WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 May 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(Our Special Correspondent)

THE CABINET.

Mil Q. J. ANDERSON APPOINTED.

WELLINGTON, May 14.

As was generally anticipated, Mr G. J .Anderson has been appointed to succeed Sir Janies Allen in the Cabinet. It can scarcely bo said, yet at ally rate, that the member for Mataura will till Sir James’ place. Sir James had thirty three years of parliamentary experience, a term as of Finance and the credit of having piloted the Defence Oftico through the strenuous period of the war. It is a great record for a politician whose first twenty-five years in the House were .spent in the wilderness of Opposition, and who still remains virile enough and Courageous enough to undertake the representation of the Dominion in the heart of the Empire. THE NEW MINISTER.

Mr Anderson has been allotted the portfolio of Internal Affairs, the odds and ends and snippet department of the public service, which may be made a larger or smaller burden according to the inclination of the occupant of the office. The Hon G. W. Russell bfought the department to a high pitch of efficiency and endowed iff with a certain measure of importance. In the hands of Sir Francis Bell it lias preserved its dignity, but has somewhat modified its activities. Mr Anderson will require wider scope for his energies, and Education having gone to Mr Parr he may bg given Labour. THE HOUSING PROBLEM, The more houses campaign which has been organised under the auspices ol the New Zealand Labour Party is not arousing a great deal of public enthusiasm, but it is drawing iSointed attention to’some of the scandalous living conditions existing in the capital city. Speaking at last night’s rally Mr J. McKenzie said lie had recently visited the slums of Dublin and had thought them very dreadful, but lie had seen nothing in England, Scotland or Ireland so bad as the slums of Wellington. That tliis was no exaggeration, there were a dozen people in the room ready to testify from their own observation. According to these witnesses the city is going from bad to worsic in this respect and .so far their testimony has not been refuted.

SIR JOSEPH WARD. 'Sir Joseph Ward returned from the South yesterday and will leave here on Tuesday for London, travelling by way of America and spending a few days in New York. He refused to talk politics —for publication—when seen this morning, but he said his friends mi|ht rest assured fie was not losing . interest m New Zealand public affairs. It was not his business at the moment, however, to criticise the Administration the elections had given the Dominion, and lie wished Mr Massey and hjs colleagues nothing but well in dealing with the very knotty problems that lay before them. Ho night be away as long as a year, but everything would depend upon circumstances and ho was# hoping for a shorter absence.

CABINET-MAKING. PROMISED EARLY COMPLETION. WELLINGTON, May 12. Mr Massey stated yesterday lie hoped to be able this morning to announce tile appointment of a new Minister to the Cabinet in succession to Mr Hine, whose seat at the table is now definitely vacant. At the time of writing, however, he is unprepared to give any further information on the subject and the public still is amusing itself with speculations as to the aspirant on whom his choice has fallen. That the Prime Minister has settled* the. matter in his own mind is fairly obvious. He stated yesterday business of this kind had to lie conducted through the post and could not be concluded with the expedition that would be possible if the telegraph wires were the means of communication. This is taken to mean that the new Minister is coming from a distance and putting two and two together Mr G. J. Anderson is the popular tip this afternoon.

A KNIGHT OB' LABOUR. Mr Anderson’s appointment would he acceptable to a majority of the members on both, sides of the House. He lias been in Parliament a dozen years as a loyal, but very candid supporter of the Reform Party, and hag acquired by hard labour and intelligent observa- ' tion an exceptionally good knowledge of public affairs. An easy speaker and a ready debater, he has not talked too j often and never has been a flagrant | seeker after office. Old Liberals will remember him in the days of his political youth as a doughty Knight of Labour, for whom neither Mr Ballance nor, Mr Seddon was progressive or daring enough. Ho was calling aloud for burst ing up the big estates, the provision of . old age pensions, and the nationalisation of industries at a time when these wore strange and alarming demands. Years have modified his youthful ardour, but they have not entirely extinguished his zeal for progress. LABOUR UNREST. The suspension of the Railway strike which Mr Massey described-at the reception to the journalsts accompanying the Prince’s party as a simple matter, has not entirely disposed of the labour unrest that has beeh unsettling the country for’ many months past. Yesterday the Minister of Public Works was'confronted by a committee from the deputation of public works men that had waited upon him on the previous dav with a demand for improved conditions, higher wages, and a forty-four hour week. The Hon T. J. Coates listened very patiently to the case put forward by the committee and. while explaining its more far-reaching demands would have to he placed before Cabinet, promised that the question of accommodation, travelling time and canteens would receive his immediate attention. The troubles of the Post and Telegraph employees are not yet settled, and other workers are looking on with intense interest. LABOUR AND SPORT. Though a less disturbing matter than the unrest in the Public Service, the efforts of the New Zealand Jockeys’ Association to obtain the active sympathy of the Labour unions looks at the moment likelv to bring about embarassmg 1 1 results. The wisdom of the Auckland

unions in postponing action till alter the Royal Meeting at Riccartou on Saturday is bound to win some additional sympathy from a public already more than half inclined to take sides, with the Association. What lias not yot been made quite clear, however, is how far the Association represents the professional riders. There liavo been many withdrawals from its ranks during the last week or two and it is asserted it no longer represents a majority of the men concerned. This is a point on which the public should be informed.