WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1921, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

CABINET RECONSTRUCTION. SIR WILLIAM HERRIES’ RETIRE. MENT. (Our Special Correspondent). M'ELLINGTON, Jan. 21. There seems to be some misapprehension in regard to the significance of Sir William Herries’ impending trip to the Old Country. Jt has been stated that Sir William is retiring from Do- i minion politics altogether with a view to taking up Ins permanent residence in England. This is not the case. Sir j William wished to be relieved of his j ministerial responsibilities some time ago, his medical adviser having been insistent upon this point, but at the urgent request of the Prime Ministei to defer His resignation till the new members of the Cabinet had found their feet, so to speak, he remained at hi x post. He will retain his seat in the Home as member for Tauranga at least till the next general election and he hopes to be back in New Zealand early in August to take up his parliamentary duties.

‘ TARIFF REVISION, it is understood that Customs is one of the protfolios Mr Massey will take up on tiie retirement of Sir Milliam Herries from the Cabinet, and the Prime Minister’s friends are promising him a merry time in carrying through trie House his long promised tariff revision. But time and conditions have vastly changed since the days when customs duties were a constant bone of contention in the New Zealand Parliament.. The little band of free-traders, , who resented high duties as a protec- ] tion lo local industries, are now com* polled to accept them as a means of raising revenue and even their hardlywon ‘Tree breakfast table” has disappeared. Mr Massey, however, is aiming at an adjustment of duties, not at an increase, and in this undertaking ho is unlikely to encounter any very .strenuous opposition. THE PRICE OL] BREAD. At the same time some uneasiness lias been occasioned among consumers here by the Hon \\ . Nosworthy’s talks at large concerning additional encouragement and assistance to farmers. The Minister of Agriculture takes a somewhat restricted view, of economics and expressed it much less tactfully than his political chief would in similar circumstances. He has been expressing in very effusive terms bis gratitude to the southern farmers for growing wheat at a price which ought to yield them a very handsome return, implying that something more will have to be done for them from the public purse in recognition of their patriotism. This lias provoked talk about •‘dear bread” which has gone some way to undo the good effects of the Prime Minister’s efforts to reconcile the conflicting interests of town and country. THE RATLM'AY FIREMEN.

The notice of the M’ellington railway firemen that they will “down tools” at midnight on Sunday unless they are paid 2s a day extra for handling the inferior coal now being used by the Railway Department, still stands good. The Chief Mechanical Engineer has been recalled to headquarters to advise the General Manager in dealing with the matter and the men have been promised a definite reply by noon on Saturdav, and many of the visitors in town for the races are making sure of getting home by cancelling their arrangements lor remaining over the weekend. The general opinion, however, is that Mr Massey again will be called in as mediator, and, recognising the justice of the men’s claim, will settle the trouble in the usual mariner.