WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 April 1918, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

ALLEGED GERMAN MENACE. RUMORS FROM AUSTRALIA, (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, April 24. The cablegram from Sydney yesterday hinting at a grave German menace in the Pacific naturally has occasioned some uneasiness here, and provoked a good deal of speculation. Mr. Masscy and Sir Joseph Ward assured inquirers there was no need for alarm, and deprecated thd circulat ion of wild stories for which there was not the slightest foundation. The Government, they said, had taken every precaution against any danger that might arise, and could be trusted to keep itself informed in regard to any new de- , velopments. The worst story being whispered about is that two German raiders are somewhere in the neighborhood of the Australian coast waiting to pounce upon intercolonial shipping, and this may turn out to be a much exaggerated version of the facts on which the Sydney message rests. In the meantime, however, ilic authorities seem to have the position well in hand. THE POLICE FORCE. A deputation from the Protestant Political Association, which waited on the Hon. T. Wilford yesterday, found the Minister a little sceptical concerning a number of the charges it preferred against the police force. The Rev. Howard Elliott acted as spokesman, and reiterated certain statements he had made from the platform in regard to the behaviour of constables at public meetings, and in dealing with cases of rowdyism. Mr. Wilford listened patiently and courteously, and promised Mr. Elliott and his friends that their representations would have immediate attention. But he took the opportunity to remind the members of the deputation that in cases of rowdyism there might be faults on both sides. He was going to uphold law and order at public meetings, but the promoters of such meetings must remember there were limits to the endurance of casual audiences. SEARCH FOR SHIRKERS. The efforts made by the Minister of Justice at Awapuni during the progress of the Manawatu Racing Club's meeting last week to obtain some idea of the number of "shirkers" who frequented sucli gatherings, confirmed, the repeated assurance of tlie Defence Department that few eligible men were succeeding in evading the long arm of the Military Service Act. Mr. Wilford did the job thoroughly. He gave the public no hint of what was on the .board and yet had a little army of military and civil police to conduct the investigation. On [the. first day 590 men were challenged and on the second day 500, and of these fewer ill an a dozen were unable to produce satisfactory evidence that they were doing their duty. The men included in this tiny minority are being further examined and it is probable all but one or two will be able to relieve themselves of the stigma, of having placed their own pleasure before the needs of the Empire. THE WOMEN'S VIEWThe lead taken by the Auckland Women's National Reserve in urging the Government to give the women of the Dominion a better opportunity to prove their loyally and devotion to the Empire, is being warmly supported by a large number of women of all classes here. The complaint that women as well as men. were not "conscripted" by the recent legislation, however, is scarcely well founded. The law as it stands will enable women to be taken into any essential industry in which their services are needed, and should the Government consider this course necessary they will not find their value as a national asset disregarded. Already there lire thousands of women doing voluntary service in spheres which before the war were confined almost entirely to men, and should the occasion arise the Government will not hesitate to encourage them to break through the conventional bonds that hitherto have litmpered the members of their sex.