WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1918, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE. PROVISION FOR DEPENDENTS. (Special Correspondent). Wellington, Feb. 20. The meeting ot members of tiie Second Division League held here last night, while resolutely demanding better provision for the dependents ol soldiers, steadfastly refused to be drawn into the political arena in connection wiili the Wellington North -by-election. A proposal to the I effect that the League should endeavor to 'bring about the defeat of the Government candidate at the election as a protest against the "callous indifference" of those 'in authority was ruled out of ofler by the chairman as -being inconsistent with the constitution of the l.eagivo. and the sense of the meeting was obvious!; against launching out on the trouhh sea of party polities But the members were, unanimous in denouncing the administration of the Soldiers' Financ-al Assistance Board and in calling upon the Government to establish a board, with similar powers to the present: central body, in each o[ the four chief provincial centres of the Dominion. CASES OF HARDSHIP. The cases of hardship, quoted by the chairman and by other members of the League, certainly suggested that the dependents of many of the Second Reservists would suffer very severely ii 110 furthei consideration were shown them than that provided by the regulations and given by the Financial Assistance Board. 'Homes would lvave to be broken up, and the conditions of life largely altered for the worse. But t'life authorities contend, with some reason, that it is impossible to discriminate between the reservists of one social position and those in another to , the extent the League is demanding The present -provision for dependents imposes 110 great financial sacrifice upon the wife and children of a man earning ,CS to C 4 a week, but it necessarily does upon those of a man earning ,CS ov .CIO a week. The men's personal sacrifice being practically the tame, the Minister wants to know how he is to deal with the problem MR. P. C. WEBB The telegrams (bat have passed between the secretary of the Blackball Miners' Union and various members 01 the Cabinet 'concerning the demand for the exemption of Mr. I' Webb, the member for Grey, show that the Ministers at least have maintained a constitutional and logical attitude in regard to '.lie matter The miners' messages insist upon t'heir "constitutional right and threaten to resent any interference with these rights by "immediate industrial revolt " The Ministers' replies, though conciliatory in tone, are perfectly frank in substance. Mr. Mas«ey and Sir .lames Alien point out that the question of exemption remains entirely with the .Military Service Boards. Mr. W D, S. MacDonald supplements the very iproper observations of his colleagues with u little reminder on his own account. "It would be well to remember," lie snva, ''that when we demand constitutional rights we can obtain these rights only by abiding by the constitutional laws of ' the Dominion" The .Minister of Mines is a very consistent friend of the men, and his sage advice ought riot to be disregarded. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The prompt reappointment of Major Harris to the Legislative Council has attracted special attention only through the fact that other members of the Council whose terms have expired since the formation of the Nation.' Ca! inet have not yet received a similar distinction. -Major Harris, who is now eightvone years of age. has sat in the Council since 1897, and though he cannot be regarded as a great political force in the country, everyone will be pleased to see 'him still occupying his old place. But his re-appointment has again directed attention to the dwindling num-lier of councillors and to the advanced years of a great majority of them. The real work ot the Council falls upon the shoulders oj hnlf-a-dozcn members, and, all things considered, they bear it extraordinarily well, but unless the chamber is to be left to dio of attenuation it will have to be reinforced very shortly.