WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 October 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

REFORMING THE CONSTITUTION. THE ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE. (Our Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, Oct. 4. Mr Statham with his Elective Bill and Mr Hunter with his Gaming Bill, No 2, were wise in not accepting for this evening’s sitting of the House the “fair runs” the Prime Minister has promised them for their measures. Monday sittings this session so far have not been taken very seriously and members living at a distance from Wellington have not denied themselves their usual “week-ends.” As it happens, both Mr Statham and Mr Hunter will he away from the House this evening,, hut even had they been present and accepted Mr Massey’s suggestion they would have been at the mercy of a handful of members that might have given their proposals a short, shrift and a, speedy dis-i patch. This is likely to be the fate of Mr Statham’s Bill in any case. The elective executive, though admirable in theory, does not for various reasons appeal to present day politicians and the mere fact that its adoption would' involve a- far reaching reform of the Constitution itself will provide them with a ready excuse for their opposition. ' THE GAMING BILL. Mr Hunter’s Gaming Bill is a, measure of quite a different character and probably will be treated in.quite a different way. It proposes to increase the number of totalisator < permits by thirty-six, twenty to be awarded to trotting clubs, ten to racing clubs and eight to hunt clubs, and so many members of the House have had its virtues expounded ~to them by their constituents it is more likely than not it will make its way on to the Statute Book. Even Mr Luke, the Mayor of Wellington and member for the northern division of the city, who habitually looks askance I at all the frivolities of life, has given I something more than a half-hearted j promise of support to the measure. The ; serious opposition will come from Mr Tsitt, Air MeCoombs and half a dozen j other avowed “anti-racing” members, , who may manage at this stage of the, session to kill the Bill by the sheer obstruction a determined minority can always maintain. ! BUTTER. The local retail price to be fixed for the new season’s butter is »i question with more interest for the great mass of he community just now than has either the Elective Exec utive Bill or the Gaming Bill. In an obviously inspired statement published this morning it is indicated that no official announcement on the subject will be made for a few days yet. The Butter Committee still lias to report to the Government and when it does this, the Government will have to determine whether or not any any concession shall be obtained foi the consumers by a subsidy to the producers from the Consolidated Fund. The constitution of the committee and the evidence of the dairymen have left little doubt in the minds of observant people that the farmers will get the price they aer demanding, but there is a feeling abread hat the intervention of the Government ■'.nil keep tho retail price below the 2s 9d or 2s lOd a pound that lias been predicted. THE WATERSIDE DISPUTE. The correspondence passing between the Waterside Employment Association and the Waterside Workers’ Union does not encourage the hope that the differences between the parties are approaching a satisfactory settlement. How far one side or the other is bluffing it is impossible to say, but at the moment they both appear as adamant. The public , has remained strangely complacent about the whole matter, apparently hug ging to itself the belief that an agreement was at hand; but to-d:<v the municipal services are clearly imperilled and when 'the trams are stopped and the electric light and gas cut off people will be compelled to sit up and. take no-> tice. If no settlement should be reached within the next few days these things certainly will happen and then there will bo trouble. Meanwhile there are large groups of unemployed about the wharves and idle shipping is accumulating.