WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 August 1916, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

(PAIIIATUA ELECTION '(Erom Our Own Correspondent Wellington, August 11. Notwithstanding tlio very explicit statements made by ifr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward or: the subject, thpve serins still to be some misunderstanding as to the attitude of the two main political parties towards the Pahiatua by-elec-tion, Several newspapers have referred to the matter as if the appearance of Mr. Ti. Ti. Ross in Die contest was a breach of the agreement between the party leaders, but thorc is not the slightest ground for this assumption. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance have done everything within their power to give effect to the spirit of the compact between the parties. That, of course, was expected from botli of them. But Mr. Ross, while standing as an Independent Liberal and a supporter of the National Cabinet, denies the right of any leader to interfere with the choice of the electors in this fashion, and a good deal might be said on broad democratic grounds in support of his contention. Hut obviously the existence of the National Cabinet depends upon tlio maintenance of the party truce, and just as obviously tlio party truce could not endure if the parties (lew at one another's throats every tini" a casual vacancy in Parliament had to be filled, TjAEOR AND LICENSE. Tie position in Pahiatua is complicated to some extent by the presence of a Labm candidate in the Held, and by the .Reform candidate's declaration in favor of the bare majority and a referendum on the licensing question. Labor declined to subscribe to the party truce, and to accept representation in the National Cabinet, and is. therefore, free to do what >t pleases in this contest or in any other contest of the kind that may arise. Hut while not specially well-dis-posed towards the no-license movement, it is pledged tc- the bare majority and' the referendum, and may find itself helping the Independent candidate, who is frankly opposed to further concessions being made to the prohibitionists, by diverting votes from .Mr. 3mii.li. Then Mr. MeC'ombs, tie member for Lvttciton, is in tlio constituency carrying on the campaign commenced by the lion, J. T. Paul on be hull of the La'bor candidate and he will have to satisfy his prohibition friends that .Mr. McFarlanc, with only an academic regard for majority rule, would serve their interests in Parliament as well as would the Reform candidate. Altogether .this election appears to present as many cross, problems as three-cornered contests usually do. CAMPS AND CAMPERS Many stories rife again concerning the health of the men at Fcathcrston and Trentham. The wet, cold weather of the last three or four weeks ha: made the conditions in both camps e.xiremelv disagreeable, and it would r.o' be surprising if the amount of sickness had niatei ially increased. But the Minister or Defence denies that anything of the kind lias happened, and tile official returns'support his denial. , Probably the fact that the medical authorities have been devoting very special attention to the camps during the last month as a precautionary measure lias given rise tc many of the prevalent rumors and the disposition towards grumbling which bad weather provokes may account for the rest.| The oHe thing certain is that the medical service under the direction of (lencral Henderson is as complete and eflicient as the ingenuity of the trained mind and practical experience can make it. It is still debatable whethei or not Trentham is the best site that could have been found for a military camp from a health point of view, but everything possible has been done to repair any defects it may present in this r>-s-pect. ' | STATE CONTROL

The advocates of Stale control here, who claim to oe ready with a bettor means than prohibition for tlie removal of the evils of the liquor traffic, make light of Mr. Isitt's objection to their reform. On the clo-ing day of the session, commenting upon some remarks made by Mr. Wilford. the member for Christchureli .North said that substituting community interest for private interest would be like jumping out of the frying pan into the lire. "The trade," he protested, '"would develop into the most effective political machine ever seen here. Tammany of New York is simply the development of the saloon." "This," said one of the State controllists today, "is so characteristic of Mr. Isitt. One of the sanest men in the House on almost every other question, 011 the liquor question he is the most illogical. The trade already is the most effective political machine in New Zealand, and Tammany is a product of private arrogance anil greed, not of State control." But the point this critic wishes to make is that at present it is not a question whether .State control is a good thing or a bad thing, but whether this additional issue should be placed upon the ballot paper. lie wants to know how Mr. Isitt as a good Democrat can deny the people an extended choice.

COST OF LIVTX'Ci. The Board of Trade obtained such a bold advertisement from the eulogies of tlie 'Prime Minister anl the Minister of Finance during the latter days of the session that it ought to be kept busy (luring the recess. Its members have just returned from visits to Wanganui and New -Plymouth, where they were able to render good service to a large body of consumers .without quarrelling with anyone. Next week they will go dgwn to Ch; istclum-h ami probably on to Dunedin, where certain prices have shown a disposition to mount up unduly. The. Hoard is still hampered in its operations by the Minister's rather narrow conception of its functions, hut now Mr Massey has frankly recognised the value of tin* work it Ims done he may see his way to enlarge its powers. Locally there has. been another rise in the price of lmtte;, not. justified even by the law of supply and demand, and this surely is a devolopinent the Minister might meet with an exhaustive enquiry, if only to set the public mind at rest.