WELLINGTON NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES

(Our Special Correspondent). THE HOLIDAYS. FAVOURABLE WEATHER AND BIG CROWDS. WELLINGTON, April 7.

The Easter holidays were observed by an unusually large number of business people this year for the full period of five days, from Fridayto Tuesday inclusive, and favoured by fine weather were celebrated with exceptional unanimity and heartiness. The Wellington tramways could provide only a restricted service, but tho holiday-makers found other means of getting about the city, and large numbers went further afield by rail and steamer. The race meetings at Auckland, Wairarapn, Feilding and Christchurch drew large crowds, and those who have returned from the two metropolitan fixtures report fine weather, enjoyable sport and record speculation. An enormous amount of money must have been spent during the week, and the cynics are scoffing afresh at tho complaints concerning the cost of living when people in all stations of life have so much loose cash available for pleasure and for the thrills of the totalisator. CLOSE SETTLEMENT.

The Hon D. H. Guthrie, who has been able to get away from his office for one or two days during the week to see some of tiie soldier settlements within easy reach of town, is growingly enthusiastic over the possibilities of close occupation and intense cultivation. Chatting this morning, he insisted that the salvation of the country lay in every man adapted to rural pursuits having his opportunity on the land and putting forth his best effort. It might have been the leader of the Liberal Opposition that was speaking. “It is the land,” he said, “that will enable us to bear without discomfort the great financial burdens tho war has-thrust upon us. Let us have production, more production and still more production, under the best possible conditions for the producer and for tile State, and we shall scarcely feci those burdens except to stimulate us to our best efforts.” Mr Gutiij-ie has progressive schemes for civilian settlement as well as for soldier settlement, but those must be reserved for the approval of Cabinet.

THE BY-ELECTIONS. It is not necessary to assume that the delay in issuing the writ for the Stratford by-election is due to any desire on the part of tbe Prime Minister and his colleagues to gain an advantage in the contest. It is obvious, however, after reading Mr Massey’s explanation of tbe position that if action had been taken by the responsible authorities immediately after the decision of the Election Court was known the delay would have been avoided. If the course prescribed by the law prevents a vacancy occasioned by petition being filled less promptly than a vacancy occasioned by death then the law again is a “bass” and ought -to be promptly amended by the new Parliament. As si •matter of fact Mr Masters, who is fighting against forces only the party in power can set in motion, is likely to suffer more than his opponent from the election being hung up, but it does not follow Mr Massey desires him to he placed at this disadvantage. Apparently it is the law and officialdom that arc to blame. THE LIBERAL LEADER. I

The statement made by the Hon W. D. S. MacDonald in regard to the attitude of tho Liberal Party towards the Government has received very general approval and in some quarters warm eulogy. “Nothing could be. better,” tbe. “New Zealand Times” says, “than the clear view of the political situation announced by the leader of the Liberal Party. With regard to the Reform Party Mr MacDonald refusing to accept them as truly representative ‘de jure’ acknowledges their right ‘do facto’ to govern. It is tho attitude of a man at once honest and sane.” Official Labour is not quite so well pleased by the suggestion of the “soft pedal,” but Mr MacDonald stands well with the rank and file of the workers and they trust him to fight when fighting seems necessary. The Reformers are a little sceptical about the Liberal leader’s ability to restrain his more impetuous followers, but they profess to bo pleased by his own determination to discourage the bitterness of party politics.