WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taihape Daily Times, 30 December 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

CHRISTMAfeIDE. A A SUBDUED FESTIVAL. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, December 27. Though Christmastide found Wellington practically free from the influenza epidemic, with peace in sight and still in the enjoyment of its fullwar prosperity, the city did not celebrate the festival with its usual gusto. The shopping was as big as ever, at considerably enhanced prices, and the crowds in the streets were as well dressed, well fed and well looking as usual. But there was less travelling about, smaller gatherings at the holiday resorts and fewer public entertainments. The fact of the matter is Wellington had been vastly sobered and subdued by the pestilence that had stalked in its midst for two long, weary, nervewracking months. It had no heart for boisterous rejoicing. The seasonable greetings were exchanged with a little added fervour, and> family gatherings seemed a little less casual and the churches were a little better filled. The community, in short, took itself and the things that matter in. life more seriously, and was none the worse for the-change. PICTURE SHOWS.

In its zeal for the country's welfare, led on and stimulated by theMinister of Public Health, Parliament decreed during the "rush" session that there should be a considerable break between the afternoon and evening programmes at the picture shows —that continuous pictures, indeed, no longer should be continuous. The proprietors protested from the first that the restriction would impose much inconvenience upon their patrons and quickly prove disastrous to their business. But Parliament, trusted the Minister, and the Minister was obdurate. Now the . Government; is discovering that the proprietors were right—that the decree is going, to occasion a great deal of friction without serving any useful purpose, and that a way out of an extremely embarrassing dilema must be foundFailing this, the public will get poorer shows at higher prices without: approaching any nearer to immunity from infection. . - UNEMPLOYMENT.

The reiteration of gloomy predictions of-an over-crowded labour mar- ■ ket in the near future —when the soldiers begin returning from the Front. •■« in their thousands —has induced the -Jk secretary of the Labour Department.? to speak plainly on the subject. There: \ is no difficulty, he says, in effect/in obtaining employment for men whoreally want work and who will throw themselves into a job with a deter- • ruination to succeed. For this sort of labour the demand is far in excess of the supply, and always will be-. But the man who will not learn, whowants high wages for little service, ■•.. and who moves from place to .place in search of conditions no employer .. will give him, is not in demand anj--where. Enquiries among employers themselves bring the same story, " There is plenty of work to do and a constant demand for willing hands. THE EPIDEMIC COMMISSION. The appointment of Mr. D. McLaren as the third member of the Commission set up by the Minister of Health to "enquire into the epidemic" is officially announced as "a recognition of the right of Labour to be represented upon the investigatory body." The other members of the Commission are Sir John Dennison and the Hon. E. Mitchelson, two very capable gentlemen who have rendered excellent service to the country in other capacities. But just at the moment the j public is less interested in the person- J[nel of the Commission than it is curious as to the character of the work it is to undertake. If Sir John Denniston and his colleagues are to discharge their trust at all thoroughly they will have to sit long and expend a large sum of money, and the publio is at least entitled to know what return the community will obtain from their labours.