WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1916, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE PARTY COMPACT. ■PREPARATIONS AT PAHIATUA. (From Our Special Correspondent). Wellington, August 2. It appears that the party truce is not to save Pahiatua from the throes of a contested election in filling the seat in Parliament rendered vacant by the death of Mr. Escott. Of course, the coin-, pact between the party leaders not to invade one another's territory during the course of the war will prevent the Liberals entering the field, but Mr. R. B. Ross, who held the seat from 1003 to l'Jll, and was defeated by Mr. Escott in tlie latter year by only ]SS votes in a poll of 0323, has announced his intention to stand as an Independent, and it is quite on the cards that the Labor Party, for educative purposes, as its leader ivould put it, will nominate a candidate. The Reformers have lost no time in bringing forward their champion, a Mr. G. 11. Smith, who contested the seat in ISO!) and was handsomely beaten by Mr. J. O'Mcara, wlio had held it in the Liberal interests in the previous Parliament and retained it till his death in 1004. The promptness with which Mr. Sv ith was ''unanimously selected," undtr the stage management of the principal party whip, suggests indeed that the Reform organisation has suffered nothing from the temporary suspension of its aggressive activities.

MINISTERS AND PARTIES. It is assumed here that Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward will be required to observe the same secrecy in making final arrangements for their trip Home as Mr. Hughes, the Commonwealth Prime Minister, was when he started out on a similar mission. Neither the date of their departure nor the route they will take will be announced, and days may elapse before the mere people know they are actually out of the country. That they arc really going, however, sometime before the end of the year may be judged from the fact that caucuses of the parties have been held lately at which the question of leadership has been discussed. At the Liberal caucus yesterday, Sir Joseph Ward, in reply to a blunt enquiry on the subject, emphatically denied the rumor that he was contemplating taking up his permanent residence in London, and his assurance of his determination to remain with the Liberal Party in New Zealand as long as lie could serve it was received with very cordial applause. It is understood that a similar statement has been drawn from Mr Massey by his, supporters, and that the stories of high Imperial distinctions to be conferred upon the two travellers have been entirely discredited.

THE HIGH COMMISSIONER. According to the Hon. A. T. Maginnity, there is much disappointment among people interested in ine matter at the appointment of the High Commissioner to the Dardanelles Commission. The new councillor wants to know if the appointment was made with the consent and approval of the Government, and if the correspondence dealing with the subject will be laid or the table of the Council. He had questions to this eli'cct on the Order Paper yesterday, and supported them with quito a lengthy speech before the Hon. J. T. Paul intervened with a point of order, and Sir Francis Bell explained that just then the Government could not give publicity to its communications with the Imperial authorities. Mr. Maginuity's point seemed to be that the Prime Minister or the Minister of Finance, or both of them, should have been appointed to the Commission, not "a subordinate officer of the Crown." but by some means or another, and probably without any such intent, he gave many people the impression that he was "Hinging off" at Sir Thomas Mackenzie in a partisan spirit. Tiie general opinion is that Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward will find plenty to do during their visit to London without waiting on the Dardanelles Commission for weeks on end. THE END IN SIGHT.

Business proceeded apace in the House yesterday, and at one time it looked as If the Prime Minister, in spite of the mrprise sprung upon him by Mr. Sidey, would be able to "close up" to-night. The "Washing-up" Bill contained a dozen or two Bills in tabloid form, ran its remaining course through committee without any serious interruption, was read a third time and passed in a couple of hours or so. But the War Herniation* Bill fared scarcely so well, from i".e Government's point of view. Mr. Isitt, with a studied explanation of the misunderstanding between Sir Joseph Ward and himself initiating a debate on the third reading which occupied a weary House for another three hours. Then Mr. Russell put the Cinematograph Censorship Bill through all its stages mainly with the assistance of Mr. Witty and My. Payne, who extracted a promise from the' Minister that he would have the Bill amended in the Legislative Council if their protests against worn-out films, known as* "junks," being foisted on the public were sustained by the experts. The Order Paper was practically cleared so far as public business was concerned shortly before midnight, when the House adjourned, but a good deal remains to be done before the Government can send members home with an easy conscience, and probably the prorogation will be delayed till Friday or Saturdavi