WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 225, 3 October 1916, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

LABOR AND CONSCRIPTION

CONFLICTING VIEWSi

(Special- Correspondent.)

WELLLINGTON, Sept. 30. It is as difficult in Wellington as it is everywhere else to get .an authoritative &tatement of Labor's views upon any particular question that is agitating the; public mind, The truth is, of course, that Labor, in spite of the efforts of its unions and the multitude of its platforms, is still a sadly disorganised force in the political world, and allows no leader and no set of leaders to speak in its behalf. The collective wisdom

:of; the w^ter-frorit, however, sometimes find more or less articulate expression^ .-md as a rule represents the views of those workers who -'habitually maintain a critical attitude towards constituted authority. Just now the water-front is concerning itself to some extent about conscription, more perhaps on account of the developments in Australia than on account of anything that has happened here. Mr Hughes, and Mr' Holman. at one time were big figures in : the eyes '■ of the men, but lately they have declined in favor, mainly, it would seem, because they have

caught the pyes of other people and heed applauded in. a larger world. But.both, the Federal Prime Minister and the Now South "Wales Premier still have warm personal friends and admirers among the ' "WeHington walei'siders. and the^e assist in nsaking the local discussions of +he Commonwealth Labor crisis distinctly interesting. TKUK BEMOCRACY. | Xo doubfc many workers throughout the country are theoretically opposed to 'conscription. They like the welllounded phrases -which proclaim it to be opposed t-o the sentiments and i traditions of the race. .But this view \ is by no means universal among the men -who toil with their hands. "All the talk of those anti-conscrip-tioni&ts," said one- well-known worker, who takes the other side, in ihe course of a conversatioii\to-day, ■'is so much .twaddle,- when .ft isn't .nere wilful perversity. Most of-thein talk for talking's sake, and, don't meaii half what they say. Thei workers have sent more men to the front than has any other ciasfv of tho community, and Imost of thexn have sense ■enough, to realise that conscription, which, places every man on an equality, is true democracy applied to military service. The mob is bein^ worked up hi Australia by men who oan't see an inch in front of their own noses, and who are jealous of Hughes and, Holman■•; but, thank God, we are having nothing of that sort here. Labor is going to do its duty in New Zealand, and after the war' will have, its chance*'.'- This probably is a '-.truer indication of the attitude adopted by. ths mass of the workers than are the dissenting resolutions adopted by isolated unions. Some people of all classes >re more bent on winning the war than they are on asserting their right to save their owin skins. • ,

MLITARY SERVICE BOARDS

It appears thai the Labor Representation Committee is responsible

for Labor haying no direct representative on the Auckland ■j.'Military. Service Board, anrl it is. sujrgested that the ctinsstitiitibn of the;K.Canter-: btiry Board may have been affected in .the same way. The Minister, it ?s understood; was anxious: , that labor,, which has shown itself particularly sensitive in the matter ,of compulsion, should have a representative on each,of the Boards, but the A,uokland Representation Committee declined' to submit names for his consideration, because it did not.wish to associate itself in.any way with the application of conscription. Labor is objecting now that the farming in-

terests have received undue' consideration, in the constitution of the Boards. ,-'.- It has some reason for its protest, seeing,' thai of the eight lay members appointed. no fewer than live are drawn from the country districts, but it, ;s fi*ather _ the urban residents unconnected.with Labor that should be finding fault with»the ajppoiutments, if fault should be found at all.. .It need, not be stipposed at the present stage, however, that; thei ■ farjnei;s and the manual workers, .who have between them l^raetically all the-, lay representation, are going to vweiyii favors denied to other classes.of. tlie co.nimunity. ■ The personal charafter of the members of the Board _must : be allowed to count for something. !tv ;

ANTI-SHOUTING

1 ; Though the hotei-keepers continue ie complain' of a; very;; serious loss of business in consecjuence of the strict administration ■■' of f the anti-shouting regulations^ there bre indications that their customer's are; gradually accommodating theinselv^s to the new conditions and1 resuming theconsumption of liquor on the old-scale.' The "pleasant social habit? of treating, which other people'•than, the-Attorney General held in; high^regard; ,can never be q».-ite bt> '" pleasant ;or so sociable under ■'• the new as it was i-nder. the former5 /rule j but probably in time frienus' will be- reconciled to passing sixpences outside the hotel aoors before entering >md calling for their refreshments. This practice is common enough now, and even if it constitutes an offeripe against the law it is difficult ftp see how the police •could prevent its coutiuuance. The Prohibitionists,;; while agreeably surprised by thevfirsts^results of,-.- the re-form ;forced upoii 'them, are not inclined to regard^ iit ;»!% any concession to, their party.;, If they war should istilt Ye g°in& on-when Pariia'•■iaecat. meets, nex%; year , they will ■'renew their agitation for shorter liours, but, ,;*t^: tho inoraent' "it^ looks nk if any fprbpoSiil in tha^ direction vould have less .tehance^ of ; success than' it appeared at ono time |to:haye" last session. = ■.'.'.■; '■ ',■ ■•': -'■ '