WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1918, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

WELLINGTON CENTRAL. IMPENDING BY-ELECTION. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Sept. 6. The death of Mr. Robert Fletcher, the . member for Wellington Central, has left ''.. the acting leader of the Liberal Party.' With a difficult problem to solve at a very inopportune time. Though Mr. Fletcher won the seat in 1914 under the Liberal flag, he owed his success largely to the support of the Labor voters, who rallied round him so solidly that he scored a majority of 232!) over his opponent, the Hon. I'. M. B. Fisher, the precise figures being 5208 and 2870 respectively. Since then the political sentiment of the constituency, if not its broad party predilections, have very considerably changed, and probably neither of the old parties could count upon polling the vote it did four years ago. The contest in Wellington North a few. months' ago proved that a spirit of independence is abroad that cannot be reduced to a common working factor when ■ the choice of a representative in Parliament is concerned. THE PROSPECTS. The only name that has been definitely mentioned in connection with the impending, by-election is that of Mr. P. J. O'Regan, the well-known Wellington solicitor, a former member of the House,who is now the generally accepted legal adviser and counsel for the Labor unions.' Mr. O'Regan is a thorough-paced democrat, standing for electoral reform, a large extension of State enterprises, effective land settlement, and so forth, and withal is a' very earnest and capable politician; but he is opposed to compulsory military service, and talks lightly of even such venerable institutions as -; tho constitutional monarchy, two departures from tho straight and narrow '| path of orthodoxy that would make it • impossible for the National Government i to place its imprimatur upon his candidature. Other names mentioned are those of Mr. David McLaren, Colonel Hughes .: and Mr. C. Skerrett, but at preseut the •;■ intentions of none of these gentlemen are known. WOMEN FARMERS. At the sitting of the Wellington Mili- , tary Service Board yesterday tho sub- \ ject u'i women farm workers was again ■) mentioned. A farmer iu the llutt Vftl- : ley, appealing for an extension of leave.' till Christmas, in order that he might see his shearing through and get his crups ■ in, stated that ho had engaged ten wo- * men for milking and general farm v.ork, ■ and had found them so sivtisfni'lnry that he would not think ot* going back to men milkers after the war. The ..latement is being eagerly discussed here and there tippars to he a large volume of public opinion talcing Iho view that boih phy- • • ' siciilly, and tcnipcrumnulalK women, speaking generally, are better idapted for the outside life, under proper eon- ! ditions, than they are for office I'.nd shop work. Many of their own sex have been insisting upon this ever since tho commencement of the war, and now have their contention strengthened by a very striking concrete example. THE POLICEMAN'S LOT. The newspapers have been frying to extract some further information from 1 the Hon. T. M. Wilford in regard to his 1 scheme for the reorganisation of the Po- . lice Force, but so far without any tan-' gible results. The Minister has told!, ' them that it is the most difficult and 1 complicated job he has yet tackled, and that till his proposals have been con-' / sidered by Cabinet he cannot give the public any more of his confidence. It is understood, however, that his scheme does not merely aim at the improvement of the pay and the conditions of the members of the force. It is believed that '; it also seeks to increase their efficiency, ? and to attract men of the highest possible class to the service. The subject has been very frankly discussed lately, and, if all the stories one heara aro true, poor pay and indifferent conditions «Te ' responsible for a distinct decadence- ill the general character-of the force.