THE WILFORDIAN ACTIVITIES

Taihape Daily Times, 30 May 1918, Page 3

THE WILFORDIAN ACTIVITIES

Mr Tom Wilford is the somewhat different politician. He is unusuali — for a political He is clever, lie is w itty —yet, he even hath brains. When he was a Commoner of the House he was uncommon. And when he became a Cabinet Minister he was quite uncabinetministeria. All Ministers have been so tremendously Cabinetical that they have not had time (or is it inclination?) to be busy in any other direction. Not so tho new Minister of Justice. He has actually broken all records, by organising and presiding over a conference which is investigating the conditions under which wharf labourers work. And so engrossed has he become in this useful enquiry that he actually turned down an important meeting of the Cabinet —because of his duties as Chairman. Now, if that had been Mr. Masseyward or Allenbell, they would have said to the conference: "Well, now, as I've opened this affair for you, carry on! I have a Cabinet meceting." Instead, Cabinet has decided to wait until its Minister of Justice is free from his conference But this does not exhaust the unusual ities of the Wilford. He has actually condescended to give a public lecture —and on the war,, at that! It was all very well for Tom. Wilford. member for the Hutt, to go on giving those highly interesting reviews of the war. But just fancy the Hon. T. M. Wilford Minister of Justice, getting on to the platform as the High Military authority! Shade of Maurice, but what will the War Office'or the Lord High Chief Censor says about it? It was a fine lecture too. Given in Wellington,'of course. It was. an oration on Bnek Tip and Stick It Out. Mr Wilford is the Cheery Optimist, witl? Seasons for Such. He believes in Foch, and would let it go at that. He has faith even in Eussia—has more than a good word for the work the Italians are doing. He would not be down-hearted about the thrust on the western front not even if —(but he 'dwells on tho "if") —the German;; 'reach the Channel ports. Trust the British Navy then. /'Loud applause — Hurrah!). He has no tickets, as they say on Lambton Quay, for Hindcnburg Ludendorff is the Soul (as Hindenburg 'is the Stomach)" of the Hun. A 'whole flood of Wilfordian illumination' was thrown upon the Germanic relations to the Ukraine. The Ukrainians, who had a vast hoard of foodstuffs, most needed boots and clothing. The Bolsheviks could not give these things in exchange for grain, therefore the Ukrainians would have nothing to with Pctrograd or Moscow. The Germans promised footwear and other wearable's for foodstuffs. Come on with your exchanges! But leather and wool and cotton are almost as scarce in Hunland as in Ukrainia itself. And, as the Kaiser's emissaries cannot make good, it does not look as if Fritz in Berlin is going to gather grain from the east. Thus ends another of the pipe-dreams of Wilhelm of Hohenzollern.