WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taihape Daily Times, 14 December 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

ABSENT MINISTERS' PORTFOLIOS THEIR , DISTRIBUTION. | WELLINGTON, Dec 1L # Mr. Massey has made a wide distribution of his portfolios for the term of his absence from the Dominion. Sir James Allen becomes Acting-Prime .. Minister and Acting-Chairman of the&C Efficiency Board, Mr. Hemes takes* charge of the Labour Department, Electoral Department. Mr. MacDcnald of the Board of Trade and Mr. Guthrie of the Industries and Commerce Department, Imperial Supplies and Soldiers' Information Department. It is only when the Prime Minister unloads his burden one realises its magnitude. Sir Joseph Ward's important portfolios are to be held by Mr. MaeDonald, who assumes charge of Post and Telegraphs and the allied institutions, and Mr. Myers, who takes control of the Treasury and all its endless ramifications, perhaps the most exacting task of all. WELLINGTON SOUTH BYELECTION. The by-election for Wellington South is arousing only a languid interest even in the constituency immediately concerned. Neither the Liberal Party nor the Reform Party istaking any official part in the contest. This is in keeping with the spirit of the party truce. It was agreed when the compact was framed that* the Liberals and the Reformers should not oppose one another at byelections and it was through a pure oversight that abstinence from. oppos? ing Labour for seats previously held by their party was not included in the agreement. Labour, of course, took no part in the compact, and it would seem that whichever candidate is returned for Wellington South the strength of parties in the House will remain unchanged. At present it looks as IE Mr. Robert Semple, with the ~assistance of the live Labour organisation, would win by a good margin. THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK. Before leaving for his home yesterday a southern member of the House of Representatives, whose own seat is j regarded as one of the most secure in j the Dominion, stated quite freely bis conviction that it would be disastrous to both the old parties to go to the polls with the "truce" still in ex* istence "The electors," he said, "arelooking for a definite progressive poi' icy and apparently it is impossible i for the Reformers and the Liberals to agree as to the lines upon which such j a policy should proceed. The result j is that we are doing nothing while the j Labour Party is gathering force every j day and- persuading the people it is the only combiantion that has anything to offer to the country." This, briefly, is the view held by a very large number of the House, probably by a majority, and strong representations on the subject were made to both leaders before they left for LonIdon. | THE LIQUOR QUESTION. | But for the moment the ""political outlook is occupying less attention than is the liquor question. The Prohibitionists and their sympathisers, though they did not get all they wanted during the recent session of Parliament, are very jubilant over the acceptance of the principle of the bare majority and the extinction of the four and a-half years' grace previously reserved x for the liquor trade in the event of prohibition being voted. They are not at heart so confident as they profess to be of carrying national 'proW hibition at the poll on the Efficiency Board's proposal in April, but they have high hopes of winning and in the event of defeat they will concentrate their efforts upon securing the application of preferential voting to the three issues to be submitted at subsequent polls.