WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1923, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

IN CASE OF WAR

DKFKXC’K.LKSS NEW ZEALAND. SPECIAL TO OUAIIDJAN. WELLINGTON, Eel.. •">. Two or three years bcloro tile outbreak of the Grout War, when the cloud on the international horizon Seem. lf! soiirt.-oly larger than a man’s hand, ’tie lion 11. K. AYigram urged from hi-- place in the Legislative Council the importance of New Zealand being equipped with an adequate air force, in readiness lor tile catastrophe that was hound to overtake the nations sooner or later. Fie suggested that when the clash came aeroplanes might prove the deciding factor in a struggle which would determine the fate of the British Empire. Parliament and the public were interested, hut they were not groatlv impressed and though Alt AYigrtim returned to the subject on several occasions he did not succeed in inspiring the Government with any pari of his own enthusiasm, Then the war eaine and demonstrated within a few months the enormous value ol the aeroplane and the trained aviator. The Government now, however, had too tmicli on hand to give any attention to aviation and what was done her# in the way ol' training men for the air service was due to private enterprise stimulated into action by Mr Wigrnul and other patriotic citizens. STILE UNPREPARED.

Judging from a statement concerning the position now being circulated here. Mr Wigram and his associates in Ibis patriotie movement si ill are uneasy over the Government’s continued neglect of this vital question. I Living w aited for the general election to he out of the way, so that the matter might lie discussed. as lie says, without arousing any suspicion of party bias, Air Wigram wishes to enlist the assistance of the mouthers of the new Parliament in compelling Al.r .Massey and his colleagues to give serious consideration to a branch of defence which many experts regard as the most important of all. Mi Wigram lakes no credit for w hat was done in this respect during the war liy private enterprise but lie mentions the fact that bis own company at Sock bn ill trained no fewer than 170 pilots no lo the stage at which ilicv were qualified to receive the Royal Aero Club’s certificate, thus proving that the raw material is here in abundance only waiting the opportunity to convert ilscll into a verv valuable national asset. Many of these v<>OM • men v.amod de.,t i|V’t io!l during the war. and were anxious to continue their services to the Dominion and the Empire, but not the slightest encouragement was given to any of them ill this direction and no provision was made for the training of recruits. IN THE liOUlf Hl’ NEED Referring In this deplorable lack of foiesbdd Air Wigram says it might bo possible in a few months to improvise an army, providing the officers and inst rnetors were available: bid to tinprovise an air force in response to a sudden call would he out of the question. "The whole training." lie explains, “is technical, and every year mattes it more highly so. I'he Do- 1 fence Forces of the Dominion eatinol hv aev stretch of the imagination he considered complete if they do not. in--lii.le an Vie Branch, ami yet during tile four mci-- that have elapsed since the Armistice, the Government has given little evidence ot recognition ol this axiomatic truth.'’ By way of emphasising the alarming apathy ot (he New Zealand Government in respect to this I,ranch of national defence Air Wigram points out that while Australia provided (' I .3! 1.02(1 lotair services in 10*20-1021. C2S».I100 in 1021-1022. and C-117.0.37 in 1022-1023. New Zealand, with its still greater need for protection ot lids deserijit ion vided only 20.030. The Imperial Estimates for 1021-11*22 were L‘IS.III.I;i} ()f course Air Massey has on his side Ihe plea that the utmost economy in public expenditure is required at Jim present time, but this does not excuse the llagra-iit neglect ol the public safety. THE FUTURE. Members of ’Parliament and olliei people who know Mr \\ igratu and the gentlemen associated with him in Die m iintenanee of the aerodrome and School of Aviation at Soekbiirn will not suspect them of any ulterior purpose in offering their property to the Government at “attv reasonable valuation’’ and to accent pavilion! in Government Isolds. But. Mr Massey thought so lit lie of this proposit ion that a fortnight after it was made be telegraphed to Mr Wigram _ that he lout not submitted it to Cabinet “been in ■ it would, only have been a waste of time to do so.” dust what, this in,.--age was intended to imply whether the Prime Minister had plans of his own in mind or whether ho had m, intention of making provision for an air force—was not clear. But the point that will concern the nub tie is. that while everv ether part ot the Empire i- recognising the growing importance ol this moans of defence. New . Zealand is doing practically nothing to protect itself Mom the perils which are being multiplied the rapid development of aviation m every other pari ol the world. Etc.i if Air .Massey's reading does not extend hevoiid the daily newspapers he ou-lit to know that by Ids indifference he is exposing this country to a very grave tlanger.

HOUSE ('!•’ I!ERRKSF.N--TATIVES. WHERE MEM REUS SIT. WKr.T.IXRTOX Feb 7. The seats members of Parliament (><•- filin' indioato hruadlv their party pro diltetioiis. their political leanings am,. in a measure their personal aspirations. The new House of Rer>r-.s, natives which assembled for the hist time this after,mom urovides one or two significent examples of the so nilm of this generalisation, lhe <]'»’' f F,e House is architecturally divided ot the ilous. t Uoverument into four stcti n. benches offering accommodation fm tweuti'-fonr members, on the right ot the st.maker, the hack hen,lks on the 1 the chamber across the sa,n ° "hieli accommodation for seven teen members, and similar a-ront- , • ~, ,he left- hanu of me >peak,U°Tthe mimics of the Opposition. / • ' 1 he for the overflow from f d "Jt, A- a matter of abstract • U h an elected member might take r! ~ 1 ‘ h- found ‘'unhooked" ’"hen h“ v/a's making his arrangements tor the session, hut ia ble practice members ot toe Altnmtt,

are given precedence on the front Go-j veninient benches, and the leader of, tin.' Opposition and his recognised lieu-' ti mints on the front Opposition bench-j c.-. There is no record of this rule he- i ing openly flouted and probably any member who attempted such an itnpro- ! pricly would speedily regret His hardi- : hood. THE LEADERS’ SEAT'S The front seats on the Government benches in the present session arc oc- ‘ copied, counting from the Speaker's chair, by Aft’ Gut brie. >.Ur Nos worthy. • Nil* Mitsscy, Sir Willin-m i-lcri*ie>, Air Anderson, and Sir IM. I’omare. Behind those sit, in the- same order, Air Emit, Air Coates. Alt' Stewart, and Sir R. H. .Rhodes. Between Mr Coates and Mr Stewart, .Ur J. S. Dickson, the member for Parnell and Air R. E. Bollard, tl 10 member for Raglan. liuvt established themselves, a fact, which is taken in same quarters as an indication that in tli event of Air Lee, the previous .Minister of Justice l , failing to recover his seat on petition from Air Alacpliersnii, one of these gentlemen will lie promoted to ministerial rank. On the Opposition sklo of the House the Iroii'i E nelics. in the same order, are occupied by Alt’ Ngiita. Air Veitch. Air Willoi'd, Air Sidey, Air Forbes, Alt’ Masters. Air llanan and Air Buddo. Those gentlemen are referred to a.s the budding mouthers of the next LiberalLa hour .Ministry. Air Ngata, Air Milford. Mr llanan. and Air Buddo all have had ministerial experience. 'I lie Labour members fill the cross benches on this side of the El oust and Air McCombs, Air Sullivan. Air Holland and Air Eraser are in the front row. THE INDEPENDENT’S. Mr St at liain. the only real Independent in the House ,as tar as the electors are concerned, is also unique in being the only member who has nut marked off a seat. Front tois fact it is being argued that his nomination and election to the Speakership are assured. but. at tint time of writing it is rumoured that ;j temporary chairman is to he appointed and (hat a permaneit speaker will not he elected till the usual June session. This matter, however. will lie sottlcd before these lines appear in. print. Mr SA itty, who formerly occupied a seat on the front Opposition benches, has parked up his belonging-, and moved over to tho single s'at previously occupied by Mr Clutha .MacKviizie on the other side of the House. This i s taken to mean that bis party sympathies are tending in the same direction, but as a matter ol fact j there were only two vacant scats on the Opposition side, and it i.s possible Dial lor oilier reason neither of them wop, acceptable to the member lor j;,., acton Mr A (;,-l| i- dial ing with Ah I ysns' at ot" * an Dtdcpen J dent him -elf. a doubt- scat in the back ! rmv of tin Government benches next to Mr Witty. Mr Isitt retains bis old seal on the Oepo-itiou side immediately behind Mr Sidey and Mr Wilfnrd. OTHER SEAT’S. Mr Harris again occupies a -ear at the extreme end of the front rnv. m Government benches but as a companion lie has Mr Rotter in place of the , lc-s aggressiv .1 Minister ot ( nslom-. Some of Mr Massey’s be-’. on-porl *- immediately behind the At im-lcri a I group. Mr Young. Mr Heckle., and Ur j Hudson being am.nt ■: the mo-t capable j of the Reform debaters. Strong men occupy t lie corresponi!iitg P ll -- 1 *' l * 1 11 1 the ot her sill t ot It' ■ 111 PC. Mi smith Mr Roland. Mr Thompson. Mr -dam pliersoti and Mr Atiimre ■ hands, and Mr Do La ’ !•:. ■'* >’ Murdoch. -Mr MeKav. and -Mr -ait—m , nmol i if, tin* now. nmkinii, «• ' ‘ j N » comliinalion. On-- im-hH oi tlio >‘ " j lion in tin* “i i ‘ l, ‘ * :,r ' I i- t!,su. Mr liurimti. Mr Ly>\M\r Mr Bill Imiicr. V.lm. with sev -ral -• »• ’" j Reformers no longt r membeis ”> : lion-, were crowded mil of the 1 *°- I tern incut benches on to the hack I of the Labour ls-ncbes. aic no ■ * ’ . lind sitting room among Hia’.r -wit are those e.eeit))iei! in ,h” bi-l ,

Parliament by Air T. E. Y. Scddon. and Air R. W. Smith, and the one from which .Mr Potter has moved.