WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taihape Daily Times, 2 May 1919, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

A BUSY DAY.

(Special Correspondent.)

WELLINGON, April 30

Tho, municipal election? to-day are attracting far more tlian the usual amount of attention. From an early hour convassers have been abroad reminding electors of the importance of the occasion and advising them as to the direction in which they should cast their votes - Motor cars are s<> abundant that neither the nearest nor the farthest “free , and independent” should require to walk to the poll. Everyone is welcome to a ride and not a few people are obtaining three or four or even more. Wellington bears the appearance, indeed, of experiencing a great municipal revival and of having realised at last its responsibilities as the capital city of the Dominion. Whether anything more than the proverbial mouse will come forth from its labour remains to be seen. LIQUOR AND SPORT. Tho liquor question appeared in another phase before the Hutt Licensing Committee yesterday afternoon when an application was made for a temporary license to operate at the races at Trentham on Thursday and Friday. During the war the Wellington Racing Club .at the request of the military] authorities, countenanced no publicans’ bar on its course. But with the altered conditions it proposed to go hack to the old order of things and assumed the Licensing would readily grant the necessary permit_ The committee, however, by a majority of three to two refused the application and Trentham will remain “dry” for the forthcoming meeting at least. There wa s no suggestion that liquor had been abused on tho course, hut apparently a majority of the committee thought abstinence imposed upon race-goers in war time would be good for them in time,of peace. PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

The Hon. G i W. Russell, the Minister of Internal Affairs, is not ignoring the protests of the various branches of the-Returned Soldiers’ Association against Ms refusal to allow patriotic funds intended, as he contends, for the assistance of soldiers and their dependents, to be diverted to the construction of club buildings, but (he Is standing firmly to his guns. In a statement he made this morning he' implied that a good deal of the money subscribed by the public had not been turned to the best advantage and that the statement of acccunl s ho shortly would issue would show this to be the ease. Ho was most anxious to give effect to the wislm s of .the sol-j diers as far as possible, but this would have to be done with a proper regard for the views of the subscribers and the permanent welfare of the soldiers themselves. THE ABSENT MINISTERS. It is being generally assumed here that Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward will be able to leave London early in, June and that they will reach New; Zealand about the end of July. Their pasages by a steamer booked to leave Vancouver on June 21 remain “pencilled’ ’and so far there is no indication that they will not sail by this vessel. Should they adhere to this arrangement there would be nothing to prevent the next session of Parliament opening early in August even if their presence at this function were deemed to be absolutely necessary, and the dissolution being taken a couple of months later. There is no authorita-

five hint that this will bo the programme but people who are putting two and two together, are counting upon the general election being held earlier that the usual time in December.