WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1918, Page 2

WELLINGTON NOTES.

THE PARTY LEADERS

THEIR MISSION HOME.

(Our Special Cc-respondent)

Weu.inc.tox, Nov °2

It is now understood that Mr Massey and Sir .Joseph Ward have lealised the futility of attempting to bring the session to a close before their departuie for London early next month, and that they will leave Sir James Allen in charge to complete the business for which members were called together. It is hoped that when the House resumes on Tuesday the Liquor Hill, which is said to have assumed somewhat ponderous dimensions, will be ready for consideration, and that the Budget and the demobisation and repatriation schemes will be produced during the same week. With these out of the way and with one or two minor controversial matters settled, it is thought the Minister of Defence would have no serious difficulty in handling the remaining business. The House is much better disposed towards Sir James than it was a year or two ago and he would not be likely to encounter any of the old factious opposition.

T.l E COST OK 1,1V1.V0. In other circumstances the failure of the Government to stay more effectually the advance in the cost of living would have been the subject of much drastic criticism. But in the absence of the Prime Minister, who is regarded by disgruntled members as tho chief offender in this respect, probably the hard things that were to have been said will be reserved for a more opportune occasion. Meanwhile the critics are discovering addition reason for protest in the fact that while the Minister of Industries and Commerce deprecated aibitrary interference with food prices during the period of the war lie now has fixed the prices of fish, fruit and vegetables to meet the needs of the influenza epidemic. Of course the cas-s are not exactly parallel, the epidemic presenting conditions which did not exist before,, but the critics are finding plenty of sympathy in making their point. •

EXORBITANT DEMANDS

The effort of the Minister of Marine to remove the grave inconvenience occasioned to the public, and particularly to tho business community, by the dislocation of the ferry service between Wellington and Lyttelton, have so far failed. Mr Wilford proposed to use the Government steamers in maintaining the service, and it was expected yesterday that one of these boats would fall into the running, but when all the arrangements were completed the available seamen demanded fay at the iatj of 20/- per day, and 2/- an hour overtime, equivalent to 80/- a day. The Minister refnsed to pay this exhorbitant rate and at the time of .writing the men have shown no disposition to modify their demands. The Government already pays its men on a higher sc ile than the private companies pay theirs, and probably would listen to any reasonable proposal for a guarantee of employment, but it positively refuses to allow the country to be exploited in this fashion.

Til i: LIIIKIiAL CAUCUS. The outcome of the Liberal Caucus to be held as early as possible next week is being awaited with much interest by all parties in the House. Sir Joseph Ward has made it, quite plain to his supporters that while he is determined to continue his 1 >ynl support to the spirit of the party truce, he is in no way committed to such an arrangement as was suggested by the resolution adopted by the Reform Caucus a week ago. He is quite prepared to join with his friends on the other side .of the House in promoting a sound and' patriotic policy, but he is not inclined to hamper the legitimate aspirations of his friends on his own side in regard to domestic affairs. He may find the contse he proposes to follow a somewhat intricate one, hut rhei-e is no reason to suppose that, the differences between the two old parlies are going to bring about an embarrassing crisis just yet.