WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, 30 May 1918, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

LAND FOR SOLDIERS. FARMERS' VIEWS. WELLINGTON, May 29. It was only right and proper, of course, that the delegates attending the Wellington Provincial Conference of the Farmers' Union should express their opinions of the Government's efforts to settle returned soldiers with a very scanty knowledge of the facts. It is quite true that in the neighbourhood of Marton, where the Conference is sitting, there are one or two examples of men having been placed on lan. suited to their capacity and their capital, but these are exceptional cases and it would be unfair to accept them as typical of the class of settlement that is being promoted by the Government. In the Wellington Land District in particular the utmost care has been taken by the Under-Secretary! and the Commission in the selection of both land and settlers, and the proportion of unsatisfactory cases is very small indeed. MODEST BEGINNINGS. But there was good sound sense ia the proposal submitted to the Conference yesterday to the effect that returned soldiers bent upon taking up land should be encouraged to settle on small areas within easy distance of a market. The man with capital and experience, or with friends that stand for both of these qualifications, if he seeks assistance from the Government at all, may be trusted to manage a small grazing run or any similar enterprise requiring a considerable amount of money; but to launch a man of scanty means and scantier experience upon, an undertaking of this sort is simply to invite disappointment and failure. The Conference very wisely set up a committee to report upon soldiers' settlement, and it will be a pity if it is restrained by any false diffidence from making very plain representations to the Government on the whole matter THE GREY ELECTION. Though the Grey by-election which, is in progress to-day promises to be a' doser contest than was at first expected, it is exciting only "the faintest interest in political circles, here. Naturally, the friends of the National Government are hoping for the success of Mr. Coates, but they, realise tbat the Independent Liberal, as this gentleman is generally styled, would |'be by no means a "dumb dog." gifted with ideas of his" own and "with the ability to expres them he would be a good deal more • of the candid friend than of the subservient follower. As for Mr. Holland, old Parliamentary hands smile at the suggestion of his setting the House of Representatives afire. They predict he will find his level just as quickly as isolated firebrands have in the past and after a session or two, if the present Parliament endures so long, will cheerfully accept the inevitable. THE SECOND DIVISION.

The delay in announcing the Government's decision in regard to the repatriation proposals of the Second Division League may indicate that Ministers have not yet reached unanimity on the subject themselves. Sic James Allen evidently had made up his mind a couple of days ago as to how far the Cabinet should go in meeting the proposals of the League, but some of his colleagues, perhaps -without the same sense of responsibility, are known to be disposed to go a little further and no none can say what the ultimate determination will be. The Hon. A. M. Myers, who would have to be consulted as Minister of Finance, and the Hon. T. M. Wilfofd, are away from town to-day, and it is quite possible no announcement will be made before the end of the week. In the meantime the president of the Farmers' Conference at Marton is insisting the married Reservists and their dependents are receiving quite enough.

"WILL JOHN BULL BE SENSIBLE?" The Huns cannot forgive Britain for refusing to acknowledge that U-boats "spell her doom." Admiral Kalau Von Hofe, in the Vossische Zeitung," says: "So long as our U-boats reap an average daily booty of, about 10,000 tons there can be no question of any easing to say nothing of an improvement, of the economic woe which is steadily sapping British strength. Our U-boats have seen nothing of the great American help which Geddes talks about, Will it be very much longer, now, beV fore John Bull becomes sensible?"