet ee-sion in saving its legislation and administration from pointed criticism, Members on both sides of the House, if sides still remain, refrained from making more than tbe mildest protests against measures of which they di;approvßd, simply beoauae they feared being identified with tactics that would discredit them with their constituents and the country. Their atti ude may not have been very heroic, but in the circumstances it was very natural. The improved bearing of the men who are said to give the extremists their inspiration ought to ohaoga all gain muoh active support in the House for their legitimate aspirations.