WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, 19 November 1917, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE REINFORCED CABINET.

MR WILFORD’S APPOINTMENT.

WELLINGTON, Nov 16.

The appointment of Mr T. M. Wilford, the member for Hutt, to the vacant seat in the Cabinet surprised no one who had watched the signs and portends that invariably proceed such events. Sir Joseph Ward, as leader of the Liberal Party, really -had the selection of the new Minister, of course, nominally he had to be recommended to the Governor by the Prime Minister, as head of the Government by which His Excellency is advised. Sir Joseph’s choice, however, was narrowed down to the representatives of the North Island by the custom which prescribes that! some sort of relation shall be main- 1 tained between the number of members in the Cabinet and the population of the two divisions of the Dominion. With this limitation the Liberal leader was expected to nominate either Sir John Findlay, the late Dr McNab’s successor in the representation of Hawke’s or Mr Wilford, and when the former gentleman made it clear that he would rather remain in the meantime a friendly critic of the National Government than become one of its members, Mr Wllford’s promotion was easy to predict. THE NEW MINISTER. If Mr Wilford’s power of self-re-straint is as great as his ability is marked and conspicuous, he will add very materially To the strength of the Cabinet in various directions. He is young, as politicians go, a student of affairs, a logical debater and, \ when he cares to adopt the an eloquent speaker. His professional training, perhaps, has tended to make him rather a destructive critic than a constructive advocate, but he has ; never obtruded his profession upon the House, and he is blessed with that most precious gift of all which is best described by the phrase “good horse sense.” But while recognising his exceptional ability, his tact and •his force, some of his friends are still wondering how he is going to reconcile himself to his new conditions and the restraint that will be imposed upon him by sharing in the responsibilities of a Cabinet that is frankly “marking time’ ’and waiting for the war clouds to roll away before attacking reforms to which he -has devoted himself all the years of his political life.

DOMESTIC LEGISLATION. It is cannot be said of Mr Milford that he has in any way,angled for the distinction that has now been conferred upon Mm. ' In" almost the last speech he delivered in’the House during the recent session, he soundly rated the Government for having initiated no effective steps to keep down the cost of living. Taking the figures which had just previously appeared in this column as his text he strongly urged Mr Massey, in his capacity of Minister of Trade' and Commerce, to put in motion the provisions of the legislation by which Parliament, had hoped to curb the cupidity of the soulless landlord and the greedy trader and shop-keeper He showed how Wellington, in particular, owing to the apathy and indifference of the Gov-

had been cruelly exploited by these rapacious people and called upon the Minister to put an end to their machinations It certainly was not the kind of speech one would have expected from a member with an eye upon a portfolio within the gift of the Government he was criticising, but if is to be hoped that in his new sphere he will have an opportunity to urge the views he expressed upon his colleagues. THE BOARD OP TRADE.

From the cost of living to the Board of Trade is an easy transition, even for those disappointed folk who imagined the B’oard would do a great deal more than it has accomplished in the way of keeping the prices, of commodities down. Next to the war the cost of living is the most frequent topic of discussion in this community and is rapidly assuming a sinister aspect for those politicians who seem anxious to thrust it into the background. There are rumours of dissensions in the Cabinet over the question and of protests from the Efficiency Board, as well as from the Board of Trade, but Ministers have no information for publication, though they continue to quote the fact that New Zealand has cheaper sugar than has any other country in the world and the further fact that London prices for butter would justify a much higer local charge for that commodity _ There is hope, however for the long-suffering consumer in the third fact that the Board of Trade is now making fresh recommendationsto the Government. This at least will give the politicians an opportunity to revise their attitude.