WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 November 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

V JUDGE AND A -MAX

HIS PASSING

(Special to “ Guardian.”)

WELLINGTON, Xov. 21. None imt those who liy their long acquaintance find dose friendship lunl the snd privilege of sitting nt the bedside id Mr. .Justice Alpers—sometimes lor a lew minutes, sometimes for an hour—during the long ihiys oi his passing. can ever realise to the full the courage anil the greatness id the man. Stricken hv a ruthless malady at the very zenith of his brilliant career, denied the full fruition ol an opportunity he had won by his own sword and buckler, torn from a wile and young children that were the joy of his existence, separated from friends whom he would not have know ol his extremity, lie waited for the end, unflinchingly and uncomplainingly, with every thought and word that might lighten the burden ol those about him. His lasi labour, in which his wile was his amanuensis, was lhe preparation ol a personal memoir, which, il one who was permitted to dip into the manuscript may be allowed to express an opinion, will be hailed a.s one of the most delightful of Xew Zealand's literary productions. It will stand a fitting monument to a man who served his day and generation with his whole heart and understanding and who lett to posterity an example and an inspiration.

STILL IX Til K All?. The Licensing Hill, in its mutilated form, still is in the air, but it is predicted it will come to earth before the end of the week accompanied by an announcement Irom the Prime .Minister to the (died that he will have nothing more to do with his ill-starred “baby. There is talk in the lobbies and in the citv of the prohibitionists on the Government side oi the House joining fortes with the prohibitionists scattered about other parts of the chamber and insisting on its author proceeding with the Hill forthwith. Hut Mr Coates is not the kind of person to submit to compulsion ol this sort and it is incredible that half a dozen of his own political followers would expect him to do so. Anr is he under any personal or political obligation to carry' the Hill any further. He brought it down obviollslv in the hope ol ellecting a compromise between the two contending parties, and when the prohibitionists refused to concede the six years tenure and the forty-live per cent majority to the Moderates they had no light to expect the Prime Minister to assist them in obtaining the two-issue ballot paper. That, at any rate, is the view the man in the street takes ol the

situation. 'll lid Til I! Lb ISSFIvS. There are many observant people, some of them consistent supporters of Xo License.” who maintain that the two-issue ballot paper would be rather a hindrance than a help towards the goal of prohibition. dliey scout the idea that three-fourths of the electors who now vote State Control would turn to Xo License if the alternative issue were withdrawn. The supporters of State Control, they say, consist iindet present conditions conditions mainly ot people who have no love lor the liquor trade, but want to make sure ol obtaining their occasional " nip. and ol people who. knowing that to vote State Control is to vote Continuance, simulate a certain amount ol diffidence to save themselves from direct association with the "Trade.'’ How lar these views are justified by laets the secrecy of the ballot does not allow one to determine. but it is a significant tact that when the Licensing Hill was under discussion in the Mouse last week several ardent opponents of Xo License protested strongly against the proposal to remove the State-Control issue from the ballot paper. The Prohibitionists, however, insist that the great majority of the State Control votes would come their way in the event ol the middle' course being abolished and they are entitled to their opinion. WORK AXH TALK.

Tin-* " Dominion ” this morning proclaims that it is quite time the tactics ut the Labour-Socialist croup in the House were exposed.” and having emphasised its point, it proceeds to launch it.-, indictment. " It has lieen plain enough for a lone time past.” it says, ■'that the Opposition has set out to discredit the Government by systematieallv hampering the progress ol business. Xo other interpretation can he placed on the persistence with which they seize every opportunity to talk. The Standing Orders ol the House are taken advantage of to the fullest possible extent, and it must he said for them that the majority of the members of the Labour-Socialist group can keep on talking as long as the forms of Parliament permit. Talk is their stock-in-trade.” It is tpiite true that a great deal of time has keen wasted In the House this session in superfluous talk, and that certain members of the Labour Party have not been among the least offenders in this respect ; hut the Government must shoulder its share of the blame, since it has kept hack several of its more important measures in the obvious hope of rushing them through at a stage of the session when members’ eyes are turned towards their own homes.