WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 99, 27 April 1916, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

BUSINESS OF THE SESSION. WAR FINANCE. (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, April 24. The Prime Minister’s own statement of the business to be dealt with does not suggest that the approaching session of Parliament will be either particularly short or specially tranquil). Compulsory service, war pensions, land for soldiers, and finance, written down in this casual way may not make up a very formidable looking programme, but any one of those subjects might keep the House occupied for a month, and Mr. Massey can scarcely be flattering himself that the private member will accept the edict of the Govern-

ment as to when he should talk and when lie should remain silent. There is a report abroad that the Reform members are being urged by their leader to assist in -shortening the session by abstaining from all unnecessary debate, but even on the Prime Minister’s

own side of the House party discipline is not so effective as it was a year ago, and with a general election drawing nearer the most amenable follower will be anxious to justify himself in the eyes of his constituents. The Imperial Parliament can no longer be quoted in support of the contention that reasonabl criticism is inconsistent with loyalty to the Empire, and probably Ministers will find themselves confronted with more plain speaking than they have encountered since the formation of the National Cabinet. The Bill empowering the Government to impose compulsory service in the not altogether improbable event of the voluntary system failing to provide all the recruits required to fill the monthly Reinforcements will meet with strenuous opposition from only a small minority of the members. Even they will' not carry their opposition to extreme lengths. Bir Joseph Ward’s re-adinoss to accept compulsion in the- last resort has induced several other strong anticonscriptionists ‘to take up the same attitude, and the Government’s proposals, assuming they are accompanied by proper assurances in regard to pensions and allowances, will not provoke the trouble that was at one time anticipated. WAR PENSIONS.

It is taken for granted here in circles that are colloquially described as "the best informed” that the chief amendments in the war pensions system to be submitted to Parliament will) provide for the award of pensions “by right” and for additions to the separation allowances and the payments for

children. These, of course, are the' points for which the Liberal-Labour ' members outside the Secret Defence Committee, almost without exception, contended when the present Act was passing through the House. Mr. Poland, the member for Ohinemuri, will have special reason to congratulate himself®if these points are now conceded by the Government. His speech on the second reading of the measure was the best exposition of a sound system of pensions heard during the debate, and its effect upon the House was so pronounced that had the "party truce” been in existence at the time the measure certainly would have been returned to the committee for further consideration. In practice the inequity of the contingent pensions—the liability of dependents to have their allowances reduced on account of property they held or relatives they

possessed —was-at once exposed, and it is to the credit of the Government that at an early stage it directed the Pensions Board to disregard the unjust and humiliating conditions. The possibility, now approaching a probability, of married men' being required to fill the gaps in the Reinforcements makes it a matter of urgency that the separation allowance and the payment on account of children should be increased, and there is not the least doubt that any proposals in this direction made by the Government would receive the ready consent of the House. So far the Minister for Defence, who is facing the problem quite frankly, has been able to say married men are not required; but if the, war should run into another northern winter he will have to alter his policy in this respect to ensure the fulfilment of the Dominion’s obligations to the Mother Country. The only differences of this question will be over the amount of the increases and the House is not likely to prove ill-liberal to the men wdio make the greater sacrifices. LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

The legislation rushed through Parliament last session with the object of making provision for returned soldiers anxious to settle on the land was more admirable in its intentions than in its achievements. No one is specially to blame for its detects, though doubtless the Minister for Lands would have introduced a more comprehensive measure if he had fully realised all the needs of the position, and Parliament must now give its non-party attention to the returned soldier without means and without expert knowledge who is qualified in other respects to make the best of any opportunity that may be offered him. The ease of this man is not so hopeless as it may appear to the big holder whose ideas of farming run into broad acres and large flocks and herds. There are many thousands of acres in both Islands now devoted to raising sheep and cattle and peculiarly Avell adopted for many of the smaller industries. Unhappily, practically all the land of this description has passed out of the hands of the State or is held on leases that cannot be terminated at a. moment’s notice,

and Mr. Massey will have to make use of the somewhat threadbare Land for

Settlements Act to secure in any large numbers the suitable holdings required for fruit and vegetable growing, poultry and bee-raising, and the other small industries which offer a comfortable living to the man whose only capital to begin with is his labour. The Minister has not indicated the character of the legislation he intends to introduce with a view to promoting this class of settlement, but obviously he will' require money for improvements as well as money for land, and already he must have realised that the vote of last session was utterly inadequate. Among the papers in his department, he will find some very valuable reports on this subject prepared by Mr. J. H. March, of Christchurch, and their perusal might furnish him with many valuable hints. He has a unique opportunity to encourage close settlement of a most useful kind and it is as much in the; interests of the country as in the interests of the returned soldiers that he shouM turn it to the best advantage. FIHAXCH.

In his statement t‘o the newspapers the Prime Minister mentions finance as one of the matters that will engage the attention of Parliament next month, and it is safe to assume it is finance in its special relation to the war that is in his mind. Sis Joseph Ward has declared so emphatically against a war loan, as it has been urged upon him by a large section of the Press, that there is not likely to be any departure from his isettled policy in this respect; but probably it will be found Avhen the facts are known that in a way more acceptable to the authorities at Home he has been practising quite a considerable measure of self-reliance. There is a good deal of speculation as to what he ha,s actually done, and naturally some misunderstanding and adverse criticism; but the fact that his policy is approved by his colleagues and by reputable financiers acquainted with the circumstances should allay any uneasiness that may be felt by 'people who wish the Dominion to make a financial demonstration of its patriotism. That capitalists will have an opportunity to invest their money in directions where it will materially assist the' Empire in winning the war is tolerably certain and that war profits will receive some additional attention from the tax-gath-erer is not improbable. In the meantime impatient people who are fretting at delay must gather what comfort they may from the Minister’s professions of goodwill and Ibyalty towards the Mother Country, if need be, down to the last shilling and the last &■ man. >