WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 September 1922, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

LIBERALISM. PRINCIPLES ANT) EXPEDIENCY. SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN. “ WELLINGTON, Sept. Id The Prime Minister’s acceptance ot Sir- John Findlay’s principles of Liberalism lias been the subject of some discussion tirtd of much amused comment.in the? lobbies and in the citv. It is being remembered, mostly to his credit, that Air Massey, from his first entry into Parliament down to •the present day, has always proclaimed himself' a ‘‘true 'Lilieral” and an upholder of the high ideals so admirably expressed by Sir John in his profession of faith. This, however, • has been tbe attitude of all party leaders, whether in office or not, when they have found themselves in opposition to the progressive forces that would carry the political evolution of the country along a little faster than the tenets of “true Liberalism” prescribe. Sir .John Hall,'Sir Harry Atkinson and Sir William Russell, Mr Massey’s great predecessors in the association of Socialism and safety, in turn opposed Grey’s Liberalism, Ballanee’s Liberalsm and Scddon’s Liberalism. Everyone of them would have subscribed u> Sir John Findlay’s principles

I as frankly and as emphatically as Mr yMasscy has done. It must he said in i justice to their memory, indeed, that » IV‘ir ideals were every bit as lofty as are those expressed bv Sir John. WHAT NEXT? i!ul what is interesting the lobbies and the city just now more than the quality of Mr Massey’s Liberalism is the attitude of Mr Witty, the member for Riccarton and Mr McCallum, the member for Wairau, towards the political parties. Both of these gentlemen are professing Liberals, but they both have rejected the leadership of Mr Wilford and continued to “plough the

lonely furrow” with only the bond of mutual preferences and prejudices to hold them together. The lobbies argu and the city concurs, that, the elections being at hand, the representatives of Riccarton and Wairau must ally themselves with one paity or another or risk fating very hadlv at the polls. They both are “minority representatives,” a majority of the votes in their constituencies having been cast against them at the last general election. There will he no room for the unattached candidate this year unless lie happens to he a man of exceptional pcrsonalitv and ability, and Mr Witty and Mr McCallum in their dilemma may find in an agreement with the Prime Minister concerning the principles of Liberalism a solution of all their philosophic doubts. These, at any rate, are the lines on which local opinion is speculating. THE BOOKMAKERS-.

Though the members of the Committee that reported upon the petition promoted by the bookmakers for lire legalisation of their calling gave no indication to the House of their dilleremes of opinion, it is an open secret that they were by no means unanimous. As a matter of tact there, are a number of members ol Parliament, in the Council as well as in the House, who would like to see the bookmakers licensed, under proper regulations, as they put it, and quite a number more so apathetic about the matter that they constitute no bulwark to the monopoly of the totalisator. The greatest encouragement of all to the bookmakers and their friends, however, is the countenance given to illicit gambling by horse owners and large speculators. Wellington is simply over-run by bookmakers and their agents, and any lad well into his teens may obtain facilities for doing business with them, while the horse owner may have his running account and such other accommodation as he

may require. Mr Witty urged in the House the other day that what was wauled to cure the existing evils was a frank recognition of the facts and the licensing and regulating of bookmaking. The present Parliament certainly will not adopt this remedy. WAR DISABILITIES. The House spent considerable time last night in discussing war disabilities from various points of view, its opportunity being provided bv the introduction of a Bill by the Minister of Internal Affairs intended to tree persons

who are British subjects by birth or by naturalisation from all the disabilities imposed by war legislation or war regulations. Mr Sidey. the acting leader of the Opposition, thought the legislation had been too long delayed and the Hon ,1. A. Hanan remarked upon the great change that had taken place in public opinion since it was clamouring for. the permanent exclusion of German trade and the hanging of the Kaiser. Mr McCombs pleaded for tlie conscientious objectors who had been deprived of their civil rights, while Mr Isitt, the sturdiest champion of the Quakers admitted doubts as to whether the country might not pay too high a price for the presence of worthy people who would not assist in national defence. Bill the Minister was obdurate on all points and the Bill received its second' reading on'the' voices.