WELLINGTON NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1915, Page 3

WELLINGTON NOTES.

TOO MANY DEPARTMENTS. (From Our Own Correspondent,) Wellington, Sept. 17. The demand for economy has not been stressed in Parliament during the present session, even in connection with the Estimates showing a substantial in : crease in ordinary expenditure at a time of falling revenue and heavy war charges. But one or two members of the House have been trying to discover why it is necessary for the Railways Department and the Tourist Department each to maintain a costly office in a central part of Wellington for the sale of tickets and assistance of travellers. Obviously, the business could all be done in one building. The reason why an amalgamation is not arranged, according to the Minister for Railways, is that "the Railways Department does its business, and the Tourist Department does its business." In other words, two public departments, each maintained at the cost of the general public, cannot work together because their officials are paid from different votes on the public accounts. The incident throws light upon the statement of the Public Service Commissioners that the dominion has too many State Departments.

TRICKY TRENTHAM. The Minister for Defence says that there is no cause for alarm in connection with the growth of the hospital list at Trenthara camp during the last few weeks, since the place began to get full again. After all the discussion that has raged around this camp, and the heavy expenditure that has been incurred in making improvements, the Minister ought to be quite sure of the position. But it may be worth while remarking that he made the same reassuring statements on a previous occasion, when, aB a matter of faet, the camp was in a very bad state, and that the colds and influenza that are reported from Trentham are very similar to the troubles that were experienced before. Certainly it seems an extraordinary thing to the laymen—and to some of the doctors as well—that groups of young men of good health and physique should begin to have ailments as soon as they get into camp. The matter is now in the hand 9 of Surgeon-General Henderson, who has spent all his time since his arrival in the dominion putting himself into touch with the dominion's military arrangements.

PARLIAMENT'S BUSINESS. The Taxation Bills have not yet made their appearance, a fact that may or may not indicate the readiness of the Government to accept some of the suggestions made by members of the House in the course of the debate upon the Financial Statement. The consideration of the Estimates will probably be completed to-night, and there is talk in some quarters of bringing the session to a close within three weeks. But the completion of the work in so short a period Beems scarcely possible. In addition to the taxation Bills, there is the National Registration Bill to be considered. Several other Government Bills are awaiting the attention of the House. Then the Railways Statement and the Public Works Statement are to bo brought down, and the House has been promised a chance to discuss the Trentham Camp Commission report, besides one or two other matters. Certainly members do business very rapidly under present conditions when they apply themselves to work, but they are not prepared to take everything for granted.