WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1922, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

SIR JOSEPH WARD

heath and aspirations

(Special to “Guardian.”)

WEILLNGTGN, March 31

Sir Joseph Ward was at the races yesterday, still looking ittany pounds below his normal weight, but obviously much improved in health He has keen living in comparative retirement during the last few months, following his doctor’s directions to avoid worry and work, and is being rewarded by a return of all his former physical strength Lie has now a clean bill of health, as he puts it himself. In the course of an informal chat between races, he said lie had no political plans for the future. All sorts of intentions had been attributed to him, and he hoped the best of them reflected in some measure the wishes of his friends, but he was not going to plunge into the party fray merely for the gratifies-’ tion of his own personal ambitions. There was very serious and very difficult work to be done, the position of the country to-day from a financial point of view being more critical than it had been during any stage of the war. and relief was not going to be obtained by merely postponing the problems that had to be solved. PARTY OUTLOOK.

All this is a little enigmatic, and realiv throws' no useful light on the political intentions of th e old (Liberal leader, but perhaps it justifies the assumption that if Sir Joseph were defi nitely called he would re-enter the party arena. On the score of health there appears to be no obstacle ,to his doing so. Mentally, his friends aver, he is more active and alert than he ever has been before, and physically restored to his vigour of twenty years ago. The gossips already has assigned seats to him in Christchurch, Welling, ton and Auckland—without explaining by the way, why Dunedin had not prof erred its hospitality—and if he does offer his services during the forth coming election it probably will be one of the city divisions. But apparently Mr Wilford’s organisation of the new Liberal-Labour combination has proceeded on the assumption that Sir Joseph is finally out of politics, or, at any rate, out of the running for the party leadership. With two Liberal Richmonds in the field and with militant Labour taking an increased share of the votes the way would be made easy for the Reformers.

TAXATION. The nomination by the Chambers of Commerce of representative business men and accountants to confer with high officials'on the question of taxation has been followed by demands from the. farmers and the Labour organisations for representation at the Conference Air Edward Newman, the member for Hanawatu, claims to have a promise from the Prime Minister for the adequate representation of the farmers’ interests and Air Holland and the other Laobur members naturally are demanding similar representation for the workers Air Alassey has not yet made known his intentions in regard to the matter, but it is being pointed out to him that the indefinite multiplication of representatives would affect the value of the conference in an inverse ratio. The delegates, of course, will have no authority to impose taxation. It will be their mission to submit facts and suggestions for the consideration of the officials, while it be the duty of the officials anil finally the duty of the Alinister to see that the interests of every section of the community are duly considered. An unlimited extension of the idea would leave little chance of another conference of the kind being held. EDUCATION REFORM. The conference summoned by the Alinister of Education to consider the reconstruction of the Dominion’s system of education was opened yesterday under tlie presidency of Air J• Caughley, the Director of Education. The main features of the reforming scheme are that the primary school course shall carry the children to an educational standard equivalent to standard 4 or 5 and shall be completed by the time the children reaches the age of 12 -or 13 years. Then will follow a three years’ course in a junior high school where the work will correspond roughly with that done in the upper standards of the present primary schools and at the secondary schools during the first year of attendance. The policy of the Department will lie to make the secondary school course vocational in character and to consult parents as to the lines it shall follow. All this is very admirable in theory, and no doubt tlie Alinister and the Director have devoted much time and thought to the preparation of the scheme; but its reduction to practice remains a colossal undertaking and inevitably a costly one.