CURRENT TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, 5 August 1919, Page 5

CURRENT TOPICS.

RA’IILWzAYME-N’S LEAVE, ‘ One can ‘believe almost anything oi _the Railway Dep'a‘.i‘t-ment these days}; “ibiut it coma’ hardly have been believed; it would have done anything so f00:'1-L ishly tactlesg as'it‘s latest action in regard to its employees’ leave and raisin way passes. Admittedly many rai:-l‘-4 Waymen’s le:i’v‘é‘ is-long overdue, sbtifl We think most of thein _Woul_d have pré-4 ferred. to Wait for it a little longer: than to be given it minusx.—t.he'.usualj privilege. To give men‘ a holiday am! tell them tl_lat.,they:rnust spend it. at‘ .home——which is virtually‘ the attitude’ the Department has vtaken—is,‘ however, the way which even a child could tell would lead to trouble. The men ap< pear to regard it‘ as a. challenge from.‘ the Government, and some say ltheyj are prepared to act» accordingly. If the situation should result in a further tying up of the service, it will be the tactlessness of the Department that; will be mostly to blame. It may be, of course, that the Department feels eompelled to give ‘the men a _{holiday, through having no work for them, on’, account of so much engine and rolling_ stock being in the repair shops. If,‘ so‘, however, it is only further evidence of its unfortunate management. The‘ Department has come to a pretty ‘pass, in spite of the high-priced manager" which the Massey Government importeda few years ago, and the latest development does not seem to imply ell thevcommou ‘sense that was hoped for in the new managing head... ‘

LABOUR AND POLITICS. ' The Eltham Argus, which is directed.‘ and controlled by the Hon. W. C. F 4 Carncross (a Strong supporter of Laa bour and at one time 't".’llip for the! Liberal Party in the louse), c-ongrax tulates the member for \Vanganui on‘ his pre-sessioinal speech, and commends his example in addressing the electors to other members of Parliament. Thej Argus suggests that Mr Veit.ch’s utter-< anees are not Without ‘interest, as he’ is generally accredited with being .co'nnected with the Progressive Party, eoneerning which there have been many rumours. Our conteinporary says that the member for VVanganui is rightly classed as being a. representative of “sane” Labour: he is a staunch supporter of Labour, but cannot ‘be driven into the same fold with extremists, who by their fiery utterances do Labour infinitely more harm than good. After I'eferrin,»g in appreciative terms to _various opinions expressed by M 1: Veitch, the Argus has this to say about his State Bank views:--V5/'e fully anti;-a cipate that quite a number of candi-u dates at ‘the general election will favour this position. The public ‘navel seenhow pledging the credit efthe State saved the -monetary ‘institutions! of the Dominion; they have seen hovm the Bank of New Zealand has been‘ piling up Wealth; and they have seen‘ a lavish issue of papermoney. "These; object lessons have affected the public. mind, and there are thousands of peer: ple who at one time scofied at a -State‘ Bank who are new favourably inclined to the establishment of such an instiltution. Mr Veitc-h will not stand alone‘ On this question.’ . ' "