WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 August 1920, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THIS RIMUTAKA DEVIATION

A BIG DEPUTATION.

(Our Special Correspondent).

WELLINGTON, Aug. 20,

The deputation representative of Wellington and the Wairarapa district which waited upon the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Works yesterday to urge an early commencement with the deviation of the railway line now runhing over one of the most difficult parts of the RihiUtalfa Range, received just the reply it must have expected. Mr Massey, speaking for himself and bis colleague, was entirely sympathetic and satisfactorily definite in his assurance that the work should be put in band at the earliest possible moment. But there was a shortage of engineers, a shortage of labour and a shortage of material and he could not say how long these difficulties would stop the way. The work, .however, had to be done and it would be the business of the Government to do it as speedily ns circumstances would permit. DEFENCE POLICY.

The new Defence policy fop which the critics of the Government have been calling for sonic months past was pro--duced, in part, in the House of Representatives yesterday. The! instalment of information was contained in a statement made by Sir Heaton Rhodes, the new Minister of Defence, who was careful to explain that the full policy he would produce later on was.largely the work of his colleague the Hon J. G. Ccates, who had held the portfolio for some months during the . process of Cabinet reconstruction. It seems from what was disclosed by the Minister, that the efforts of the Department are to be concentrated upon the Cadet force and upon the training of officers and non-commissioned officers. Parliament talked at large about the subject yesterday afternoon, hut appeared to be in general agreement with the Minister’s suggestions. GAMING BILL.

The refusal of the House to accept the amendments made in the Gaming Bill by the Legislative Council was to have been discussed in the nominated Chamber yesterday afternoon, but since the adjournment of the question from the previous day it had been discovered that the House had not made its position clear, and a further adjournment was taken. Apparently some clerical blunder had occurred in the communication between the two Chambers, over which the leader of the Council made merry, and ns they could not correct their mistake as less august bodies would have done the whole business was held up. The bookmakers '“and their friends, who were well represented in the gallery, are building fresh hopes on the delay, but judging from what can be gathered about the lobbies they are not likclv to be realised. ‘ THE OPPOSITION. The unexpected return of the Hon \Y. D. S. MacDonald to Wellington yesterday has set the gossips talking of an impending arrangement between the three elements of the Opposition by which

they will act in some measure of unison and become a more effective force in the House. But as a matter of fact, Mr MacDonald’s return to town rather earlier than was anticipated has no party or political significance whatever. He has returned simply because the doctors have finished with him for the time and because he is anxious to spend

any holiday he can take in his own home and not in a hospital. He does not know what may be in the mind of the Official Labour Party or of the Independent Party, but lie has had no indication from either of them of any desire for more than the maintenance of friendly personal relations.