WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3471, 27 April 1920, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS

A DISSATISFIED SERVICE.

RAILWAYMEN ’S DEMANDS.

WELLINGTON, April 26.

A report was in circulation on Saturday to the effect that the executive of-the A.S.R.S. had presented an ultimatum to the Prime Minister giving him the choice lbetween an investigation under the Industrial Disputes Act and a strike, with a week in which to make up his mind; Probably the story arose out of the resolution adopted by the Addington branch of the Society at a stopwork meeting held during the morning which represented very closely the inclination -of a majority of the members of the Society here. At any rate, the dispute has not gone to this length yet, "though the men are feeling very much aggrieved by the delay in deal-‘ ing with their demands. Their contention is that they are entitled to a wage thatcwill give them the same; standard of I-iving as they enjoyed before the war and if this is not conceded there probably will be serious trouble. A H ‘ A’

THE APPROACH-I-NG "SESSION. Already there are “indications that the approaching session of ‘Parliament will be a long andtur-bulent one. A Liberal representative ‘of’ a southern constituency who is in Wellington just now, -and who warmly» approves of the Hon. W. D. ‘S. MacDonald’_s conciliatory attitude towards the ‘Gov: ernment, says he expects no ‘such “sporting ‘spirit’ from the ‘‘"’‘extreme winger the Labour Party. He b'elieves there will the bitter and personal criticism directed by Mr Holland and" his colleagues aga.inst'_gthe Governln'ent’s administration during‘ the recess? and that ‘it will be carried to the extreme lengths permitted by the forms of the House Heexpects to hear a great deal about the Samoa malldate, soldiers’ settleimpeut, cost of living and industrial ccsnditions The extremists have got it into ‘tll*.”l'l' heads that the general election showed them to have a gr-eataccessionp of strength and that they need onlyuto make noise enough to secure a decisive advance. THE OLD PARTIES. “ Be this as it may,» the Labour_Party_ plainly is far and away the most active of the political divisions in the Dominion at the present time. Here it is holding open air meetings on every working day of the Week and big gatherings in one of the picture theatres every Sunday. These demonstrations may not mean a great deal of progress, but they are keeping the party alive and probably winning a certain number of converts On‘ the other hand, the Liberals are leaving the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald to flghtl

their battles single-handed and the Refiogmers are relying upon Mr Massey and the other occupants of the Treasury Benches to hold the fort on

their account. Mr Edie received no assistance from the Liberal leaders, beyond their -goodwill, in winning the Bruce seat, and Mr Masters» is. receiving none in the stiff fight he is carrying on at Stratford. Fortunately for his party the latter gentleman seems well able to take care of himself. THE HOUSING PROBLEM.‘

The Labour Partyfs gathering yet?

terday was devoted to a discussion of the housing prdblem and the speakers in addition to finding it a very congenial subject had no difficulty. in producing a number of “horrid examples.” One of them quoted the case of eight families living in one ‘eight-roomed house and described the preparations for the visit of the {Prince of Wales as a “Wicked waste.” The authorities, he "said, were show--”-ing a great deal more concern’ for the luxurious entertainment of one Prince fthan for the bare necessities of thousands of women and children. Another speaker who professed to be acquainted with the poorest'ilual‘tßl'S of the, big cities at‘ Home declared; they icontained no slumss worse than‘ rthose existing in Wellington. Mr P. Fraser, the member for Wellington Central, said the conditions in the ‘City Were a. disgrace to humanity. The _sad part ofv all this is-that°it has very :rr":-1} foundation in fact. '