WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 April 1917, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE EFFICIENCY BOARD. PARTISAN EVIDENCE. (From Our Own Correspondent). Wellington, April 5. Mr. William Ferguson, the chairman of the National lifficiency Board, is still in Wellington taking such evidence as is offered to him in respect to the propriety of continuing, reducing or abolishing during war-time agricultural shows, picture entertainments, horseracing and "other exhibitions, amusements ami sports.'' Naturally the great majority of the witnesses that appear before him are strongly biassed one way or the other, and though the enquiry is being conducted in camera the nature of their testimony may be easily imagined. Agricultural shows are not being seriously attacked, except in so far as they tax the resources of the Railway Department, but picture entertainments and racing are being roughly bandied by some of the witnesses and, it may be presumed, stoutly defended by others. Racing seems to have fewer friends than the picture entertainments have, but public opinion is inclined to the idea that tile stoppage of excursion trains and fares will be a sufficient corrective to the excess of sport and that the racing clubs may be trusted to do what else is required. ITS ORDER OF REFERENCE. There is a wide-spread feeling abroad that the Efficiency Board is placing a very generous interpretation on its order of reference and casting its vigilant eye very far afield In its efforts to strengthen the economic condition of the country. Some people profess to see its hand in the drastic measures taken by the Government in bringing the contumacious miners to their senses and in some of the conditions of the Military Service Boards are imposing upon Lailotted men to whom t'hc.v grant provisional exemption. Yesterday the local Board required a farmer who was supporting the appeal of his son for relief military service to sign an undertaking to send bis milk to Wellington, instead of forwarding.his butter fat to a factory in Palmerston North, if be were ordered to do so by the Minister of Agriculture. The man submitted to the condition cheerfully enough, but it is doubtful if the arrangement was quite in keeping with the letter of the iaw or if tlie occasional application of the principle would be the mofft equitable way of reaching national eniciency, THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

Protests against his proposals for a wholesale reduction of trains in order to release a number of First Division men for military service continue to pour iij [upon the Minister of Railways. The latest came from the Wellington City Council, which is specially concerned for soldiers in camp and their relatives and for suburban residents. Last night it set out on the motion of the Mayor to condemn the whole of the proposals, lock, stock and barrel, so far as they aft'eet these sections of t'he community, but on the suggestion of a- councillor, who wanted to hear the other side ol the case, it restrained its denunciation to the length of expressing its approval of the Government's intention to ''out down unnecessary train service," without, of course, abating one jot its indignation at the contemplated treatment of the soldiers. What with the protests from the cities and the complaints from the country districts, Mr. Herries Is Ilfcelj to have a lively time during the next week or two, but so far he has shown no disposition to materially amend bis proposals. TITE WAR LOAN. The preliminary puffs for the second war loan, if such a frivolous phrase may be applied to such a serious business, are beginning to make their appearance, and this morning the Hon. A. M. Myers, the Acting Minister of Finance, publishes a table Showing how the various centres have helped the soldiers at the front, as the placards run, by purchasing war bonds. Blenheim on a per capita basis, beads the list with the very creditable sum of £2 Os lOd for each man, woman, and child within its boundaries, while Wellington, which probably receives more than its share of outside contributions, comes next with £1 las 2d and NWson third with £1 14s Id. Perhaps there is something more than a mere coincidence in the fact that Blenheim and Nelson stood first and third, respectively, on the list showing the places least affected by war prices published in this column a few weeks ago. They were separated by Dunedin, and, as it happens, the southern city is fourth on the present list, a long way ahead of -both Christchurch and Auckland. It may be there is some arithmetical relation between a community's expenditure upon food and clothing and its ability to subscribe to war loans. WAR REGULATIONS. Wellington!, April 4. The local newspapers, in spite of being continually pestered by peremptory demands from the Chief of Staff to do this thing and to leave undone that, have been giving most loyal and unquestioning support to the military authorities in their efforts to obtain a uropcr observance of the War Regulations, and it certainly was ratlier hard upon them, considering all the circumstances to be hailed before a magistrate to answer for their own tiny deflection from the straight and narrow way in mentioning the fact that the officers and men of a certain warship were to be entertained in the Wellington Town Hall by His Worship the Mayor. But they are obtaining only the poor consolation of a general public laugh in turning upon the authorities now with charges of crass stupidity and base ingratitude and in threatening to join with Mr. Semple in challenging the validity of the Regulations. It is a case in which the saving grace of humor would have served their purpose much better than lias an affectation of righteous indignation. WATERSIDE WORKERS. The lengthy conference between representatives of the Waterside Workers' Federation and representative, of the ship-owners at last has terminated in an agreement between the parties which is to be submitted to the local unions for ratification. The representatives of the workers have no doubt the agreement, though it does not contain all the men were seeking, will prove acceptable to the men, and the representatives of the shipowners who, _of course, have been in .constant communication with their primcipal.% are equally confident its terms will be confirmed by the / employers. Manj delicate jaojnts were dwauss-

ed during the progress of tlie negotiations and in the early stages of the Conference grave difficulties appeared to he looming ahead, but concessions from both sides and a proper conciliatory spirit overcame all the difficulties and the agrement ought to form the basis of a long enduring peace between the partics. "GOING SLOW." The arrests on the West Coast of the South Island and at Hmitlv in connection with what is known as the '"slow strike" came as a surprise to most of the 'Workers here, ami to most other people for the matter of thaty hut very little sympathy is being felt for the men on whom the authorities have laid their heavy hand. Labor, sane Labor, that is, frankly admits it is not being treated "so badly" in these strenuous times, and it has no desire to create unnecessary industrial tiouble. Going slow, flagrantly going slow at any rate, is not a form of protest that finds favor with the average New Zealand worker, and even his representative 011 the water-front, who does not always side with constituted authority, has 110 approval for the attempts that have been made by some of the miners to limit the output of coal. MEETING OF PARLIAMENT. It is now being taken for granted that neither Mr. Massey nor Sir Joseph Word will be here for the meeting of Parliament at Uie end of Juiie and. that the

House, nfter making provision for Supply and attending to one or two other matters of minor imprtanee, will adjourn to await the arrival of the travellers. It, is not thought the legislation in connection with the war loan announced bv the Hon. A. M. .Myers the other day will be introduced in the absence of the Minister of Finance, but there will be no delay in the flotation on his return and it is expected by financiers and business men that the amount required will be readily subscribed. There is plenty of money in the country and its holders can find few better investments than the one to which they will )e invited by the Government,