WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

THE COAT, DISPUTE

.MIXL'.E-S HKPLY TO OWNERS. (Our Special Correspondent) WE LT4.NGTO2?, August 2. The reply of the Miners’ Federation to the recent statement of the Mine Owners’ Association breaks little fresh ground. It reiterates the assertion that the increase in the cost of living lias far exceeded the advance in wages and dhallenges the Association’ contention that the minors might- largely increase- their earnings by a'closest application to work. On the latter point statements made by the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald, the Minister of Alines and the Hon A. Al."Afyers, the Minister of Alinnitions and Supplies are quoted for the purpose of refuting the assumption of the owners. Air MacDonald had shown there lias boon a substantial increase in the output of coal per man since the commencement of the war, and Air Alyers bad practically confirmed the figure of bis colleague. So far, in this particular, the men appear have the weight of evidence on their side.

THE COST OF 'LIVING. ■ But the Aimers’ Federation seeks to concentrate attention upon the relation between the increase in the cost <’[ living and the advance in wages. If is demanding a further 2() per cent advance in. wages, which flic Association says is not justifiable, because the present pay “is not commensurate with the. increased cost of the up-keep ol their labour power.” The only official figures that throw' any light upon the point of those prepared by the Government Statistician and published in the Abstract- of Statistics. These show that in the three food groups prices in Greymoutli. which may he taken as tvpicnl of prices in other mining districts, advanced 9.43 per cent, during the first year of the war, rose to 11.57 per cent in the second year, to 18. AS) per cent in the third and Li 'Ad.-15 in the fourth-. Here again the facts so far as they go, seem to he on the side of the men and to make out a gpod case for enquiry.

SHIPPING PROFITS. A letter from Afr James Findlay ; the Chairman of the New Zealand Overseas Ship-owners' Committee, read at the Farmers’ Onion Conference yesterday did not satisfy the members of Lliat body who had been complaining of “exorbitant freights and charges” that the farmers were getting a “square deal ’ from the authorities. Afr Findlay had nothing to say on the subject that was very new. Tie stated, quite truly of course, that the Imperial Government had requisitioned all the steamers trading to New Zealand and Australia, paying the owners what it thought lit for their use, and had assumed absolute control of rates, of freights and sailings. But this did not appease the dissatisfied farmers. 'They wanted to know how the shipping companies conic to be making profits of 25 per cent and more under the arrangement with the Imperial authorities and why there had been an increase of 20 percent in freights. And there was no one to an.-wer them. ESCAPE FROM SOMES ISLAND. Disagreeable rumours are in circulation concerning the escape of German prisoners from pomes Island, and il one half of them should prove to he well-founded someone will have to he sharply called to account. Tiie general impression among the public is that the prisoners on the island have been allowed a great deal too in noli liberty, and though an error in this direction might not be expected to drive any of them to the desperate enterprise undertaking the other night, that many of thou are un;.i,ie to appreciate the spirit of the “British way. - ’ They take kindness and consideration as signs oT weakness, and imagine they arc not forced to lab our during day and night, and locked in barred ceils at nigld because the authorities fear reprisals. Probably a little severer discipline on the Island would produce a better atmosphere about the place,

DEFENCE EX HEXOTTCHE. 1 'J’flK COM-MISSION 'S REPORT. WELLIXGTOX, -August o. Tlio report of the Defence Expenditure Commission appeared in the morning papers mi Saturday without any explanation of the long delay in its publication. 11 must he just upon three months since the document was sent to the Governor, and in the ordinary course it would have reached his Excellency s advisers only a few hours later. It has hoeii surmised that during the interval Ministers have been in communication with Sir Ttohert Anderson, the Chairman of the Commission, who returned to Australia immediately after Ihe presentation of the report, with a view i<> elucidating one or two points that appeared to be obscure, hut there is authority for saying that in no material particular has the document been amended since it received the Commissioners’ signatures. Probably the real explanation of the delay has been the anxiety of the Minister of Defence, to inform himself fully upon the various matters mentioned in the report before preparing the memorandum by which it is now accompanied.

THE ESSENTIALS. The Commission reports that “in all essentials the Administration has succeeded,’’ hut it has to be noted that administration spelt- with a capital “A” means the Government and not the management of its military affairs. The Government, thanks largely to the zeal and courage of the Minister of Defence, has “delivered the goods,’’ as the colloquial phrase goes. It has spent; forty millions ou the war without the. least trace of fraud or speculation or patronage; it has sent 100,000 men to the other end of the world fully equipped; its supplies have been purchased well; its transport arrangements have been admirable, and its provision for the sick and wounded has been exceptionally good. This is commendation of which Sir .Tames Allen well may lie proud and in which his colleague.; the Hon A. M. Myers, as Minister of Muniions and Supplies, must share. It is a great feather in the cap of New Zealand to have escaped the sordid scandals that have overtaken almost every other conn trv engaged in the war. THE WEAK SPOTS. Tho weak spots in the Defence Department. to which tho commissioners

specially direct attention are just as thoso critical observers' have been suspecting since the beginning of the war. Sir Robert Anderson and liis colleagues do not mince matters in saying that the administrative side of the Department in faulty. The author of the report who no one acquainted with the personnel of the Commission will have any difficulty in identifying as the Chairman himself refers in scathing terms to military airs and frills and pay and particularly to military allowances. He discovered that, officers on camp staffs, while, reeeiviitg £52,500 in fairly generous pay, supplemented this amount by £21,300, just upon GO per cent by way of allowances, with a number of perquisites in addition. A 'dental “Major” was receiving £720 a year, while a fighting major with distinguished services in the field to his credit was receiving £386 a year. lhe. invention for expenses for still further “allowances” lias been redeuced to a fine and profitable art . THE MINISTER’S MEMORANDUM. The memorandum Sir James Allen lias attached to the report does not augur well for reform. The Commission found that high-sounding and utterly misleading titles were horn by officers performing very commonplace duties, and suggested that a clerk should be called a clerk, and a store-keeper a store-keeper; but to this the "Minister replies that “the designations are in accordance, with the imperial arrangements to standardise all matters naval and military” It seems if a civilian in uniform is given charge of the gmvcrv store or the blacksmith’s shop in camp, he must bear a five or six worn title with a salary to match, in order to conform to ail Imperial regulation which probably never contemplated such a case. However, a conference of district commanders and other officers is to be held to consider the Commission’s suggestions and trom its deliberations some good may come. The danger is that these military gentlemen will rend into the Commission's commendation rtf the Minister's achievements approval of the administration of his department.