WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 12 July 1916, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

LAEO CJE RE-ORGANISATION. PURCHASE OR TAXATION. I (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 10 The constitution and objective and platform of the now Labour Party that has just announced its formation seem to the casual observer to be very much like the constitution and objective and platform of the old Labour Party. Apparently tlic object of the conference that sat here last week was rather to amalgamate th e various Labour forces than to burden them with fresh proplems for solution. The task already before them is suftickmiy formidable. It j summed up in the objective —the socialisation •-•f the means of production, distribution, and exchange—and elaborated on the platform. There is to be a State Lank, of course, with the sole right of isssue, a State shipping service, and a State'monopoly of ad the major industries. Education is to be free, secular and compulsory, from the kindergarten to Lhe university —inclusive, it may be presumed—pensions are to be universal and at higher rates, and there is to be a voluntary citizen army receiving standard wages. Mr. J. MeCombs, the member for Lyttelton, is resident of the new organisation, and the Hon. T Paul is a member of. the committee, but no other member of Parliament is included among the offials. far the reconstruct km has not .ttrncted much attention, even in the ranks of Labour, and many level-head-ed workers are frankly sceptical over he ability of Mr J. McCombs and his committee to arouse more than half a liearted interest :n social questions while the war is engrossing public attention. A LABOUR VIEW. A former active worker in Labour circles, who still retains his interest in "the cause," when seen thjs morning, said he considered \the time wholly inopportune for inaugurating a fresh political agitation. He was not concerned for the National Cabinet, which he thought had falen far short of the expectations of its friends; but he was concerned for the workers themselves, who were being urged hither and' thither by a little body of self-consti- 1 tuted guides, whose good intentions were no excuse for their disregard of fact. He could subscribe to almost ever lank in the new party's platform, , and when the war was won he would , make as much noise as the next man, but he was not going to help in splitting the workers into separate camps so that they could be defeated in detail when the time for action came. LAND FOR SOLDIERS. There is a growing feeling both inside and outside the House of Parliament that the Government ts not doingall it might do and all it should do in ; the way of providing land for returned soldiers. Mr. Massey, ' who never j wearied of girding at the Land for Settlements Act when he was sitting on the other side of the House, now seems to regard that measure as the only available means for obtaining

suitable land for the men- coming back from the war. It is true the amending measure of this session gives liim some additional powers in the acquisition of land, and there is no reason to suppose he does not intend to make use of them; but he is moving altogether too slowly, and many of the men who were contemplating the rural life are now turning towards other occupations. Mr R. W. Smith, th e member for Waimarino, paid a well-deserved compliment to Mr G. H. McClure, the Welington Commisioner, in this respect, on Friday night, and the Prime Minister would be well advised to detach Mr. McClure for this special service under the direction of the Minister of Agriculture during the next year or two THE RELIGIOUS OBJECTOR,

There has bee;; a good deal of talk during the week-end about the attitude of Ministers towards the proposal to exempt religious objectors from bearing arms under the provisions of the Military Service Bill When the Bill was pasing through the House the Minister of Defence himself submitted an amend ment intended to meet the case of the religious objector, but though it was supported by several of his colleagues, it was rejected by a substantial majority. When the measure reached the Council, Sir Francis Bell, the Minister representing the Government there, introduced a more stringent clause, which to all appearances would have left no room for the escape of the shirker, and this was adopted by the Council under the impression that it represented the matured view of the Cabinet. But when the amendment came back for consideration by tluKonso Mr. Allen, to the astonishment of everyone riot in the confidence of Ministers, moved its rejection and again received the support of his colleagues Probably the matter will be finally settled before these lines .appear in print, but at the moment people are wondering what really is the mind of the Government in reference to the question. One speculation is that at the conference between the representatives of the two Houses a clause will be agreed to that will save the faces of both parties. If so, it will have to be a marvel of constructive ingenuity.