NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1916, Page 6

NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.

HORSES FOR THE, REINFORCEMENTS. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Wellington, Jan. 28. When tin l New Zealand Government accepted an order froriv the War Office a few weeks ago for 2500 horses, over and above the number required for the New Zealand forces, the authorities here asked that public attention should not be drawn to the transaction. The farmer is as patriotic as the next man, but if he knows that the Government is in the market lor a very large number of horses lie is'apt the price a little. The officers of the. Stock Department have been buying the horses in various parts of the country and it is reported to-day that the Government has in> hand or under offer nearly the whole number required, The prices paid have been generous, but not unreasonably high. One of the purchasing officers told your correspondent the other day that the supply of horses suitable for army purposes in New Zealand is holding out surprisingly well. There has been no difficulty at all up to the present time in getting all the horses required, and indications suggest that further large purchases can be made without much trouble.

REFORM OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

Referring to nis scheme of reform in the Education Department, the Minister for Education said to-day that economies in administration must not be understood to mean reduced effectiveness. He trusted, indeed, that the reforms he had mentioned, and others he had in contemplation, were going to benefit the children as well as the public finances, "t am endeavouring," said the Minister, | "to curtail the expenditure of the Department in directions where I think it can be done without impairing efliciency. Some of the money that will be saved by cutting down expenditure I hope will be used in other directions with better I value to the State and to others concerned." The Minister mentioned that he was securing the assistance of an officer of the Agricultural Department in connection with the farms attached to various industrial schools connected with the Education Department. ( He wanted to secure expert advice regarding the working of those farms.

LABOR AND CONSCRIPTION OF WEALTH. The Labor Conference has produced the expected anti-conscription manifesto. But the manifesto has to be read in the light of the fact that the extremists who summoned the conference would have been very much less reasonable in their tone if they had been able to get all their own way. The gathering was not unanimous and its decision need not, and should not, be interpreted to mean that a majority of the workers represented would prefer defeat in the war to conscription. The paragraphs referring to the "conseiption of wealth" will be decided in many quarters as "Socialistic nonsense." But is there not an element of reason in what the workers have said, a little intemperately perhaps? This country is demanding that its men should take up' arms and help to fight the nation's battles. But it says that it cannot afford to- pay the widow more than 25s a week and the orphan more than 5s a week. It requires the married soldier to support his wife and family on a total wage, including separation allowance, of 6s a day. The workers say that in comparison with the sacrifice the man is asked to make, the war taxation imposed on wealth is a mere nothing. They say that the country which asks them to" lay down their lives is wealthy enough to see that their dependants are provided for adequately.