WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 December 1917, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

THE ESCAPED GERMANS. A I{ECrRETTA,RL,F. INCIDENT. (Our Special Correspondent) WELLINGTON December 9

The escape of German prisoners from Jlotuihi Island remains the chief topic of animated conversation and indignant criticism everywhere. What, the Prime .Minister has described as the most regrettable incident since tlu> outbreak of war seem s likely to have far-reaching results. The disclosures made at the opening of the inquiry at Auckland yesterday arc not yet subject for discussion, but they are being supplemented by the reiteration of many disquieting stories that have been current for months past. Sir James Allen no less than Mr. Massey, is regarding the incident with crave concern and .there need he no fear of any of the facts connected with the affair being withhold from the public.

THE .ANTI-GERMANS

Naturally the Germans who have been agitating during the last two or three years for the adoption of more drastic measures against Germans settled in this country, whether naturalised or not s eo in this latest development a realisation of their apprehensions. They contend that it would have been almost impossible for prisoners to get away without active assistance from outside and they even indictate the quarters from which the assistance came. Of course much of the talk of this kind is mere exaggeration and speculation'and in the circumstances not very wise or generous, hut tlie growth of anti-German feeling durthe last day or two is unmistakeable and some of it unreasonable . The Prime .Minister’s hope that “the affair will be a lesson to the people,” however, gives the countenance, of authority to a tolerably frank expression of opinion and is loosening many willing tongues. THE SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE 1 .

Though the Executive, of the Second Division league is bowing to the inevitable, and is accepting with a good grace the conditions of service imposed on married men, it has by no means relaxed its'efforts on behalf of the section of the community it represents. LAt its meeting last night it strongly protested against a number of married men, members of the First Division qualified for service, being retained in the country in positions that could heat- least equally well filled by married men or by returned soldiers. Several striking cases of this kind have lately been brought under public notice, one having to do with the staffing of a Minister’s office and there is a. disposition even outside the ranks of the League to question the policy of the Gov-' ernment and the administration of the Military Service Board in this respect. It is alleged that the simplest routine work is being magnified into essential service..

LABOUR UNREST. At last- niglit’s meeting of the Empire Service League which among other aspiratons aims at the establishment of better relations between Capital and Labour, a good deal of sound commonsense was talked by the members. A committee had gone boldly to the extremists among the working men with an admission that there were faults on the side of capital, and had come away with an admission fromfhe other side that Labour was not free from blame. Starting on this rudimentary basis of agreement the League is now seeking a conference with the workers with a view to “going into matters and defining a platform and education” and if the present good feeling between the parties is maintained this movement may go far towards hastening the arrival of the hotter understandng between Capital and Labour that is promised by the optimists and the prophets as one of the good fruits of the war