WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, 2 January 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE GERMAN ESCAPEES. APPLYING THE LESSON. (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Dec 31. Whatever may be the finding of the Court of Inquiry or of any further tribunal that may be set up to investigate the strange happenings at Motuiiii Island, it is certain Count von Luckner and his merry men will not be allowed to profit by the "open door" policy again. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence are very much in earnest about the matter. They realise that New Zealand as a custodian of war prisoners Las been made a laughing stock for the whole world and particularly for the German nation and that this is not the kind of distinction the Dominion should be enjoying just now. The Count's protests against being lodged in the common gaol in Auckland while more suitable accommodation is being provided for himself and his fellow escapees elsewhere have been disregarded, and many of the privileges he enjoyed at Motuihi have been permanently withdrawn. There will be no retaliation, but there will be more security.

CABINET RUMOURS

The rumours of plain-speaking in Cabinet concerning the incident persist and some of them are obtaining a certain amount of colour from official statements. Of course, neither Mr Massey nor Sir James Allen is indicating by as much as as the elevation of an eye-brow or a shrug of the shoulders to whom they would attribute the blame for what has occurred. They both have too nice a regard for the proprieties to be betrayed into any indiscretion of that sort. "But they both are obviously vexed and even angered and determined the whole affair shall be sifted to the bottoin There is nothing tangible to suggest that it-he reports of Sir James Allen going Home to attend the meeting the Imperial Cabinet have anything to do with yv-jha't ; has happened, but public opinion is inclining..to the view, that the Minister-of. Defence may; be : persuaded to make the .trip and jthatthe Prime Minister may. take the administration of the Defence Department during his absence.:

DEFENCE EXPENDITUKILY ;: The stories, that .are in circulation alleging serious dissensions in the Cabinet over the appointment of the commission to inquire into the expenditure of the Defence Department may be dismissed at once as having no foundation. The order of reference has caused some discussion and the appointment' of a chairman some delay, but on all cardinal points connected with the, commission Ministers are now agreed. Sir James Allen, very naturally, is anxious that the inquiry should .be Conducted with perfect fairness to his responsible officers, and, perhaps a little quixotically, that any blame there may be to distribute should fall primarily upon his shoulders. His attitude in the latter respect may prove somewhat embarrassing, to his colleagues, who want frankly to get at the heart of things, but it is not going to bring about the Cabinet crisis some people are predicting.

MINISTERS AND HOLIDAYS. Routine work in the public offices has been suspended during the holiday season, but Ministers have been kept busy in various directions. The Prime Minister, accompanied by several officers of the Land Department and the Chairman of 'the Land Purchase Board returned to town Just before Christmas with a large amount of information concerning soldiers' settlement which will be turned to account early in the New Year. Sir Joseph Ward has made two flying visits to the South, taking his work and his office staff with him, and the Hon. A M. Myers has been attending to the affairs of his Department in Auckland. The Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald has been inspecting the State farms and the Hon. G. W. Russell has been occupying himself with the various institutions' under his control. The Hon, A. L. Herdman, preparatory, no doubt, to the more restful sphere that lies before him, has been taking a rational holiday, but the rest of the Ministers have spent the greater part of the festive season in labours only a little less strenuous than those that monopolise their energies in the year round.