WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 20 July 1917, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

STATE SOCIALISM. SIGNS OF THE TIMES. (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 18. Sir Walter Buchanan, still the sturdy, enterprising, practical man of -affairs, is being made the butt of many a good-humoured jest as the result of his advocacy'of State-owned ships at the recent conference of the Council of Agriculture. For long years of political activity "Sir Walter was a consistent anu uncompromising opponent of State Socialism in every shape and foarm —Old Age Pensions, cheap money, land ascquisition, State coal-mines and everything else that admitted the advantage of collective effort —but now he is definitely and irrevocably committed to a beginning with the further nationalisation of the 1 transport service. He would have the Government acquire two steamers for carrying the farmers'' produce hway and he would use them to frustrate the machinations of the particular form of individualism that finds expression in the operations of the shipping rings.

THE NEW YIEW.

But of course Sir Walter Buchanan

is not peculiar in the renunciation of Tiews which have not fitted themselves to the new conditions created "by the war. The progressive outlook is no longer the monopoly of irre-

sponsible labour or impracticable Socialism and in Parliament to-day

members who three v-ears ago were regarded as the embodiment of v all that was reactionary <in public life are propounding the very doctrines they vigorously denounced before the great national crisis had compelled them to change their point of view. The tendency is even more marked in the Legislative Council than it is in the House of Representatives where there still are one or two members like the chosen of Patea, who cling to the old traditions with pathetic fidelity and. lack of understanding.

CANDID FRIENDS. The debate on the Atldress-in-Reply in the House of Representatives is proving a much brighter and more interesting prelude CoThe serious business of Parliament this session than it has done for many years past. The speeches have been - far above the average, both in matter and in manner, and the unreviseef “Hansard” reports should make excellent Reading for people who have not been privileged to hear them. Yesterday afternoon and evening saw no falling off in the quality ,of the entertainment provided by a number of candid friends of the Government for the full House and crowded galleries. Mr. Craigie, the member for Timaru, filled up the greater part of his hour with a very frank and admirable criticism of the Government’s sins .of omiss.ion and Mr. G. J. AndersorTTollowed in a similar strain, addressing himself chiefly to shortcomings in the administration of the Defence Department.

STANDING BY HIS OFFICERS. The member for Mauawatu, speaking more in sorrow than in anger, and certainly with neither personal nor party bias against the Minister, took Sir James Allen severely to task for Ms “excessive loyalty” to the officers of .his Department. “The Minister should go among his officers,” he said, “to find out those he could trust and then shoot the others out.” This is advice which has been offered to Sir James again and again, both in private and in public, by political friends and by political opponents, but the Minister stands firmly by his officers, and so far from “shooting them out” takes upon' himself blame for their mistakes and failures. Of course this Is a very appealing example of loyalty, but the loyalty is nbt aways worthily expended and incompetent officers are building up a peck of trouble for the Minister.

A TRIBUTE TO MINISTERS,

Mr. L. M. Isitt’s contribution to yesterday's debate was one of the most ■brilliant of -hiS many brilliant efforts in the House. His references to the liquor question were along the familiar lines, bu tthe familiar lines were illuuminated by a wealth of eloquence rarely heard in any assembly and by a tribute to Ministers in general and to the Hon. A. M. Myers in particular

which in the circumstances is worth placing on record. He had made a very strong attack on the liqu-'” trade, he said, but there had been n ersonal allegation in his words a: 'ar as Min’s'ers were concerned. It ’'■••as'lns conviction that the Minister r" Munitions, whom he had watched very closely, had never abused his position or exercised undue influence in defnece of the business he was assoclaf-

ed with. In -his peroration Mr. Isitt reached heights of picturesque expression to which the verbatim report alone can do justice.