WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, 19 March 1918, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE SHIPPING OUTLOOK.

RELIEF NOT IN SIGHT

(Special Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, March 18.

During his visit to Foxton on Saturday the Prime Minister referred less optimistically than has been his wont to thy .shipping outlook. He could not promise a speedy improvement in the position and he implied it might be even worse before it was better. But, of course, he was hopeful. The Government was doing its best and the Imperial authorities were doing their best, and between them they ought to find a way out of the difficulty. In the meantime the plain duty of New Zcalarul was to increase its productions in every direction possible and to prepare for the keen competition that would follow upon the conclusion of the war. Business men in Wellington heartily endorse Mr. Massey's appeal to the farmers, but they view with some misgivings the. accumulations of stacks in the country and are discussing quite seriously Captain Whitney's suggestion that some of the vessels bow used as coal hulks in the various ports should be refitted for sea service. AMERICAN COMPETITION. It is a matter of comman talk here that the acute shortage of shipping in New Zealand is largely due to America's entrance into the war and its stupendous efforts to keep its European Allies supplied with foodstuffs. A voyage across the Atlantic even in present conditions is a very much less tedious and no more hazardous undertaking than a voyage from Wellington to London, and in her present straits the Mother Country must get what she wants from the source that can supply it most quickly. There is no need to take a pesimistic view of this neve' factor in the position, as both. America and. ■ Britain are straining every nerve to provide all the shipping required but if New Zealand suffers some inconvenience and, loss from the absence of shipping facilities it must look upon them as part of' its share in the fll"'" fortunes of the war. So far, | as Mr. Massey pointed out at Foxton, ! it has escaped many of the burdens i and all the calamities that have fallen i upon"'other parts of the Empire.

R RETURNING SOLDIERS.

'Whether the very strong language employed by the Mayor of Auckland in denouncing the inadequacy of the arrangements made by the notary authorities for the reception of the returned soldiers in the "Queen City" on Friday was justified or not, it will be easier to say when the men's own account of their treatment is availBut meanwhile people here are recollecting that on one or two occasions lately there have been loud complaints of unconscionable 'delays* in giving their waiting friends access to the returning heroes. The trouble seems to have arisen from a number of formalities—medical examinations, inspection of luggage, checking of pay-books and so forth —being postponed till the transports are alongside the wharf. Sir James Allen has undertaken to make full inquiry into the Auckland trouble and perhaps his inestigation will lead to the adoption of saner and more convenient methods.

NATIONAL EFFICIENCY BOAKD.

The announcement, that the National Efficiency Board is about to undertake a thorough investigation of the education system of the Dominion has created a good deal of surprise among people acquainted with the vast amount of more urgent and practical work that remains for the members of the F?oard to do. That the education system requires over-hauling everyone with knowledge admits, but it has not been supposed the B'card had any special qualifications for this task # The "New Zealand Times" this morning reflects a large volume of local opinion when it suggests that if the members have tired of the hum-drum duties allotted to them by their order of reference they might turn their attention profitably to an investigation of the public service which in some respects has fallen into a sad state of disrepair under the stress, of war. But judging from the reports of some of the district committees there are less complex troubles throughout the country calling aloud for the healing hand of the Board.