WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(Oiir Special Correspondent). THE AFTERMATH. MR MASSEY’S APPEAL.. ' • WELLINGTON, May 21. . The Prime Minister had in his mind’s eye a much larger audience than the one lie approached at the annual dinner of the Dental Association the other night with an appeal for care, economy and industry. Included in the aftermath of the war, he said, was an enormous growth of private extravagance induced by high prices for the Dominion’s produce arid the large expenditure of public money during the course of the war. People had lived as if these conditions would prevail for over, arid only in the rarest instances had made provision fpr the inevitable rc-actiori. Mr Massey did not wish to appear as a pessimist on as an alarmist, but he did wish to impress upon the public the need for prudence and, vigilance in iis well as in public affairs. With these safeguards, ho said, the country would pull throu'gh all right, but without them it thigh, suffer yery serious depression. IN WHICH SPHERE?

The somewhat cryptic statements Sir Joseph Ward made to a journalist before leaving for London yesterday' have stimulated speculation concerning the political future of the late Liberal leader. The allusions Sir Joseph made to Imperial polities at the gathering of his friends in Christchurch a week or two back created an impression here that he was more than half inclined to enter public life at Home ; but people who may be be supposed to enjoy his confidence declare that it is only in very special circumstances he would entertain the idea of cutting himself adrift from New'Zealand politics. The circumstances probably would not be created by the present Coalition Government, but might be brought about by a more progressive combination in which constitutional Labour would have its proper share of representation. The chances are, however, that Sir Joseph will be back in New Zealand within twelve months. ELECTORA L REFORM.

Meanwhile Sir ' Joseph’s reiterated appeal for public attention to the need for electoral reform is giving some heart to the advocates of proportional representation. Nor is it the only crumb of comfort that is coming their way after long years of apathy and opposition. The “ Evening Post,” which in times gone by was wont to scoff at any interference with the existing system of election, is now burning with the zeal of the recent convert fpr its commission to the scrap heap. The results of the December election have opened its eyes fo the fact that the existing system gives no security at all to majorities, and that the return of a Reform minority .to-da,v might be followed by the return of a much less desirable minority to-morrow. Several prominent members of the House also have revised their attitude towards the reform in the same way. It is being assumed that Mr Massey is opposed to a change, but his eulogies of the principle of proportional representation still stand. THE JOCKEYS’ DISPUTE.

Though there remains a good deal of sympathy 'among race-goers and other interested people for the Jockeys’ Association in its efforts to improve the position of its'members, the statements made by the Hon. E. Mitchelson and Sir George Clifford have gone far to remove misaprehensions which were prejudicing public opinion against the racing clubs and the Racing Conference. It was the reiterated assertion that three jockeys had been disqualified for daring to promote a “ trade union ” for the benefit of members of their profession which aroused a certain measure of popular indignation against the racing authorities, but Mr Mitchelson’s plain statement that, tho jockeys were disqualified for breaches of the rules, and not for anything they might have done in connection with labour organisation, has placed quite a differet complexion ufmn the matter. The moral for the racing authorities should he to overcome their dislike to publicity, and for the promoters of the Jockeys’ Association to seek a little less.