WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 August 1917, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE EFFICIENCY BOAB& ITS RLSWrTATJOS. . (fy Wire.—(Parliamentary Reported.) Woliinjrtoh, A>igust 20. •' It was very generally hoped that tin - meeting which took place between Ministers and the members of the Eflkienej Board on Saturday would result m ax. understanding thaj. would enable tin Board to continue the good work it has been doing since its appointment, bvrl it is reported to-day that the memberi are still dissatisfied with the Government's attitude towards their proposal! and are insisting on the acceptance oJ ' their resignations. Tire trouble ifl ntf a new/one. For months past the chairman df the Board has been protesting ' • against the inaction of Ministers in regard to the various matters on which it has been advised, and though he and his colleagues realised it might be diftV cult to take effective measures during the absence of Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, they are not content to rte then recommendations held up indefinitely now these gentlemen have returned to the Dominion. At the time of writing it looks likely (hat no satisfactory Agreement will be reached and that the country will lose the services of the members of the Board. ' CANDID CRITICISM. The "Dominion" this morning, after ' paying a high tribute to the ability and public spirit of the- members of thq Board, takes the Government severely to task for persisting in the "wait and ' see" policy that ha-* brought about tho present crisis. "Ministers cannot expect", it says, "that men of the calibre' of tiie.members of the National Efficiency \ Board are going to waste their tfmo month after month investigating, planning and organising for the country's benefit to find in the end a. large proportion of their reports and recommendations pigeon-holed or Laid aside in* definitely for further consideration or politely rejected by a National Government that- treads-timidly far in the rear; of public opinion. Kflicarncy, production and the cost of living are closely ' allied, and in view of dulicurtics which lie ahead it might haie been expected thai the Government would have strained every endeavor to retain for the country the services of the prcumt EfflckiKy Board. It is the country's loso, and a serious one, if the Board declines to continue to carry on the work it Ins so ably ftegun." This is the fecliug being .freely expressed in the city to-day and perhaps its expression may induce tho dov-» -eminent'to make another effort tain the services of vhe Boaid. BECRITITINa. • Aboat 15,000 names will be drawn fniiho tenth ballot to-morrow, and after; that only about 8,000 men will remaabf! uncalled in the First Division. When; tho next draft is required the wsrobV of these will be summoned to tho colors without the formality of a 'hnllat «tn4 then the turn of the Second Disision,/ will be in sight. Ministers persist that the idea of reducing (he military age-to nineteen with the object of fm-tlicr postponing the necessity ol calling up members of the Seeond Division was neverj entertained by the Cabinet, but it is, an open secret, that Ihii course was , favored by the military authorities-on purely professional grounds, the average lad of nineteen, in their opinion, offering better material for the manufacture of an efficient soldier than the man of more mature years. However, there is no doubt the idea • has been definitely abandoned and whether as a result of the loud public protest against sending "children" to fight the country's batiles or of the Cabinet'-, tober judgment does not matter awl deal. The'* Government's proposals in respect to the* Second Division am expected to make .- their appearance this week