WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 November 1917, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

CABINET CHANGES 4T

MR HERDMAN’S RETIREMENT.

(Special Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, Nov 19,

It is again being “understood” and. “rumoured” that the Hon. A. L.. Herdman, the Attorney-General, ia. about to retire from the Cabinet for the purpose of taking Sir John Den—niston’s place on the Supreme Court Bench. The of course, is a very old one, it having been stated, on what seemed to be good authority, more than two years ago, at the time of the formation of the National Cabinet, that Sir John Denniston would shortly retire and that Mr Herdman would be his successor. But for one reason and another the change has been delayed much longer than was expected and even now it Is not likely to take place till after the New Year* There has been some difficulty over the adjustment of the retiring judge’s pension and some little controversy" over the appointment of his successor, but these matters now seem to be happily settled and it is fairly safe to predict that Mr Herdman will take up his judicial duties after the long vacation.

THE NEW MINISTER. ,Mr D. H. the member for Oroua, is being confidently named by the quidnuncs as the successor to Mr Herdmau in the Cabinet and as the appointment will rest wun Mr Massey, as leader of the Reform Party,, bis senior whip and faithful supporter cannot be overlooked. But one of the portfolios to be laid down by Mr Herdman is that of Attorney-General, and as this cannot be taken up by Mr Guthrie, who is not a lawyer, it may not he easy for the Prime Minister to gratify his personal wish. Probably however, the difficulty will be overcome by Sir Francis Bell, who is now provided with a salary, taking tbe position of Attorney-General in addition to the leadership of :ie Leg'ciative Council, which in these days ia not a very onerogs office.; ;;Mr E. P, Lee, the member for,,.Oamaru, would be in the running, were not.the choice .confined to a. Reformer representing a North Island constituency, but with this limitation Mr Guthrie appeals to •have the best chance of appointment* GAMBLING. The betting case which occupied the attention of the Supreme Courl here last w r eek has provoked a good deal of comment upon the lax administration of .the gaming law. The matter was the subject or,,two or three brief discussions., in, parliament last session j several,, referring ia the strongest terms to the, apathy of the Police and the indifference of the Post Office officials; but the Ministers immediately concerned declared that everything possible was being done to put a stop to illegal betting and to bring the offenders to justice. The revelation in Court, however, suggested that Ministers knew very little of what was going on. It was proved that the bookmakers in Wellington ,wmre conducting their business almost as openly as w T ere the grocers and the butchers and that everyone but the Police and the Post Office officials knew r of their methods. Now there is a demand for a much more drastic law against professional gam* bling and it is reported that Ministers are by no means disinclined to move towards that end.

TEACHERS AND THE W^R. The depletion of the teaching profession by voluntary and compulsory enlistment is assuming such a seriouS aspect throughout the country that the jMinister of Education is preparing a statement on the subject fo£ submission to the Defence Department. .At the commencement of the( w r ar many young teachers -were attracted towards the great adventure and the authorities so far from putting any obstacle in the way of theiij joining the Forces actually encouraged them to do so by giving them special privileges in the way of payment; and allowances. Now, however, the drain upon the profession is placing some of the Edpcation Boards in atf extremely aw T kward position, the number of retired teachers who have returned to the service being w'holly insufficient to fill the vacancies, and it is not at all unlikely the Ministei will claim exemption for members ol the Second Division employed by his Department when the Reservists with children are submitted to the ballot.