WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1916, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

AFTER THE WAR. TUE POLITICAL SOLDIER, (From Our Own Correspondent). Wellington, October 4. There is much talk here, among civilians as well as among men returned from the front, of the rise of a "Soldiers' Party/' that is going to revolutionise the political life of this country and give it a significance and a distinction it lias not possessed in the past. Just how the soldiers are, going to accomplish in the twinkling" of an eye what two generations of civilians have failed to achieve in six or seven decades the promoters of the movement have not yet explained, tat thev are satisfied a new force is about to enter New Zealand politics and to awake itself 'heard and felt in the constituencies and. in Parliament. Already the question of a leader is being discussed, the name of an officer in high command now serving with some distinction being more I frequently mentioned, than any other, [and a policy is being shaped in the minds or some enthusiasts. There is to be no parleying with any of the other parties, no servile acceptance of old shibboleths and old traditions. Everything is to be brand new from top to bottom, from the platform and pledge to the Badge on the lappet of the political soldier's coat. THE FOURTH PARTY. ■When the political soldiers corns down from the skies and translate their high aspirations into practical suggestions it is difficult to see 'how they are going to ■launch a. fourth party upon the troubled sea of politics without coming into more or less direct conflict with the .parties already there. The only rational purpose in their venture can be to remedy defects, small or great, in the existing state of affairs. Some of them are blaming the Reformers for what ha? been done or left undone, some a.e 'blaming the Liberals and some the Labor Party. Tliej went to the war with the party prejudices which possess other members of the, community and probably have returned with those picjndices no better defined, but jrst as pronounced as ever. When they have had time to look around for themselves they will realise that ?. permanent eonlition between the Reformers anl the Liberals, which is the heart's desire of some timid souls on both sides, is no nearer accomplishment now than it was two years ago, and that the conclusion of the war will bring them all the opportunities for political lighting they had before. If the political soldiers are as good as- their present word their votes and influence will be tlnown on tho side of sound, logical progress, no matter by what name it may be called, and in this way they will render a much greater service to themselves and t.i the people at large than they would by dissipating their strength upon an attempt to achieve the impossibles " LAND FOR SOLDIERS. 'A matter of more immediate importance to soldiers than the formation of a new political party is brought into prominence by the Government's invitation to land-owners throughout the Dominion to put a price on such parts of their properties as they are -prepared to sell to the State for the purpose of closer settlement by men 'who have returned from the war. The Wellington Land Board, thanks to the enthusiasm of the Commissioner and the hearty co- ; operation of his colleagues, has done ', very excellent work in providing return- ■ ed men with opportunities to make homes for themselves, but like the other [ boards it has little land suitable for . subdivision into small areas at its dis- . posal and has been compelled to leave i a number of eager applicants unsatisfied. The cases of these men cannot be ! met by compulsory acquisition, because the law does not allow the State to i take small areas noi to ''pick the eyes," as it were, out of larger estates; but it i is hoped that many owners holding land i of the character required will stretch t their patriotism to the length of offer- ' ing portions of their properties at reasonable rates. The Minister in charge r has no intention of allowing the State to be exploited in the name of patriotism, but he is anxious to place as many men as possible on the land under such conditions a3 would enable, them to become producers within % reasonable period. MORE MEN.

The suggestion made in this column the other day to the effect that an appropriate tribute to the New Zealanders who have fallen in the fighting that is going on in the Western front, would be the despatching "of additional troops to the assistance of the Mother Country and her Allies is being endorsed in several influential quarters. The Dominion having pointed out that there are some SO.'OOO unenlisted men in the First Division of the Reserve, and estimated that at least 15,000 of these, a six months' supply of recruits, arc lit to: service, urges the Minister of Defence to consider the propriety of increasing New Zealand contribution to the great army that is asserting the cause of right and'justice. "We believe," it says, "it would be sound strategy for New Zealand either to increase her rate of Reinforcements substantially, or else to set about the formation of an additional body of, say, two brigades of infantry to be put into the held for the spring campaign of next year." 'Of course, the military authorities speak guardedly of this proposal, waiting for a lead from the Government, but persons who tafcs a keen interest in defence matters, and particularly in recruiting, believe that the additional men could be readily obtained and that their enlistment would be the finest possible reply to the enemy'? suggestion that the dominions are growing weary of the burdens imposed upon them by the war.