WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, 4 January 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

(*■ NEW YEAR APPEALS, »

CO UR AGE. DETERMINATION, SACSIFTCE. (Special Corrorpoiicent.l ' -■ 1 WELLINGTON, January 2. Ministers of the Crown in this country are not always happy in the set pieces they prepare for great occasions. The imagination of Mr. Lloyd George, the force of Mr. Bonar Law, literary grace of Mr Arthur Balfour are hcavon-born gifts rarely vouehsaved to Now Zealand statesmen. Joseph Ward, and in no less degree, Mr. Arthur Myers, have struck the right notes of courage, determination and sacrifice that ought to be resounding throughout, the Empire as it enters upon tv hat we all may hope will be the last stage in the suppression of Prussian militarism and the triumphant vindication of justice and freedom. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance obviously realise the magnitude of the task before Britain and her 'Allies more fully than they did three years ago, but their confidence,'l fortified by knowledge • and achievement, remains, unshaken, and by its very restraint becomes more re-assur-ing. Their seasonable words ring true and will give a now impetus to the national effort.

A remarkable feature of the complaints that are reaching the Direc-tor-General of Medical Services in regard to the medical examination of Second Division reservists is that they arc coming in about equal numbers from people who hold that the examination is not searching enough and from people who hold that it is toosearching. On one side it is alleged that men quite unable to stand thenecessary training, for service are being sent into camp and on the other that men with only trifling ailments are being summarily rejected, usually to their own satisfaction. General Henderson when seen about the matter this morning said that the fitness or unfitness of a reservist, whether belonging to the First Division of the Second Division, was a question for the Medical Board of the particular district to decide but he would be prepared to look into any specific case that might be brought under his notice. The military authorities wanted every fit man liable to service they could secure, but they certainly did not wish to put the country to the expense of enrolling unfit men. THE POLITICAL PULL. \

The discussion of the qualifications and constitution of the Medical Beards has been perhaps inevitably, accompanied by suggestions of partiality on the part of some of the medical gentlemen serving on these bodies. If half the stories flying about the country are to bo credited, it ought net to be difficult to produce scores of specific cases for General Henderson's personal investigation. But two or threecases that have been looked into independently, without the intervention of the Director-General, have proved to bo entirely without reproach. One hale and hearty looking man of thirtyfive, whose rejection was alleged'to b© due to a “political pull” he was able to exercise, was shown by indisputable medical evidence to bo suffering from a trouble which would not allow him to perform even the lightest duties associated with home service. The average margin this condition is not anxious to advertise his weakness to the world.

LAND FOR SOLDIERS. The Minister of Lands and his advisers seem to have realised at last that after the war one of the greatest services the returning soldiers can. render to the country will be in creasing its production of marketable commodities. Their early efforts were directed Rewards ! the acqugsitjfon pf largo areas of cheap land on which' soldiers, with considerable assistance from the State, could raise sheep and cattle, in just about the same numbers as they are being raised now. “Dear land,” good land, that is, was out of the question, But constant iteration by men acquainted with the facts and practical demonstration have now satisfied the Minister and the officers of hjis Department that (small holdings and intense cultivation offer much bet* ter chances of success to the returning army of farmers than do broad aersa and the casual pastoral life. The members of the Land Purchase Board are now inspecting several blocks of land suitable for settlement of this de* scription and already have acquired one or two admirably adopted for thd purpose for which they are intended*