WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 30 April 1917, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE ABSENT MINISTERS. \ THEIR RETURN. WELLINGTON, April 27. People who flatter themselves they can put two and two together with infallible precision are now quite certain both Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph [Ward will return to the Dominion at least a couple of weeks before the opening of Parliament at the end of June. The deductive process is simple enough. The War Conference is sitting long hours in order to get through i/s business within the next week or ten days. Its haste, of course, is due to its desire to release the New Zealand representatives. Then addressing a deputation the other day, Mr. Herries spoke authoritatively of the Prime Minister being here "very soon" and implied he would have an opportunity of consulting him before the beginning of the session. Finally, tSe Acting-Minister of Finance, who is a man of deeds rather than of ■words, has the staff of the Treasury ■working at high pressure in the preparation of material that must be presented to the House by Sir Joseph Ward himself at the earliest possible moment. The case is complete. The absent Ministers will be here about the middle of June.

CHANGED RELATIONS. It is surmised that the travellers will return by way of America and that they will find an opportunity ■while passing through the States to say the proper thing to President. Wilson and his advisers upon the entrance of the great Republic into the company of nations that is upholding the cause *of liberty and righteousness against the unspeakable forces by which it is being assailed. The relations between Great Britain and America have vastly changed since Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward were travelling only a few months ago in the opposite direction and the change may be of special importance to New Zealand altogether apart from the invaluable assistance it will give the Allies in winning the war." Business

men here are predicting that the new America will look further afield than the old America did and that the reciprocal development of its Pacific trade will be one of the chief commercial aims of its more discerning statesmen. THE SESSION. Though Ministers are assiduously encouraging the idea that the approaching session of Parliament should be devoted entirely to war business, including, of course, the pro-

vision of money, there is a growingdisposition outside their own immediate circle to demand the Government's attention to a number of domestic matters of more or less importance. Judging from the allegations made to the Acting-Minister of Labour by a deputation from the Agricultural and Pastoral Union that waited upon -him this week the revision of the law dealing with shearers' accommodation is one of those that should be included in the first category. Several of the allegations concerning the quarters provided by certain employers were of the gravest character and the Minister laid the blame for the unsatisfactory accommodation upon the inadequacy of the existing legislation. Assuming the statements of the men io be correct this surely is not a matter that should be postponed till the Allies have finished smashing the Germans. THE STRIKE. It is extremely unfortunate that the Runanga miners should have chosen this inopportune moment to raise further trouble in connection with the coal industry. The triviality of their new grievance makes their action all the more exasperating. Ther e were people here, as there doubtless were elsewhere, who found fault with the settlement effected by the Ministers directly its conditions were announced. They declared it was a surrender to the men, that the Government was compounding a felony and that more serious difficulties were bound to follow. Thes e people are now claiming that their prediction has been realised and that the time of the Ministers and the patience ,of the country have been wasted. This, ho'wever, is obvioiMy absurd. The Runanga miners represent a very small proportion of the men and probably they already are back at work. The results of the municipal elections are not likely to encourage them in factious opposition to the law.