WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 March 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

LIBERAL REVIVAL. , DEMONSTRATION* IN AUCKLAND. * (Special to “ Guardian.”) WIvLLIXGTOX. March 25. The Liberal revival which was pro-' claimed from Auckland the other day lias not yet aroused a great deal of enthusiasm in Wellington. Doubti'ess in due course .Mr W. A. Veitch, the member lor Wanganui, who has been appointed leader of the revival movement. will make himself lu 4 "**d in the capital city and explain just what are the intentions. and aspirations ot the new party. Meanwhile, however, there is a disposition among the surviving Liberals stalwarts to believe that the multiplication of parties and sub- , parties means only the still further entrenchment of the .Reformers in their stronghold. Mr George Forbes, I the leader of the Nationalists, in com- j municating his good wishes to the it- j rival party, has undertaken that dm*- ! ing the approaching session of purlinment “ the matter of a united forward movement ” wifi be considered by bus • followers and himself. No one at all j intimately acquainted with the men:- j her for Tiurumii will doubt his readi- j ness to “play the game.” Hut what J the Nationalists and the Liberals re- j quire more than anything else at the j present juncture is a clear cut, corn*- j ngcous policy of not more than, half a j dozen pi'anks that would bring all pro- I gress'ivc people into lino. I lie genius 1 tinit can forge such a weapon an Unit for tlie scattered fragments of the old Liberal Party will deserve well, nob only of the politicians, but also of his ilav and generation. AN OLD-TTAIER’S VTEAV.

There are comparatively few toli’ow- . ers of Mr Ballnnce and Mr Seddon re- I maining in AVellington and taking an an* live interest in the politics of the pres- j cut time. Representatives of the “Old • Brigade,” however, are to he found here and there in the city—a quite re- j - markable proportion of them in the Civil Service-.—aim! one of these re- ! quired little persuasion to-day to open his heart in regard to one aspet t ni ; the new Liberal revival 1 . He had the * warmest appreciation for the services rendered to the Dominion by Sir Joseph i Ward, particularly during the war, when he, according to this authority, renounced all party prejudices and ambitions and relieved the Reformers ot all their financial perplexities. It wav one of the finest examples of sell abnegation the public fife of the coi" •• 1 try ever had produced. But Sir Joseph j was not to he compared with Mr Bn I- I lance as an exponent of Liberal prill- J ciples, nor with Air Soddon as a Lib-j era I leader. Air \ citclrs association j of the names of these three great men i betrayed either a Jack of knowledge or! a lack of discernment. Air Ballanee*; and Air Seddon stood apart and alone. ■ Now to have Mr Veitch Vending ono party professing Liberalism and Air Eorbes leading another professing the same creed, with Reform and Labour I laughing up their sleeves, was a spectacle which brought no inspiration •to i the “old-timer.” i THE PROS AND CONS. The supporters and opponents of , “ Absolute Control ” both are going to, hold “ conferences ” here early next j week with a view to impressing the . members of the Dairy Board with the ( righteousness of their own particular j cause. The proceedings on both sides j have been assiduously rehearsed and j resolutions by the coVumn have been j prepared for hurling at the hoard. ( The supporters of absolute control have the bigger lighting fund and the better j organisation ; hut its opponents have t'e inspiration of a partial success and j an increasing volume of public opinion on their side. It is perfectly safe t) predict that the decision reached by the hoard at its recent special meeting will not he disturbed at the approach- j ing meeting, and it is quite on the j cards that steps will he taken to on-: sure the continued goodwill of the ' Loudon distributors. It is too early yet to speculate as to what Parliament will do in the matter when it meets, hut there are indications that the existing legislation will he over-hauled and that the power of instituting absolute control' will he transferred from the hoard to the Governor-in-Couneil; with whom, originally, it was intended to rest. If the Government would dare to take this step : probably most of the existing trouble j would cease. AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. Speculation regarding the proposed agricultural college at Pai'merston , North again Is in the air. A majority* of the membei.s of the "Palmerston j City Council object, it seems, to hand-: ing over the promised £IO,OOO towards] the purchase of a portion of the land j required for the erection of the nceos-; sure buildings without an assurance from the Government that the college will fulfil' all the conditions of the original scheme. This, of course, is a comparatively small matter iu itself, since it cannot be s'upposed the Gov- j eminent settled upon the Palmerston North site on account of the subsidy offered by the local borough. Rut it may he taken to indicate that the good people of Pai'merston are less concerned for the promotion of agricultural education than they are for the glorification of their own town. The real reason for going slowly in the erection of the college, however, is that the Government has not a gret deal ot loose money lying in the Treasury just now availabi'e for the erection pf costly buildings. It can make provision for all the Dressing needs of agricultural education in the institutions already at its disposal at about one-tentli the expenditure the completion of the college forthwith would involve, and it wii’l not he surprising if meanwhile it allows I the £IO,OOO offered by the Palmerston borough to remain in suspense. |

“HAPPINESS LIES, FIRST OF ALL, •IN HEALTH.”—CL W. Curtis. A cough or cold makes happiness impossible and may quite easily undermine your constitution. The one standing health rifle for all homes should lie “ Keep ' Baxter's ' handy.” Baxter’s Lung Preserver roots out the most stubborn cough or cold and acts as a tonic by enriching and renewing the blood-cells. Penetrating, wanning. soothing, and pleasant to take. Re sure you get “ Baxter's.” All chemists and stores ; 2s. (3d. for gener-ous-sized bottle, Qr, better still, get the family size at Is. (3d.