WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1918, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

THE SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE. PROVISION FOR DEPENDENTS (Our Special Correspondent) WELLINGTON I‘Tbnmry 20.

The meeting of members of the Second* Division League • held lierc last night while resolutely demanding bettor provision for the dependents oi soldiers steadfastly refused to be drawfi into the political arena, in connection with the Wellington North bye-elec-, tion. A proposal to the effect that tlip League should endeavour/to bring about the defeat of the Government candidate at the election as a protest against the “callous indifference” of those in authority was ruled out of Qrder by the Chairman as being inconsistent with the eonstitutibn of the Leagiig a pel the sense of "the meeting was obviously against launching out on the troubled sen of party polities. But the' members were unanimous in dewouincing the administration of the Soldiers’ Financial! Assistance Boflird and in calling upon the Government to establish a hoard with similar powers tg the present centra] body in each of ■'fduV chief provincial centres of the Dominion,

CASES OF HARDSHIP

The cases of hardship, quoted b\ the chairman aiul by other members of the bong no, certainly suggested that the dependents of many of the Second Reservists would suffer very severely if no further consideration were shown them than that provided by the regulations and given by the Financial Assistance Board. Homes would have to be broken up and . the conditions of lifr\ largely,altered for the worse. But the authorities contend, with some reason that it. is impossible, to discriminate between the Reservists in one social position and those in another ,to the extent the League is demanding. The present provision for dependents impose no great -financial sacrifice upon the wife and children of a • man earning £3 or £4 a week, lint, it necessarily does upon those of a man earning £6 or £lO a week. The man’s personal socrifice being practically the same, the Minister wants to know how he is to deal with the problem.

MR. P. C. WEBB. The telegrams that have passed between the“ Secretary of the Blackball Miners’ Union aiyl carious members of the Cabinet concerning the demand for the exemntiou of Mr P. C. Webb,

the. member for Grey, show that the Ministers at least have maintained a constitutional and logical attitude .in regard to the matter. The miners’ mos. sages insist upon thein “constitutional right” and threaten to resent any interference with these rights by “immediate industrial revolt.” The Ministers! replies, though conciliatory in tone, are perfectly frank in substance. Mr Massey, and Sir James Allen point out that the question of exemption remains entirely with the Military Service Boards. Mr W. D. S. Mac-• Donald supplements the very proper observations of • bis ' colleagues with • a little reminder on his own account. “It would he well to remember,’’ bo says, “that when we demand constitutional rights we can obtain these rights only hv abiding by the constitu-., tional laws of the Dominion." The Minister of Mines is a very consistent friend of the men, and his sage advice ought not 1o be disregarded.

’ TlfiKi LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The prompt re-appointment of Major Harris to the Legislative Council has attracted special attention only through the fact that other members of the Council whose terms have expired since the formation of the Na- ' tional Cabinet have not received a simikin- distinction. Major Harris, . who is now eighty-one years of age has sat in the Council since 1897, and though he cannot be regarded as a great political force in the country everyone will be pleased to see him still occupying his old place. But his re-appointment has again directed attention to the dwindling number of councillors and to the advanced years of a great majority of them. The real work of the Council falls upon the shoulders of half a dozen members, and

all things considered they hear it extraordinarily well, but unless the chamber is to be left to die of attenuation it vrill have to be reinforced very shortly.