WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 December 1916, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

CHRISTMAS. (From Our Special Correspondent.)' *t , Dec. 28*'' Christmas is passing as- many V Christmas has passed before, perhiM with fewev reminders that the Empire] is engaged in a great life or deatbj struggle than there were last year, cW* tainly fewer than there were the yeaij before. The siiopping that preceded the] festival was brisker than ever, the holi* day preparations were just as the trains and steamers a little morq crowded. To-day the picture shows! opened with "approved" programmes after the Christmas dinner, the picnic grounds were besieged almost before) breakfast was over, and the city wore its best clothes and its broadest amilej the whole day long. Against all Hjxli there were only iarger congregations all the church services, one or two special appeals for Red Cross work, and tha. exchange of words of sympathy and con* solation between the stricken souls that have tasted the full bitterness and ho« ror of war. For the rest, this littl< world moves on, carefree and frrespoiU sible, as it was wont to do in the dug, of peace. PICTURE CENSORSHIP. !

A protest by the secretary of flnf Stage Employees' Union against the acl t ion of the civic authorities in granting a permit to one of the local theatres foj a secular performance idiis evening bi4 drawn from the manager of the theatre concerned an assurance that "nothing ill the least degree objectionable will b\ included in the programme." The incw dent in itself has not provoked muea comment, as the civic authorities whq have been straining lately, at the glial of Sunday golf has displayed quite ail extraordinary capacity now and again ill swallowing entertainment whales of ettM harassing dimensions, but it has been' made the text for many a little hortib/, on the work of the official censor of mov«i ing picture films. The* general opinion here among people who take count! *8 s\:ch tilings is that quite as many daring films have been shown in Wellington since the appointment of the censor- as was the case before. The censor, itf is, explained by one of the complacent jfro-* prietors, has the fine artistic tempera* ment which is always tolerant realism on the stage. -

SEASONABLE -HOSPITALITY/ ' Whether with the connivance of tli authorities or not no one, of course, is in a position to say, but there is little) doubt that the regulations against) "shouting" are being generously inter* pretcd during the holiday season. PeM' hups it was unthinkable that Christmarf* and New Year, with all their pleasant) associations and traditions,, could bd properly celebrated under the strict eiH forccment- of a law which enjoined nolwi tary drinking and debarred the time-v 1 honored expression of goodwill that i* : implied in the clinking of glasses «mfc the exchange of gratuitous refreshments." Anyway, it is not necessary now foß' friends'to adopt the old subterfuge of j passing sixpences at the bar door, which!. was apt to blunt the edge of hospitaljty,' before pledging one another for the yea*; that is passing and the year that is to, come. Custom again is proving strongerthan the law, and so far the city seem*' none the worse for its reinstatement.? The' streets, though crowded with holU day-makers, wear their most orderly ap* pcaranjc. nji THE LABOR OUTLOOK,- '■ss

As would be fitting at this season idany case, the rumors of impending laboiltroubles are stilled to-day, and flutter* and men are taking their holiday in thai ordinary way with the usual appearance) of amity. Most of the Ministers artf out of town, seeking relief from thq work and worries of a long and trying. year, and the public offices are closed at; tightly as only a civil servant can shuft a door. Even the story of dissensions in] the Cabinet, over the'administration o$ the War Regulations is not being whifcf pered, and the report of the farmers' re* volt against Mr. Mac Donald's interfere ence with their prices is forgotten. ThS; only real grievance of which there ia| any outward and visible sign is against). the Union Company, which is being de* nounced loudly and long by disappointed people for not being able to carry themj to their desired destinations in the mini*. mum time, and with a maximum oft comfort. The turn of'the railways WijlJ come to-morrow.