WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 202, 2 October 1916, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

; LABOUR AND CONSCRIPTION. CONFLICTING VIEWS. ( Special Correspondent.. WELLINGTON, Sept. 29. It is as difficult in Wellington as it is everywhere cls e to get an authoritative statement of Labour’s views upon any particular question that is agitating the public mind. The truth is, of course, that Labour in spite of the efforts of its unions and the of its platforms, is still a sadly disorganised force in the political world, and allows no leader and no set of leaders to speak on its behalf. The collective wisdom of th e waterfront, however, sometimes finds more or less articulate expression, and 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 happenings here. Air Hughes and Mr Holman were at on e time big figures in the eyes of the men, but lately they have declined in favour, mainly, it would seem, because they have caught the eyes of other people and been applauded in the larger world. But both the Federal Prime Minister and the Now South Wales Premier still have warm personal friends and admirers among the Wellington watersiders.i and those assist in making the local discussions of the Commonwealth Labour crisis distinctly interesting.

TRUE DEMOCRACY. No doubt many workers throughout the country ar e theoretically opposed to conscription. They like the well rounded phrases which proclaim it is opposed to the sentiments and traditions of the race. But this view is by no means universal among the men who toil with thier hands. “All the talk of the anti-consciptionists,” said one wellknown worker, ‘ ‘is so much twaddle, when it isn’t mere .wilful perversity. Most of the mtalk for talking’s sake,; and don’t mean half what they say. The workers have sent more men to the front than has any other class of the community, and most of them have sense enough to realise that conscription, which places every man on an equality is true democracy applied to military service. The mob is being worked up in Australia by men who can’t see an inch in front of their own noses, and who are jealous of Hughes and Holman; but, thank God, we have nothing of that sort here_ Labour is doing its duty in New Zealand, and after the war will have its chance.” This probably is a truer indication of the attitude of the mass of the workers than are the dissenting resohrtions adopted by isolated unions. Sane people- of all classes are more bent on winning the war than they arc on asserting their right to save their own skins

MILITARY SERVICE BOARDS. It appears that the Labour Represen tation Committee is responsible for Labour having no direct representative on th e Auckland Military Service Board, and it is suggested that the constitution of the Canterbury Board may have been affected in the same ■way. The Minister, it is understood, was anxious that Labour, which has shown itself particularly sensitive in th e matter of compulsion, should have a representative on each of the Boards, but the Auckland 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. Labour, is objecting now that the farming interests have received undue consider ation in the constitution of the Boards, It has some reason for its protest, seeing that of the eight lay members appointed no fewer than five are drawn from the country districts, but it is rather the urban residents unconnected with Labour that should be finding fault with the appointments, if fault should be found at all. It need not be supposed at the present stage, however that the farmers and the manual workers, who have between them practically all th e lay representation, are o-oing to receive favours denied to other classes of the community. The personal character of the members of the Boards must be allowed to count for something. ' ANTI-SHOUTING.

Though tli e hotel hoopers continue to complain of a very serious loss of business in consequence of the strict administration of the anti-shouting regulations there arc indications that their customers are gradually accommodating themselves to the new conditions and resuming the consumption of liquor on the old scale. The “pleasant socal habit” of treating, which other people than the Attorney-General hold in high regard, can never be quite so pleasant or so sociable under the now as it was under the former rule, but probably, in time, friends will be reconciled to passing sixpences outside. th 0 hotel doors before entering and calling for their refreshments. This practice is common enough now, and even if it constitutes an offence against the law it is difficult to see how the police could prevent its continuance. The Pro hibitionists, while agreeably surprised

by the first results of the reform forced upon them, arc not inclined to regard it as any concession to their party. If the war still should be going Parliament meets next year, they will renew their agitation for shorter hours, but at the moment it looks as if any .proposal in that direction would have less chance of success than it appeared to have '*--1 one time last