WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 February 1918, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE IiOOIvMAKIXO .NUISANCE. POLICE ACTIVITY. (Special Correspondent). Wellington, Feb. 22. It is a little unfortunate for Mr. Justice Herdman that the police raids upon the haunts of the bookmakers followed so quickly upon his retirement from the Cabinet. He was the Minister in charge of the Police Department, and his critics, not without some appearance of reason, arc saying the present proceedings might have been taken years ago had lie been really desirous of (suppressing the bookrnaking nuisance. But as a matter of fact Mr. Herdman had been moving in the matter lon® before he left office. A year ago he hoped to get amending legislation through Parliament which would have made bookrnaking an indictable offence, punishable by imprisonment without the option of a line, but his colleagues thought the time inopportune for the introduction of such a drastic measure and he was left to do the best he could with the easting law. It is »he inadequacy of the Gaming Act rather than anjr lack of sincerity on the part of the late Minister that occasioned the delay. THE SHORT SESSION. As was to be expected, there is much talk of trouble of one kind and another that is going to overtake the Government during the short session previous to the departure of Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward for London. According to current gossip, there is going to be an organised attempt to oust the National Cabinet, a demand for a parliamentary committee to investigate the general adminisration of the Defence Department—which, ot course, would involve the resignation of Sir James Allen—a proposal to free the Board of Trade from ministerial domination and many other demonstrations of the "independence" that has been growing ut) among the party politicians during the last year or two. Ministers make light of the opposition with which they are threatened. They are satisfied that a majority of the members of the House, though critical, as they have a right to be, are loyal to the National Government, and strongly averse to the revival of the old party issues during the course of the war THE MINISTER AND THE SECOND DIVISION. In spite of ministerial contradiction of the most explicit description the story which has been going the rounds lately to the effect that the mobilisation of the Second Divsiion has been indefinitely postponed on account of the opposition shown by the men is still obtaining credence in many quarters. This, the Minister says emphatically, is fair neither to the men nor to himself. He has found it necessary to differ from members of the Second Division on questions of policy and administration—perhaps with more knowledge of the needs of the situation than the men possess—but he never has doubted their desire to serve the country to the best of their ability 1 . The mobilisation will proceed just as rapidly I as is required for the maintenance of the strength of the Reinforcements and if it is delayed it will be because fewer men are needed than was at first expected. WELLINGTON NORTH. Writing only six days before the polling from the very heart of the constituency it still is a little difficult to predict the result of the, Wellington North by-election. The friends of Mr. Luke profess to be confident of securing a m». pority of at least 1500, but they arc Working as if success depended upon bringing up every elector to be found within a hundred miles. Mr. Holland's friends profess equal confidence, but even if it is sincere it does not rest on the same demonstrable facts. The other two candidates can hope to do no more than reduce the support Mr. Luke would receive if they were out of the field. The extent of their success in this direction will be the deciding factor in {he contest between Mr. Luke and Mr. Holland. If they poll 3(100 votes between them Mr. Holland may be returned. If they poll substantially fewer tFe Government's candidate will succeed with a decent margin to spare.