WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1918, Page 8

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. MORE KICKS THAN COMPLIMENTS. (From Otir Own Correspondent ) Wellington, April 26. At the luncheon preceding tlie annua! meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, the Prime Minister and the Minister ot Finance made speeches whidh were intended for others than the business men to whom they were immediately addressed. i»tti the Ministers had something to say about the criticism that had been directed against the National Government, and they said it in a half-humorous vein entirely appropriate to the occasion. Mr. Massey pro* tested that he and liis colleagues iiad received more kicks than compliments, but lie was satisfied that when the public understood all they had done and the reason for doing it the compliments would 'come along" right enough. Simply the Government had been too modest—a mistake it meant to avoid, in the future. The sally evoked,a burst of merriment which the Minister accepted as an endorsement of hist view.

THE TREASURER'S EXTRAVAGANCE. Sir Joseph Ward took his cue from his chief, and before dealing with more serions matters alluded to some of the extravagances that had been laid to hiß charge. He had been accused of taking a party of ladies to the theatre and spending 500 on chocolates for his guests. lie had not spent a single shilling. A certain newspaper had declared the furniture in his office had cost £IO,OOO. Ho recently had it valued by an expert, and had been told that it was worth £IOO. But these were the sort of things that gave zest and variety to public life, and helped a Minister who was doing his best to believe his real delinquencies were not so dreadful anil flagrant after all. Surely, if Mr. Masssey and he had committed any grave misdemeanor, it would not be necessary to count the number of chocolates their lady friends ate, nor to question their right to use chairs and tables in their services to the country. THE MISSION HOME.

Speaking in a more serious Strain, the Ministers touched upon some of the big poat-w-ar problems that lay before the Dominion. They were not going Hojne on a pleasure jaunt, but upon a great Imperial mission, to represent the views of New Zealand, as far as they might, on a number of questions that closely concerned every man and woman in thq country. Party politics, of course, were debarred, but Mr. Massey ampbaaised tho need for vastly increased production, and Sir Joseph the importance of making the Empire self-sustaining by the rapid and effective development of all it? resources. An interjection gave the Minister of Finance an opportunity to digress for a moment, and to express an optimistic view of the future relations between Capital and Labor- Capital would do its part and Labor would do its part, with better understanding and higher aspirations, and the. Empire would be strengthened at every point, by their frank and friendly co-operation.

CLASS B RESERVISTS. The ballot for ten thousand Class B Reservists, married men with one child, has brought the war very near to many homes and numbers of commercial houses. As far as one can gather during the 24 hours following upon the publication of the list, there will be a cheerful and in many cases an eager response from the great majority of the men called to the Colors. Hundreds of Reservists included in this class have 'beam waiting their turn, not through any reluctance to serve but 'through a desire to make the best possible provision for their families. have welcomed conpulsorv service because it placed upon the State tho responsibility of saying just when fhey were required. The business houses are in a rather different position, some of them having to face the loss of a large proportion of their men, and unless returned soldiers come forward in increasing numbers there 'will be a. much-increased demand for women lalor.