WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 23 February 1917, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK. ' COMMISSIONS. * (Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, Feb 21. In these stirring times the community is not easily interested in any question unconnected with the war, but many people in Wellington are beginning to take notice of a cornmission that has been sitting -here for a week or more inquiring into the ;-cndition of the rolling stock on the Government railways. This commission was set up in consequence of some remarks made by Mr. Wilford in the House of Representatives last session implying that much of the rolling stock had iallen into a sad stats of disrepair and was becoming a menace to the safety of the travelling public. The Minister promised to obtain a departmental report en the subject and in due course the House was assured that the rolling stock was in excellent order and that every pro-

vision was made for maintaining it in this condition. But apparently the general manager wanted further vindication of his administration and the appointment of the commission was the result. New the commission is being flooded with iterated and reiterated official statements in support of the report presented to the House and its members are about to scart out upon a comprehensive tour of the Domir/ion in search of further evidence of the same character. Of course, the personnel of the commission is an assurance that the inquiry will be exhaustive, but it is occur;ing to many people that the appointment of one independent expert to maK3 a personal examination of the roiling stock and the work of the repairing department would have obtained equally good results at about onequarter the cost of the present arrangement. THE HAWKE'S BAY SEAT.

It seems now that the TTemonstration of rather narrow local teeiin<r which led Sir John Findlay to renounce his intention of contesting the by-election for the Hawke's Bay seat was of very little real significance, and that nothing now stands in the way of Sir John re-entering the field as the accepted Liberal candidate approved by the National Cabinet under the arrangement between the parties. He will return to the constituency at once and will spend most of the time between this and the polling, whether there is to be a contest or not, in making himself better known to the elecj tors. Apparently the only danger that would confront him in the event of a contest would be the apathy of voters on both sides. This danger was unpleasantly exemplified at the Pahiatua election where an Independent Liberal candidate, who insisted upon standing in spite of the strongest discouragement from the party leader, ran the Reform candidate approved by the National Cabinet to | within a few hundred votes, and probably would have beaten him but for ; the obtrusion of a Labour candidate. B'ut it is improbable anything of this sort will happen in Hawke's Bav. The attempt to oust Sir John Findlav from the field has put his friends on their mettle and they are not likely to spare I any effort in returning him by a sub- ! stantial majority.

LABOUR. The position on the waterfront is still far from satisfactory, the existing relations between the employers and the men being rather of the nature of an armed trufee than of a friendly armistice, and no one can say what the next development will be. The men on their part declare they are anxious to work ; the port without unnecessary friction, and are ready to abide by any reasonable agreement that may be reached in a regular way. The trouble in connection with the "Burton block-tackle" which looked likely a day or two a»x> to bring matters to a head, has been submitted to the arbitration of a special dispute committee consisting of two representatives of the employers and two representatives of the men, with a chairman selected by the four nominated members, and the decision of this tribune is likely to be made known this evening. Meanwhile the shipping in port is being worked with, rather more goodwill than was the case a. few weeks ago, and the general outlook is less disquieting. Many of the men profess to see in the war regulations, giving the Government power to take over tin- control of the wharves a disposition on the part of the authorities to deal directly with any trouble that may arise, and their contemplation of the prospect does not appear to be lessening their desire to maintain the peace. FARMERS AXD THE WAR. lumbers of farmers called up by the ballot are finding considerable difficulty in making arrangements for the management of their properties during their absence from the country. Tho matter has been discussed by many branches of the Farmers' Union, and various suggestions have been made iov giving the men assistance,, but none of the suggestions appear to meet the

needs of particular cases, and Mr J. A. Young, the member for Waikato, has come to Wellington as the representative of the Awamutu Farmers' Union Federation with the proposal that the Government should purehase the properties of men going to the Avar, and resell them to returned soldiers on terms that would he fair to both parties. In the absence of the Acting Prime Minister, Mr Young interviewed the members of the Industrial Efficiency Board yesterday, and learnt that the Board already had submitted a scheme on somewhat similar lines to the Government. This scheme has not yet been considered by a full Cabinet, but it is understood it aims rather at keeping the soldier-farmers in possession of their properties, than at putting new occupiers in their place. If this is the case it will meet with, more general approval than will the proposal put forward by Mr Young's principals.