WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 13 August 1917, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

RAILWAYS THE MINISTER AND HIS CRITICS (Special Correspondent,) WELLINGTON, Anugust 10 The formal presentation of the Railway Rolling Stock Commission’s report in the House yesterday afternoon provided a lively little discussion in which the'member for Hutt, the member for Wanganui, and the Minister of Railways were the principal actors, Mr Wilford, whom the Minister holds responsible for the setting up of the Commission and for the very considerable expenditure It has entailed, strongly resented the criticism that had been directed against him. He freely admitted that the personnel of the Commission was all that could be desired, and that its findings were in keeping with the evidence, but he alleged the Railway Department had spent six months in “cleaning up” before it invited the investigation. “The charge was a year old,” he said, “when the enquiry was undertaken, and many thousands of pounds had been spent in saving the dignity of high railway officials.” The member for Hutt accepted the word of the Minister that there had been no “cleaning up,” but he stuck to his contention that the waste' of money was not excused by anything he had said. , STILL IN DOUBT.

The member for Wanganui, speaking from practical knowledge and with studied deliberation which always gives weight to his utterances in the House, expressed his firm conviction that all was not well with the management of the railways. The whole purpose of the Commission, he said, had been to white-wash the Genleral Mannger, who had been “strutting about the camps in a military uniform” while good men had been leaving the service on account of their dissatisfaction with their conditions. But Mr Veitch did not think the money spent upon tne Commission had been altogether wasted and he was glad to be able to offer this crumb of comfort to the taxpayers, The inquiry had drawn attention to various defects in the system and had induced certain officers to attend a little more closely to their duties. The Department had selected its own witnesses and very naturally had called onty those who could say “yes”'to every affirmation of the excellence of its organisation, and the fulness of its efficiency. THE MINISTER IN REPLY. Mr Herries replied to the ■ critics of his Department in the most spirited speech he has made in the House for many a long day, and obtained plenty of encouragement from his own side of the House as he proceeded to rebuke Mr Wilford and Mr veitch for having put the country to a quite unnecessary expense. At one time, indeed, members seemed to be divided on the old party lines, save for the amity prevailing on the Treasury benches, and interjections and retorts were thrown from side to side in quite the familiar style of former times. But the principals in the little passage of arms preserved their habitual equanimity, and the incident closed without any 'demonstration of temper. The Minister’s point of view was that the charges made by Mr Wilford and Mr Veitch had junstified the appointment of the Commission, and that these gentlemen -would have to take the blame for the expenditure. The members protested to the last, but were, like Mr Herries, content to let the public be the judges in the matter.

ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES Mr R. McCallum took the opportunity afforded by the introduction of a Bill by Mr Massey designed to give Parliamentary representation] to the members of the Expeditionary Force to suggest to the Prime Minister that the South Island should retain its present number of members in the House, and that the North Island should be given an additional number in accordance with its increased population. This, practically, was the plan followed by Mr Seddon when he was facet! by a similar problem after the census of 1906, the net result being an increase in the number of members from 70 to 76, and equality,in the representation of the two Islands for a. single Parliament. The precedent is not likely to be regarded as a very admirable one by a House which maintains already a majority of eight North Island members, and is looking forward to seeing the margin substantially increased in the next Parliament, but Mr Massey has promised consideration to Mr McCallum’s suggestion, and mere will be heard of it before the Boundaries Commission commence their work.