WELLINGTON NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 17 May 1923, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES

WELLINGTON'S WELCOME WEEK

THE EMPIRE CITY’S WORK

[Special To The Guardian.]

WELUTXGTOX, May 11

Wellington has started off happily with an alliterative title, for its .welcome week, with which it hopes to outdo till the similar efforts of the ether big towns of the Dominion. But tlie piomoters of the movement have not yet caught the spirit of the Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin carnivals and their proposals for drawing visitors to the Empire city seem just a little crude. “Though the programme of pleasure is not yet finally arranged,” they tell an expectant public, “it is possible to announce that flic events will include, raring, boxing football, golf, billiards, dances, concerts and bands.” Racing may be attractive enough, and the Wellington Racing Club will provide this in any case; but boxing and football may bo enjoyed almost anywhere at any time, and golf and billiards are nci; amusements that appeal to pleasure seeking crowds. As for dances, concerts and bands, they liapcpn along in every town and lmmlet whether there is a carnival week or not. Wellington has only six or seven weeks in which to complete its arrangements and it must offer something better than this if it is to have the holiday makers of the country (locking hitherward in their thousands to partake of its hospitality in July. THE GAMING ACT. The action of an Auckland jury in flouting the summing up of a Supreme Court judge in a recent gambling case has provoked a good deal of comment here. The politicians who assisted the Government in effecting the amendments in the Gaming Act which made betting an offence, punishable by imprisonment. are insisting tliat the majesty of the law must be maintained, while those who opposed the amendments are urging that they must be repealed in order to preserve the dignity of the Courts and the credit of the country. The Minister has give no indication so far as to v.hat lie intends to do in the matter, but it is thought probable that a further amendment of the Act will be attempted during the approaching session. Too proposal may be in Dio direction oi withdrawing the right of an accused person to bo tried by a jury, and in view of what has happened during the last year or two this drastic stop might be acceptable to I’nrliament. But the popular opinion is that proceedings were, taken against the bookmakers' customers as well as against the bookmaker himself the evil of illicit gambling would be very materially reduced. I.ICEXSLXG. There are various indications here that tlie licensing (piostion will occupy a good deal of the attention of the present Parliament, if it survives be. vend its first session. Ihe Prohibitionists have set their hearts upon obtaining the elimination ot tho “State Control” issue from the ballot paper and though beaten at the polls last December they profess to lie confident of having a majority of the electors behind them on this question. "1 ho Moderates, on the other hand, are bent upon letaining the “State Control" issue. and claim that the Government iplcdged to their view. Mr Massey does not admit as much as ihi-. but personally he is inclined to favour the middle course which would get rid ol Die proprietary interests in the “Trade” without interfering with the reasonable n>e of liquor. If the matter should be reopened during the life ol I he present Parliament probably there would be a demand for a clearer definition of State Control and possibly for the submission ot Die three issues to the electors under a system of preferential voting. It is certain that if tae second of these were conceded there would he at once an enormous increase on the support given to the middle coarse. THII’,M I’ll ANT I.A BOTH. Naturally the leaders ol the Labour Party here are greatly elated by the signal success of their lellows at the Queensland general election. “The result,” one of them said to-day, “is significant of what is going on in all educated communities, Labour is making its way in politics in all British countries, but more particularly in those where it lias had an opportunity to prove its administrative and legislative ability and to show its moderation.” Emphasis was laid on the party’s claim to moderation, so far as it meant abstinence from the excesses which had been attributed to it I>v its opponents, but the speaker admitted that the New Zealand Labour Party had not been quite so frank as the Queensland Party had been in regard to policy and intentions. By this omission it had laid itself open to the reproach of being a sectional latliei than a. national organisation and so had estranged many people in all walks of life who ought to be within its ranks. This, of course, is a plausible presentation of the Labour ideal—perhaps a little more perilous than Mr Henry Holland’s cr Mr Peter Fraser’s crude picture—and one to be accepted as strictly non-official.