WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, 12 March 1918, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE HAPPY FAMILY.

PEACE REIGNS.

(Special Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, March 11

The official statements published in connection, with the transfer of the control of institutions for returned sick and wounded soldiers from the Public Health Department to the Defence Department make it abundantly clear that the recent rumours of serious Cabinet dissaonsions were by no means without foundation. It is plain enough now though the whole of the facts have not yet been disclosed, that the Defence Department and the Health Department had been at daggers drawn long before the Cabinet was compelled to intervene. The Minister ofHealth did not approve of the methods of the Minister of Defence and the Minister of Defence warmly resented the interference of the Minis - tr of Health, with the result that a great deal of feeling w r as provoked on both sides and many curt memoranda exchanged between the two Ministers and the members of their staffs. THE * CLIMAX. When the position became intolerable, the interests of the country as well as the dignity of Cabinet suffering, Sir Francis Bell and Mr. J. A. Hanan w r ere appointed as a committee to examine the position and upon their report the change in control was made. No charge of inefficiency or of lack of attention to the needs of the soldiers wms brought against the Health Department, indeed in this respect Mr. Russell’s office came out of the investigation with flying colours, but the friction between the two authorities was so great and so constant it was determined the system, of dual control could not continue. Under the new arrangement Mr. Russell will return to his old position of Minister of Health, haying, control of all..civil..fees-, pitals and sanatoria, and 1 Sir Allen will resume charge of all military institution of, this, description. i DIVIDED SERVICES. In., a (1 ..statement ’furnished tjp Jfrhe newspapers Mr. Russell has quite plain that the Inspector-General of Hospitals has not been contributing to the harmonious working of the system that has just broken down. “The friction,’ * the minister states, “has been largely created and augmented by the fact that'one of the officers ’of the Public Health Department, ihe jtn-spector-General of Hospitals, also the position of Director of”ljljilitary Hospitals, as a Defence appointment,, the result being that, very__ large extent the control 'of kick. Jhltl J

wounded mien lias been taken but’ ’'of my bands .and exercised by officials.” This gives colour to a statement that is finding wide credence here to the effect that the Minister and Inspectorate not on speaking terms, except in their strictest official capacity, and that the public interests are suffering very much in consequence, However, this may bo there is a strong ’feeling growing up against responsible members of the Civil Service being associated with military activities, THE EFFECT. Just how happy Mr. Massey’s “happy family” may remain no one can say. In practice Sir James Allen’s control of military hospitals and sanatoria necessarily will mean official control. Sir James is far too much occupied by other pressing matters to give his personal attention to the hundred and one details Mr. Russell has been supervising. Officialism is not in particularly good odour at the present time and if it should fail in the present instance it Will not be spared by the critics. Of course the discussion of these 1 subjects in Cabinet took a much wider range than can be indicated here". It is rumoured that Ministers had before them a communication inpugning the loyalty of one of their number to his colleagues and that this led to a heart-to-heart talk which was not altogether without effect upon the subsequent decisions of the majority. It is quite possible the author of the communication may hear further, as the phrase goes, from the Ministers concerned.