WELLINGTON NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 June 1915, Page 7

WELLINGTON NOTES.

POLITICAL " SPRING-CLEANING

(Prom Our Own Correspondent). 1

Wellington, June 18. The usual "spring-cleaning" has been in progress at (Parliament House during tie last week or two, anil the building is now practically ready to receive the memlbers when they reach Wellington next week. The opening of Parliament is fced for Thursday, but it is understood 'that the Government, as well as the Opposition, will hold a caucus, probably on Wednesday, and somo of the members have arranged to arrive here at the beginning of the 'Week. One still hears occasional suggestions af a political crisis and so on, but the impression deejxrii's that the first few weeks of the session, at any rate, are going to be quite peaceful. Of course there would be trouble if Mr. Tau Henar'e failed the Government after :Mr. F. W. Lang had been re-elected 'Speaker, leaving the native mem'ber to constitute the Ministerial majority. But Mr. Henare's present allegiance to the Reform party is being taken for {[ranted just now, and the statement of the (Prime Minister on the sulbject seems to leave no room for doubt. A majority Oif one will riot place tlie Government in anything like a secure position if controversial legislation v mHikes its appearance at a later stage of the session, but no dou'bt the position will become clearer after the House of Representa/tives "finds itself." The point of immediate interest is whether or not the Prime Minister will take his opportunity Tight at the beginning of the session to put himself in a sound and strong position by offering definite terms of truce to the Opposition. II he were to suggest some fair basis o>f compromise and the Opposition refused to come half-way to meet him, the country would know where to put the blame for party quarrels. But the Opposition would not refuse. On the other hand, the attitude of tlie Ministry -will be ncitheir strong nor dignified if the Prime Minister, with a decidedly uncertain majority Ibcliind him, suggests that the Government ought to be allowed to proceed on its own ■course care-free while the Opposition makes all the political sacrifices.

"'MOKE SENTIMENT THIAX SENSE!" A local ironmaster told your correspondent the other day Hint the demand for the production orf munitions in New s'ealand had "morc-scntiment than sense about it," and there certainly is sometiling to :be said for this view. It would be 'very gratifying if the. Dominion could send tile Motherland a few shiploads of shells and cartridges, to say nothing of rifles and guns, 'but it does not appear that we can do much useful work in this direction. The production of munitions demands (1) special machinery, (2) highly skilled labor, and (3) raw materials. New Zealand has none of these necessaries. It is possible that the existing lathes at the railway woiTcshnpa and some of the private engineering shops could be used for the turning of shells if metal were available and the castings were produced, but the quality of the finished article would tend to be uncertain —and there must be no uncertainty in work of this kind. The manufacture of munitions is one of the most highly specialised crafts in the world. As for the (purchase of machinery and the importation of some experts, those steps are out of the question at the present time. The Mother Country needs every artisan and every machine that she, possesses or can manufacture, and she is drawing supplies from the United States and elsewhere as rapidly, as possible. There is good commonsense about the suggestion of the Hon. 11. J\ AVigram, who urges that the business of Now Zealand is to specialise upon her own great industry, the production of foodstuffs. The Empire will want every pound of meat and every ounce of butter and cheese that the Dominion can export during the next year or two. Your correspondent mentioned the munitions question to-day to Ihe Minister of Defence, and Mr. Allen said again that he.was watching for an opimi'tunity to do something useful. Isut he made no secret of his impression that the 'Dominion could not help the I'.myiire by attempting a task for which facilities were not available.