WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1929, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

SOUTH ISLAND TRUNK. CONTINUED OPPOSITION. (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 16. The “Dominion” continues to pour out its daily denunciation of the Government’s determination to span the gap of some eighty miles in the South Island Trunk Railway "a*id on paper makes out a very good case against the undertaking. But so far no one—except, of course, the half-dozen members of the House of Representatives, who have mentioned the matter in the course of the Address-in-Reply debate —has tackled the subject very seriously. “A special representative of the ‘Dominion’,” the paper itself states each day, “ was deputed to go over the proposed route and also to collect facts and opinions bearing on the subject, opportunity being afforded those favouring the line to state their side of the question.” The morning journal has ‘been' as good as its word in this respept; but few friends of the railway have' ednie forward 1 in support of the Government’s decision. The Prime Ministers colleagues, however, are standing firmly, by'their chief in the matter and the preliminary work is 'deliberately; proceeding. ADDRESS IN REPLY.

The debate upon the Addressbn-Rc-ply, which will be resumed when the House meets this evening, probably will continue for the greater part of the week, possibly until Friday night. So far it has been by no means a dull formality, even if it has been, as all such debates are, a somewhat unprofitable one. A majority of the new members who have spoken—all, -practically, ,on the Government side of the House—have acquitted themselves quite creditably, one or two of them reaching the Lont rank on their first attempt. The H,on. W. Downie Stewart has not spoken at the time of writing and folk who follow parliamentary debates with any relish 1 are-' ! awaiting his reply to speeches' I {from the Treasury Benches with much interest. Sir Joseph 'Yard ‘is more fortunate than Mr Coates was in the' support'-lie is receiving frn-i hi* 'colleagues, three or four of them being •among fliej best Ictozeiji speakers in the 'House and already familiar with all formalities and ; procedure of Parliament.

•DOUBLED DEPUTATION. Tho “Post” last evening had a somewhat alarming allusion in its,leading columns to two deputations which had presented- themselves- at Parliament House to plead the cause of certain o'jectors to military training. “ The first deputation,” the “Post” told its Minister of Defence, who gave a considered and soundly-reasoned reply. The second deputation appealed to the Prime Minister. • Sir Joseph Ward did not reverse his colleague’s decision, nor did he support it. < He promised I hat the question would be- considered by Cabinet. To this promise probably little exception could he taken, but unfortunately it was accompanied by remarks from which the inference might be drawn that the Prime Minister himself, if approached in the first place, would have given a decision different from that o'f the Minister of Defence.” Presuming upon the analysis of the position bv the evening paper gossips are building up a misunderstanding between the Prime Minister and his colleague for which there is no adequate foundation. No crisis in the Cabinet is anticipated.

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. The Right Hon. J. G. Contes, the lender of . the Opposition,. who has taken up lu's residence in Wellington for tlie session, ‘is probably the most carefree member of the House of Representatives at the present time. This is not to say that he is taking lightly the responsibilities of his new office. On the contrary he 'probably is working even harder to-day than he did when he was at the head of tlio Government, “with plenty of assistance ” as he parenthetically observes. 'Hie world has Iforgotten him no more than Ills'political supporters have done, and his correspondence alone is enough to keep him employed the whole day round. Rut even to “an ally of the enemy,” as he laughingly dubs his visitor, he can spare half an hour to talk horses and fish, the hush and open spaces, luxury in London and hard work at the front. It is a merry soul that can enjoy all these recollections in the sombre atmosphere of politics and with that merry soul Gordon Coates m blessed.