WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, 4 December 1917, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

SIX. O'CLOCK CLOSING. m ITS IN AI ; :J t tt-A TION. (Special Correspondent.) WLLLUTIt-jSoNj Dec i. So far iione of the particularly evil «)r f.ptcially good tlings that were prelected as, the result of early closing, has come to pass. There was no rioting when the bars were closed at six. a*ciock on Saturday evening and there was neither more nor less drunkenness in the streets than is noticeable. at any week-end. The city, indeed,, behaved itself just as usual. The. "free and easy" social in the Town Hall promoted by the Mayor and Mayoress did not attract a great many soldiers, who apparently preferred finding their entertainment, in. the streets and in private homes, but probably the "jollies" will grow hx popularity as their character becomes, better known. Altogether early closing was inaugurated very£<|uietly and, so far as the public could observe, very effectively. DEFENCE EXPENDITURE. The personnel of the Commission, .which has been appointed in accordance with the promise given by the. Government last session to enquire into the expenditure of the Defence Department will not be announced for some days it being necessary to communicate with all the gentlemen selected before their names are published; but from what is already known of its "composition it is certain the investigation Will be thorough and the report frank and independent, Meanwliile all sorts of stories are in

circulation concerning waste and extravagance, chiefly in the minor adadministrative branches of. the Department, and the Minister of Defence and his colleagues are just as anxious as their critics are to have the whole matter cleared up. That a certain measure of overlapping and some very "soft" billets will be discovered is quite probable, but even the severest crtics are alleging nothing in the shape of corruption. THE LAW TO BE TESTED. « But while careful to observe the law as it is at present interpreted the hotel-keepers are not relinquishing their right to test its validity. There was some talk of defying the statute by opening the bars at the former hour on Saturday morning, and several of the hotels, supported by legaL advice, actually adopted this but the majority of the licensees thought it wiser and safer to make their protest in a more constitutional A petition is now being signed praying the Supreme Court to interfere but just how that high tribunal is being asked to set aside the authority of Parliament has not yet been disclosed. The weight of lay opinion is that for good or ill six o'clock closing has come to stay for the period of the war and that its effect will depend very largely upon the measure of support it receives from the community.

WOMEN LABOUR. The statement of Mr G. J. Anderson, the member for Mataura, at the recent Conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, to the effect thot the employment of women would save the country from the dislocation of the railway, service is being warmly supported here by people who can speak with authority on the subject. An officer of the Railway Department", who naturally does not wish his name disclosed, declares that with a month's training women could efficiently fill the places of at least onethird of the men on the clerical staff who could be drafted into other pc)£r tions where, it is said men are required for the maintenance of the full service. This point has been raised again and again, but neither the Minister nor the General Manager has thought it worthy of any serious attention. STATE CONTROL. Another delegate to the Conference of Chambers of Commerce, .Mr L. EL Collinson, a leading business man of Palmerston North, roundly denounced the whole management of the railways at the present time and attributed the troubles of the country in. this respect to the inherent defects of State Control. He did not develop his arguments at any length and probably would not suggest putting the railways up to auction, but his remarks are being warmly endorsed by business men here who quote their own experience £j> support of their general indictment of the- management, of the lines. The agitation for the sale of the railways is not likely to be revived, but it would not be at all surprising "to find after the war a demand for a new system of control. ■ -jMA ■ •