WELLINGTON NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 12 November 1923, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES

POLITICAL KITES. RK-ARRAXGEMKXT OE PARTIES. [Special To The Guardian.] WELLINGTON., Nov. 8. Stories of ini|>ending changes in the constitution id' political parties continue to he circulated, ’[he latest is to the effect that a section of the Reform Party is preparing an ultimatum for presentation to Mr Massey on his return from the Imperial Conference in which it will he demanded that certain interests at present unrepresented in the Cabinet shall be recognised and that the rank and file of the party shall lie admitted more fully to the confidence of the Government. This rumour seems to have had its origin in a statement publi.licil by the "Auckland Star’’ the other day in which it was implied that a movement similar to the one which took place in 1919 and which ultimately led to the reconstruct ion ol the Cabinet is on (not. "Something of the same kind is iuiw happening.” the ‘S'lar” declares, "and as leader of the movement the name of the Hon .1. (I. Coates is mentioned.” Mr Coates to-day is oil the West Coast of the South Island, and in reply to a wire sent to him from here he disclaimed all knowledge of any such movement as the one that had been indicated, lie certainly was not going to associate himself with any new party during the absence of his chief.

MINISTER AND MANAGER. Mr Coates is being accompanied by Mr R. W. Mi \ illy, the general manager of railways, during his tour through the South Island and between them they appear to have put down the oflieial foot (irmly mi various schemes for additional public works expenditure. A Christchurch deputation hinted at the revival of the agitation for the electrification of the Lyttelton tunnel and a rearrangement of the Christchurch yards. The Minister declared that the electrification was out of the question and Mr MoVilly thought the yards well might wait their turn. In 1907, the Manager said, 1.175, l td passengers were carried over the line, making lIViO a day. The daily number of trains was ;i(i, and the average number of passengers on each was 11:1. In the present year the total wa.s 1 .s:(;i,o7o passengers, or ottlO a day. There were ol trains, and the average for each train was 9S. The train service hud increased II per cent and the number of messengers on each train laid decreased 1.21 per cent in 1(1 years. During Ifi rears tile goods traffic had increased only 1117 tons a day. The

deputation was not exactly sorry that it. bad spoken, but it realised thill it had nothing to expect from the Department in the near future. EX 111 BITKIN A PRO I NT.M.EXTS. Mr A. K. Roberts, whose appointment as New Zealand’s Chief Commissioner at the Empire Exhibition continues to elicit warm expressions of approval, is a. past, president of the Wellington Rotary Club, and at the weekly luncheon of ihe Club lie was at pains to explain that lie had not sought the distinction which had been conferred upon him. He had been approached by the Minister to allow his name to he submitted to tho committee that had been set up to make recommendations on the matter and ho had consented, feeding it was an occa- . sioii on which anyone who could help should he prepared to make sacrifices It tuuild not he for lack of effort on hipan if tile representation ol New Zealand at the Exhibition did not come up to the expectations of tho members of tile ( loh. and la* bolted while in Loudon to lie able to advance in some wav the great Imperial interests for which they stood. Tile other appointments in connection with the representation of New Zealand at the Exhibition have not vet been aniiouneed, tail it is known that tile committee lias m-hI on ii,. recommendations to the Minister, and there should he little furl hoi delay in making the final selections. LICENSING AND ELECTORAL REFORM. Among the most difficult tasks to which Mr Massey i-, committed for next session ot I’arlianumL are teen-jin: and eh-ctoi'el reform. The two are as sociaied to the extent of the liieiisiiig poll and the parliamentary poll being held at: the same lime and the p cbm-

iuary f:titiiiii ijLjnimr being i-in In• -1 <.•;! in the smile Helds. Of course ii' tl.e Eiime .Minister's threat to appeal In tin; <onstitueneies next year to relieve Lira Irom file anomalous position of holding office 1 1 y the grace o| two disgruntled Liberals should he j>i 1 ( into execution there would he no licensing poll till the next succeeding election ; hut the per, era I opinion here is that this will not happen. If there should he ;t premature election, however, the need for electoral reform would he all the more pressing. Whether or not the prosped uonld help -Mr Massey in getting his proposals through Parliament is altogether another question. ,\ leisurely insporiini of the [inures has shown that the Heformers themselves benelitec. most at the last general election from the vote-splitting the Prime .Minister is seek nip; to avoid, and it remains to he seen if his followers will he chivalrous enough to forego the advantage they have hoen enjoying through the divisions among their opponents. The quidnuncs here are predicting that both a Licensing Hill and an Electoral Hill will he introduced next session hut that neither of them will get as far as the Statute Hook. I.ahour. it is said, will he ready to block either of them.