WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1921, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE HE LM E MINISTER. I RESCUES THE HELM. * I vOni* Special Correspondent). | WEiJdXHTOX, Oct. A. Tlu* Prime Minister is in his old place in the House again, looking wonderfully well and sounding as optimistic as ever. The city, as well as Parliament, is frankly glad to see him hack, and is saying so without any reservation. 'file politicians still have their dilierciices of opinion about Mr Massey’s policy and administration, and by and by these di Herein.«s may he engaging the attention of tin* electors, hut just now they are com cnmig the mass of the people very little. r .» < man in the street, in his hundreds and thousands, sees in tin* returned Minister the one strong personality in the public life of the Dominion at tin.* present time and is looking towards him for the inspiration and the impe.us t . country so sadly needs. A fortnight o' Parliament without its constitutional leader has revealed the unreadiness n! liis colleagues as plainly as it has the 1 impotence of tin* divided Opposition, j The friends ol Reform well may have ? some misgivings as to what would Lap- . pen to their party wore it railed upon to ii ll <t an alternative to .Mr .Massey. . COMMON SENSE AND OPTIMISM.] The Prime Minister makes a very special appeal to tin* man in tie stjrot by his robust common sense and his splendid optimism. His first words on stepping from the train which brought him to Wellington on .Monday were ol good cheer. He laughingly (hided the somewhat lugubrious .Mayor of the < itv. who appeared on tie* plattorm in his oiiicihl capacity, for suggesting there still wore people who would never agr '«• w ith him politically. If tha' were so and he did not think it was

'(* was moiv sorry for these people than he was for himself. Talking to the representatives of the ne vspap 'rs, and afterwards to liis irictids in private, In* deprecated the tendency to magnify tho financial difficulties of the Dominion. Them was need, ol course, for economy in both public and piivat • expendit lire, as had been realised the whole world over, hut in New Zealand there was not the slightest occasion for despondency. Tlu* country had no troubles \\ could not surmount by hard woi k. cheerful sacrifice and unity i purpose. Already the silver lining was lighting tip the cloud of depression and verv soon would dispel it altogether. MR MYERS’S RESIC X ATM »N. Members of Parliament of all party colours arc expressing very sincere regret at Hie retirement of the Mon A. M. Myers from the House. It has no come altogether as a surprise, as it wjts generally recognised that his acceptance of a seat on the London Hoard of a great financial institution closely associated with the a flairs o the Dominion would prevent him giving tin* dose attention to his parliamentary duties, which has been a habit of his whole political lilt*. M i Myer* never has been able to “go slow” in any public work he lias undertaken. Though he lias not been a frequent talker in the 1 ion c. !«* ha- made :• practice of inns''ring cv r\ übje-d tha* has mine up for serious con>id ,, i a lion and when In* has spoken has done so tate in-ig.h: and umlnr-lamlra:* Hi" knowledge ot public finance was unlivailed by any .Minister that ever ha--at on the Treasury IL uc'u s and hi s*. rup.ilotis legat'd for the latter ob-d values an.j traditions of the House ’ a never been relaxed for a "ingle moment. M-’ii of Ids iviv can I',* illspared I rwm Parliament at a lime when tlu* best brains and sanest patriotism arc needed in the suviee ol the coun-

( EM ENT. In the House last night the Hon K P. Lee, tlu* Miinister of Industrie, an I ('ohiliierec. tn uh* a stateneiil in regal d to Mr E. Masters''> allegations concerning the ujierations of tlu* cement companies, and was followed by a poisona! c*.\iilauation from the member lor Stratford. Mr Lee’s stat*enu*ni was supplemented by a lengthy latter from Mi E. S. Lottrell, tlu* managing director of the Holden Hay Company, which gave a direct denial to the graver of M.r Masters’s allegations ami declared the arrangement between the companies in no way prejudiced the interests of individuals or oi the community. .Mr Lee himscll insisted Hint the public had in no way suffered from w!:at had happened and that, on t!m statement; of Mr Lut troll, the companies had acted within their legal rights. Mi Masters’s, personal explanation had to (h> with a. suggest ion that

if Inul acted through personal pique mil it must have satisfied everyone in [,ho House that in this respect lie had heen entirely misrepresented. Finally Mr Massey, who had heen a sd: lit listener In what was going oil. came to the rescue with a promise ii a. V Masters would have the inquiry hn which lie hadnskcih^^^^