WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 March 1917, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

CLERGY AND WAR. QUESTION OF EXEMPTION. (From Our Own Correc-pondont.) Wellington, Feb. 28. Mr. 0. W. Russell's reply to the deputation from the Ministers' Association which wailed noon him in Christchureh to urge that all minister;: and school teachers should receive equal treatment under the Military .Service Act left the question in a rather unsatisfactory position The Minister of Internal Alfairs told the deputation that only the Acting Prime Minister could give a specific reply to the assertion that a secret understanding e.vistcd between the tlovernment and the Roman Catholic Church, meaning, no doubt, tiiat bnly the head of the Government could give a sufficiently authoritative denial to an extremely unpleasant rumor, and many people jumped to the conclusion that there really was something in the story. But .Sir James Allen has now explained that the church and their clergy are on an absolute equality in regard to military service. Whenever the heads of a church take upon themselves the responsibility of saying a clergyman cannot be spared the Minister signs a certificate to that effect for submission to the Military Service Board and exemption follows as a mitter of course. The only exceptions to thif rule have been in the cas<* of two «tuden';s r>* -iniliWry age, not in holy orders, v.'ho'r lh« Board, considered unentitled to take advantage of the regulation.

.NATIONAL EFFICIENCY Sir James Allen.V statem^n 1 . of the. functions of tlio National Efficiency Board is a little overwhelming. Tin l personnel of the Board has met with very general approval and the gentlemen associated with ¥c. William Ferguson in the task of -nitiating a great social and industrial revolution nicy be trusted to do all that car, he doiib with tlio time and mean: r.fc their disposal. The demands made upoi then are simply colossal. They are to enquire int" the industries, occupation, amusements, habits and taste 3 of the people, into the desirability of continuing public works, employing \rom»n in place of iien, suspending industrial agreements and awards, carrying on th". farms: or businesses of absent soldiers, promoting thrift and discouraging luxury, and into a hundred other things any one of which, might well occupy their attention for a couple of months or more. If anyone can accomplish the impossible the member? of the Board will do it, but at first sight fcli»v seem burdened altogether beyond human capacity. THE HOME EXAMPLE. Side by sid" with th" Minister's statement of what is expected from the National Efficiency Board the Dominion prints Ihis morning an interview with Dr. A. K. Newman, the member for Wellington Jvis', which is forming the basis of most. ,of the criticism that is being directed against the Government's p ro " posals. Tlic doctor's text in Mr. Lloyd George. "The crowds of people who used to curse tlio 'damned pettifogging little Welsh Attorney' are now his willing, faithful army o f unquestioning backers," he says. "Lloyd Ceirjjc orders and Great Britain does an I'e orders. The Lloyd George Ministry has delighted the people becaus" he chose the biggest business men in Great Britain to manage the different Departments. Lloyd George, in picking his Ministry, cut adrift, old traditions and picked men for their ahilitie; and for no other reason. He is the head o f a wondeifully able Cibinet —the ablest in Great Britain's history." The suggestion is, of course, thst- the National Cabinet should have courage to do things itself, that without waiting- for a lead from a vohmary bo-ird it should tickle the problems with which it is confronted and settle them at. once. But unhappily, as all the critics conclude, we have not a Lloyd George. PROMPTNESS AND COURAGE. Dr. Newman is not allowing himself to .tail- politics, beyond strongly deprecating the intrusion party politics aj such a time as this, bu f it' is obvious from his carefully chosen words that lie regards promptness and courage a" the two things essential towards making the most of the assistance the Dominions can give to the Mother Country and her Allies in winning the war. The critics, with no special allusion to what the doctor lias to say, are commenting upon the Acting Prime Minister's- admission to the deputation from the Methodist Conference nvhich waited upon him yesterday that it was very difficult for (he Cabinet to deal with the liquor question in the absence of Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward. There are other problems, even more pressing than the liquor question, requiring immediate attention and apparently they, too. will have to be left in suspense till the party leaders return from their travels towards tlio middle of .'June. In that case the National Efficiency Board may have time to make considerable progress with its enquiries. CURTAILING TRAIN SERVICE. Giving evidence before the Third Wellington Military Service Board the As-sistant-General Manager of Railways stated in eU'eet that his Department had failed to get a lead from the Government with regard to the curtailment of train services in order to re-