WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1929, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

■ MILITARY TRAINING. ■ CONCESSION TO THEOLOGICAL ■ 1 STUDENTS. (Social Correspondent.) ■ WELLINGTON, July 18. The Government’s concesson to students in the matter of training is by no means meetwith general approval here. Apart Hiltogether from the protests made in Hblie House of Representatives, which Bmny have been prompted to some exHtent by party . differences on other there have been many expresHsions of dissent in other quarters.. It ■s almost safe to say that a majority Hof the people about town, had the matHter been submitted to them, would Hhave insisted upon the theological of whom, of course, there Hare only a mere handful, making the Hsu me sacrifices as are demanded from Ht..oir contemporaries iri-different walks Hof life. As a sturdy minister of the ■ Gospel stated to-day, military training and association with the other young ■ men passing through the course would Hbe an admirable preparation for their H life’s work, if they really were fitted H for the service of the Church. Their I attitude* towards war could be adjustHed later on. ■ • POLITICAL RATHER THAN ■ RELIGIOUS. ■ The “Evening Post” in discussing I the position, while readily admitting I that''" a statesman with so splendid a ■ record of patriotic Imperialism ” as Sir I Joseph Ward has established “ would I not wittingly lend himself to an atI tempt to break down our system of I defence,” is not quite sure he has I taken the right course in this instance. I “ The agitation now proceeding,” it I says, “is not wholly religious or I wholly based upon conscience, either I in its origin or in the support drawn ■to it. The Minister of Defence quoted I Richards as saying, ‘ We are going to I bust the Defence Act.’ Richards’s I objections, he held, were political I rather than religious. The refusal to I accept alternative service unless, it I were offered in a certain way certainly I supports this conclusion.” The attiI tude of Labour towards the Defence I Act and its association with the proI testing students suggest that conscxenI tious objection to military training I has less to do with the present agitaI tion than has a desire to create a political confusion. A FOURTH PARTY. The promoters of a fourth political party have reached the length of compiling a list of names that look on paper distinctly impressive. Whether all the owners of the names are aware 'of the distinction awaiting them is not quite clear. One or two of those that have been congratulated upon their entrance into public life have disclaimed all knowledge of the movement. 9*. ,^ e budding politician. The idea of the promoters seems to be that ■ with the Hmglty .inemberk .of the present House ''Representatives-, divided ' into three and none of these parties hav(st~?fig the remotest chance of securing |%n independent the time is Opportune to form a party outside Parthat ultimately will draw the j||?ekt men of the ’other parties , into one pdid in anticipation. 6f‘tthe’ dissolution Csvhich, they say, milst - take.. placp. tSvrthin twelve months. The scheme pSeems simple. It requires only the jjp|s&rdial co-operation of the three present leaders. fjgg ' MAUI POMARE. igrThe presentation of the annual reimport of the Cook Islands Department the House of Representatives yesEtdrday afternoon produced quite an interesting little discussion concerning „Jhe Dominion’s responsibilities in the pPjicific. Mr Coates opened the proceedings by urging the Government to punaintjiin a shipping . service between P|he islands and the Dominion. He SfAvvns unable to say whether the Maui p-Romare was a success or not, but he jf’lknew she had been an extremely x ; ,|troublesome boat. Replying Sir Joseph ||jWard said he was not blaming anyone £>for what had happened, but he was fjteatisfied the Maui Pomare was unsuitgpl for the island trade. That was ■sjj&.roved beyond, dispute. The , Governi</!sment| would do what'it could in the sponsibility for what had occurred in &|the past. Mr Coates’s plea was supI'jp'orted by several of the Labour mem•Cbers, Mr E. J. Howard urging that the Maui Pomare should not be conwithout further inquiry. .Ultimately the whole question of the ves'•.“sel’s existence was referred to the • Industries and Commerce Committee.