WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 March 1917, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

LIQUOR CONTROL. WHEN MINISTERS DIFFER. (From Our Own Correspondent). Wellington, Maroh 21. The Acting-Prime Minister turned a distinctly sympathetic ear to the deputation from the WeVington Presbytery that waited upon him to urge that further restrictions should be placed upon the sale of alcoholic liquors. The deputation wanted the hotels closed at 6 o'clock, and though Sir James Allen did not commit himself to that drastic measure of reform ho made it perfectly clear that he was in favor of reducing the liours_of sale. But the lions in the | path were the need for legislation and the certainty that neither the members of Parliament nor the members of the Cabinet would agree upon a middle course that would come anywhere near the wishes of the Presbytery. All the Minister would -promise the deputation was that he would submit its representations to Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, "ulio will bo back in New Zealand before long," and let them know how forcibly they had been put before him.

EXAMINING THE EDUCATION BOARDS. The annual school examinations "being over and done with, the Hon. J. A. Il'anan conceived the happy idea of examining the education boards, and towards this end gave directions for the preparation of a return showing how their pupils had fared in the Junior National Scholarship and Free-place testa. This return has just been completed, and though it does not supply sufficient data to draw more than broad conclusions, it at least'shows that some education districts have done much better than others. Taking Auckland as the standard with 21 per cent, of passes among the number of_ children available for examination, Southland has a percentage of 31.4, Otago 27.2, Wanganul'

23.2. Canterbury 10.5, Taranaki 19.2, Hawke's Bay 14.3, Wellington 12.4 and Nelson 10.0. The Minister does not contend that this represents the order of merit of the boards, but it seems to be "up to". Nelson and Wellington toexplain why they lag so sadly behind.

THE SECOND DIVISION. The encouraging war news of the last few days, while it well may frejoice the heart of the Minister of Defence, has not induced him to delay his preparations for calling up the Second Division of the Reserve for a single hour. These preparations are now well advanced, and though no official announcement may be made on the subject for two or three months, it is known that the men will be classified according to tin number of their immediate dependents. The younger men with the fewer dependents will be taken first and the others will follow in methodical order. The Second Divi-: sion is much larger numerically than the First Division, and it is expected that tho number of exemptions will be proportionately higher; but there is no lack of spirit among the married men, as may be judged from the number that are oll'ering themselves for enlistment in advance of the ballot, and there will be little difficulty in find them whenthey are wanted.

A FULL ROLL, Mr. Vernon Seed's return to his bid seat as member for Bay of Islands restores the House of Representatives to its full strength, and leaves the balance of parties, if parties still exist, undisturbed. Since the formation of the National Cabinet three vacancies have occurred in the elected chamber, two of them, unhappily, through the death of the sitting member, but only in the case of the Bay of Islands -has the compact made between the parties with a view to avoiding a contest in war time been fully observed. This, of course, lias not been the fault of the party leaders, who have "played the game" admirably' from this first; but rather has been due to the spirit of discontent, divine or otherwise, which is promising very strenuous political times, free, it may be hoped, from the old party bitterness, when the' war is won and men are again able to turn their attention to domestic affairs.