WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 24 July 1917, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

MORE CANDID CRITICISM.

FROM BO'lH SIDES,

(Special Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, July 20

The feature of the resumed debate on the Address-in-Reply in the House yesterday was the cheery candour of the speakers. Mr. McCallum, who in these times of stress takes a severely practical view of the various problems confronting Parliament, after complimenting Sir James Allen upon the manner in which he had conducted the affairs of the country during the absence of the party leaders, proceeded in his characteristic way to rap out a number of home truths which. went directly to the heart of things. He deprecated the growing tendency to excuse men from military service on the plea they were required in local industries. It was evident, lie said, the Home authorities wanted men more than they wanted food. Turning quickly from one subject to another, Mr. McCallum thought a mistake had been made in dealing with Mr. P. "Webb. Either the member for Grey was guilty of the offence with which he was charged or he was innocent, and the authorities should not liave sought a half-way house, as it were, as a compromise between the two extremes. f "••" EARLY CLOSING. Mr. McCallum has dear views of his own on the early closing question, but in this matter he would not be opposed to a compromise. He would have the Government deal with this question as it did with the racing question, confer with the licensed victuallers and ascertain how far they would assist in the work of reform. Of course, the suggestion was received* with derisive, laughter in a House that is about equally divided between six o'clock and some later hour, but it represents in the rough the feeling of a large number ot members. Mr. Statham, the member for Dunedin Central, an earnest, honest young man who is always embarrassed by philosophic doubts, is standing out for compensation in the event of any departure from the existing contract between the Trade a'nd the State, and between all the conflicting views expressed during the debate it seems likely that eight o'clock will be fixed as the closing hour without any concession to the publicans for the trade they will lose. PUBLIC WORKS. Incidentally, in replying to a deputation from Otago that waited upon him yesterday to urge the needs of the southern province in the way of roads and bridges, the Minister of Public Yvorks again mentioned the long deferred reform of the local government system which has been a standing jest among the critics of successive Mnisters during the last thirty years. The question, Mr. Fraser promised, would" be kept steadily in view and would receive earnest attention after the war. On the main question of public works the Minister told the deputation frankly that nei-

ther money nor labour was available for a scheme of any magnitude. The expenditure would be even smaller this year than it was last year and there could be no increase till peace was concluded. Representations made from Auckland in this respect point to the fact that while the Government is spending thousands of pounds in acquiring land for the settlement of soldiers there is a vast area of Crown land in the Far .North specially well suited for this purpose that -would be made available by "the expenditure of ialf the money on roads.

WHAT THE NATIONAC GOVERNMENT LACKS.

The member for Dunedin Central voiced in the House last night an opinion which has been freely expressed in the lobbies and readilyechoed in the country. The National Government, Mr. Statham. said, bas suffered from the lack of a strong and solid Opposition. A year ago a statement of this kind would have been regarded as an unpardonable offence against the letter ancTthe spirit of the party truce. To-day it is being applauded as a manifestation of the truest loyalty to the truce and to the purposes it was intended to seive. The absence of an organised Opposition has set free a vast mount of irresponsible and uninstruct;?d criticism which instead of being a help to the Cabinet and ithe House has been a hindrance to both. Such ah Opposition as would observe the eruditions of the party truce would be a hold experiment in constitutional government, but members of very different political cre'eds have signified their agreement with Mr. Statham and it is possible an attempt may be made to fill this "long-felt want" during the present session.