WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taihape Daily Times, 24 September 1919, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS

N THE GRATUITIES SCHEME. ’ TIME FOR CONSIDERATION. (Special Correspondent.) ‘ WELLINGTON, Sept. 22. i Whatever may have been his inten- “ tion when the soldiers’ gratuities 7 scheme was submitted to the House on Friday then’-Prime Minister was reasonable enough when the Opposition asked for time to consider the Government’s proposals. Probably Mr Massey was right when he said -he had a sufficient majority behind him to push the scheme through forthwith, the question not bein'g7‘a party one, but -he accepted Sir J ohif Findlay’s suggestion . for an'adjoul-nment with good grace,

and during the intervals between the e. afternoon and evening sittings any feeling that had been provoked by the earlier debate had evaporated. The arrangement now is that the scheme will be discussed on Wednesday and Thursday, and the probabilities are that the proposal for the payment oi‘ I—6 a day to the-‘soldiers will be confirmed_ A’ minority may stand for 2/’ a day, but, as far as can be gathered from lobby gossip, it majority, having in view the vast obligations assumed by the Dominion in connection with the war, will confirm the Governments’ proposal . . THE SO'LDIEP.S,’ VIEVV. Just how far the monster deputation that waited upon Ministers I'epreSel'it--ed the considered opinion of the soidiers it is difficult to say, but it is certain that a very large body of the ’ men are opposed to ‘extracting a higher ~gratuity from the Government at the ‘ point of the bayonet. They feel that the payment. whatever its amount, is free gift from the country and that it is for the representatives of the givers and not for the recipients to determine how much‘ it shall be. Meanwhile there is some misunderstanding in connection with the proposal to pass the payments to the men through the Post Office Savings Bank. Some of the critics ofthe scheme are declaring this arrangement will prevent the men « obtaining -any immediate benefit from the payment, but as a matter of fact the cash will be at their disposal T direétly the scheme is adopted. ’ THE ELECTIONS. ‘

Both the old parties appear to be particularlrfortunate in finding a number of capable men tostand in their interests at the approaching election. The Liberals, who confess themselves they were not very happy in this respect five years ago, seem likely__to be much better represented on this’ occasion. _Mr Sidey, who would have been a very real loss to the party, has been induced to reconsider his determination to retire from Dunedin South, and severafnew men of parts have consented to take the field in the same interests. There also is a revival of en» thusiasm on the Reform side ‘of politics and Mr Massey’s difficulty is like-_ ly to be rather in making a choice between the candidates offering than in beating up recruits. Labour, With its superior organisation, is never at a loss for men te carry its banner at the polls and already it has at filll;contingent of champions at its disposal TRAIN SERVICES.

Mr Massey’s announcement that the normal railwafir services will be resumed on Monday next——a week hens-e—— has been received with very great satisfaction here. Wellington, as the principal distributing centre of the Dominion, probably has suffered more than any other of the large cities from the restrictions of the past. month or two and its patience was just upon the brealiing point. No doubt the railway authorities have done their best, but people who nave been suffering serious inconvenience and heavy loss from the dislocated trafiic have not been inclined to regard this best as being nearly as good as it might have been. The determination of essential and non-essential traffic has been exasperatingly erratic and the permit system has not operated fairly. ‘Trains ‘have been compelled to make long Waitsat stations to‘ conform to the time-table and there has been an 'utter disregard for the importance and urgency of mails.