WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 November 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE STONEWALLERS. (Our Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, Nov. 12. Probably by this time some of the young bloods of the House of Representatives arc regretting they did not allow the Prime Minister to bring the session to a close in the first week of the month, as he had intended. They imagined the Minister was committed to Ids tentative time table, which woufd have enabled .his Excellency the Governor and such members of the House as wore so inclined, to get away to the New Zealand Cup and the Canterbury Carnival Week, and set up a succession of mild stone walls which they hoped would compel Mr Massey to abandon certain legislation they deemed undesirable. But they did not know their man. The Minister cheerfully gave up the idea of freeing himself from the worries of the session at the end of last week, insisted upon Ids proposals going through and actually introduced a fresh batch of Hills. Then the stonewallers were hoist with their own petard and have only the sense of having done well according to their own political conscience to solace them in their discomliture. THOSE FRACTIONS. There is not much obvious sympathy with the proposal of the Prime Minister to dip his hand, as Minister of Finance, still further into the already heavily taxed revenue of the racing clubs by “collaring” the totalisatoi [ fractions, but there is very general apI proval of his refusal to set aside the 1 money lie may obtain in tins fashion foi ' the benefit of disabled soldiers. It if felt, apart from any bias one way or the other in regard to racing or gambling that the care of the meji who fought ant suffered for the Empire should be r charge upon the Consolidated Fund ant not in any way associated with a source of revenue at which many good people would look askance. The only imp res ,sivt argument in favour of devoting tin “fractions” to this purpose is that il would effectively prevent the racing clubs from attempting to defeat the eiosigns of the Minister, ap they might de by paying out dividends to the exad penny. THE TOTALISATOR. COMMISSION Menmvhile much curiosity is being evinced as to the scope of the inquiry tr he conducted by tile Totalisator Commission which lias been set up undoi the Gaining Act No 2 of this session. Mr Isitt has asked several questions in tin House on the subject in the hope of ascertaining whether or not the Commission will take evidence on the economic and moral aspects of granting permits. The Minister of Internal Affairs has assured the member for Christchurch North that the Commission has very wide powers and that, practically, it may take what evidence it pleases. But this, apparently, has not fully satisfied Mr Isitt and his friends. They art not so much concerned about the distribution of permits as they are about the number to he issued and they want tr submit evidence to the Commission showing the economic evils that follow in the train of legalised gambling. Il is. of course, for the Commission to decide the point, but the general opinion is that its members will place a somewhat narrower interpretation upon their order of reference than the social reformers would. ELECTORAL REFORM. The discussion of the Legislative Amendment Bill, which was pushed through the House this week, betrayed a good deal of confusion in the minds ol many members in regard to electoral matters. The original purposes of tlu Bill were mercly-to remove one of the causes of disqualification, but its scope was enlarged by Mr Massey’s acceptance of amendments giving full political rights to Civil Servants and enlarging the margin of population allowed the electoral Commissioners from 550 to 1250. These proposals very much widened the field of debate and even Mr .Massey himself tripped badly when he attempted to explain the effeot of the “country quota” and to expose the fallacies of proportional representation. The Labour members were much hotter informed on the points at issue than were the members of either of the other groups, but in a crucial division the Government got its way by 39 votes to 23.