WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1915, Page 7

WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

THE DOMINION LOAN. ENLISTMENTS. THE BOARD OF TRADE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Oct. 15. The prospectus of the public works loan, which has already found its way into print, will be issued formally on Monday. It will he accompanied by one or two other documents, including a statement by the Minister for Finance regarding the reasons for issuing the loan locally, and the desirability of ready contribution! The indications are that the loan is going to be very successful. Already applications for large sums have reached the Minister, and it is evident that companies as well as individuals are preparing to contribute. A portion of the money at present in the hands of patriotic societies will be J«vested in the debentures. If the Dominion van raise two millions locally at the comparatively low rate of interest proposed (4M> per cent.), the public generally will have every reason to be gratified with the implied assurance or national confidence in the financial position. It is rather perplexing that, in face of the insistent demand for recruits, the Defence Department still withholds exact information regarding the state of the lists and the rate of enlistment in the various districts. The information has been asked for again and again by the recruiting organisations, as well as by the newspapers. The official reply is always vague and unsatisfactory. If the Defeiree authorities are anxious to spare the feelings of districts which have not provided a fair quota of men, their silence may be explained, but they are not helping to apply pressure in the right quarters. The results of inquiries made by your correspondent suggest rather thai the Defence Department is by no means sure of the position, the ordinary census returns having been found to be misleading as far as the proportions of men of military age in given districts are concerned, and is waiting, therefore, for the information that will be provided by the National Register. There is some cause for anxiety, in the meanwhile, regarding* the November drafts of men. The Defence Minister wants 3500 men to go into camp early nest month and probably not half the number are on the lists.

Cabinet has not yet made the final arrangements in connection with the proposed Board of Trade, and the new body is not likely to come into existence much before the end of the year. In the meantime, applications for seats on the Board are coming to hand from all quarters, and it is evident that when the salaried positions have been advertised and all the replies have reached the Government, the task of selection will be a fairly difficult one. There seems to be a disposition in some quarters to assume in advance that the Board of Trade will not succeed in reducing the cost of living. A member of the Ministry, mentipning this matter, said he thought people were judging the scheme too hastily. Everything would depend upon the constitution of the Board and the faithfulness of the Cabinet in giving effect to the Board's recommendations. He saw no reason why the new commissioners should not be efficient, courageous men, and he was quite sure that the Ministry wa3 sincerely anxious to discover practical methods of helping the consumers and checking exploitation.