WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1931, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS

AN EARLY SESSION

URGED BY REFORM AND LABOUR.

(Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, January 26. Though the Prime Minister had not made up his mind on the subject when he left Wellington on Friday for a few days breathing space at his own home, it is not expected here that when be has reviewed the whole , situation he will think it necessary to hold an early session of Parliament. In the circumstances he may elect to call members together for the usual session rather earlier than usual—perhaps in the middle of June instead of at t ; ie end of that month—but he is not likely to see any good reason for the expenditure of a large sum of money in swelling the sessions of the present House of Representatives to five. This proceeding was excusable during the Great War, when the existence of Parliament was extended to five years, but so far no adequate reason has been shown for entertaining members in the capital city at a particularly inopportune time.

WANT A SPECIAL SESSION. Both the Reformers and the Labourites, so far as can be judged from their public utterances, think the Government should call a special session of Parliament, in order that the whole position might he reviewed from every point of view. The “Dominion," however, deprecates the adoption of panic methods, “If the Government has not work for Parliament to do,’’ it says, “if, would save much time and money if members were not summoned from their constituencies. To do so would only mean embarrassing the Ministry in those administrative tasks which urgently need doing. Ministers would be better employed in their offices, transacting the country’s business, than listening to the spate ot words that would be unloosed by mem tiers. The country is tired of talk and wants actin.” The morning paper assures Mr Forbes that if be attacks present problems in the 'practical and 1 earless spirit the times demand he wm have the support and co-oper-ation of all sane members of the community.

CHAMPION NEW ZEALAND RACEHORSE.

Mrs G. D. Greenwood, described in an interview in the “Dominion,” this morning, as “the wife of the owner of Gloaming, the champion New Zealanc: racehorse,” has travelled far and wide during the last few months, and on stepping from the Monowai on her arrival here yesterday was promptly pounced upon by an enterprising newspaper man who obtained a very interesting “interview” from his prey. Mrs Greenwood had seen -a great deal o F Dos Angeles, and Hollywood, and of other parts of the “States” ; had secured first hand information concerning the India Hound Table Conference; had listened to speeches from all sorts of distinguished people, had gathered weighty evidence of the further emancipation of women and bad written a book nqw in the hands of the publishers. It probably was the reporter hfmTelt who described Gloaming as “the champion Now Zealand racehorse,” Anyway, sportsmen here resent the assertion and put Gloaming down at least six places on the list,

WAGE REDUCTION. “It seems,” said a Government o.'lleia 1 in receipt of a modest salary tin's morning, “that every wage earner, with the exception of the recipients of the ‘dole,’ is to have his wages reduced.'’ The position is not quiet as bad as this. There are Civil Servants with families of from one to six or seven receiving £225 and £250 a year who are not likely to he asked to forego as much ns half a crown a month. But that reductions of considerable amounts will be imposed upon Civil Servants more happily situated seems highly probable. Demands are being made in some quarters for a substantial reduction in the number o'f Civil Servants, but, so far as can be gathered, tile Civil Servants as a body would much prefer a general reduction of salaries to a wholesale dismissal. Tt is understood, though it has not been definitely announced, that Ministers of the Crown will bear their share of the “cut,”