WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 September 1918, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

.WELLINGTON CENTRAL.

-THE FIRST SHOT.

(Special Correspondent.) Wellington, September 20 The oflieial Labor candidate for the Wellington Central seat in the House of Reps., Mr Peter Eraser, opened his platform campaign last night, when he expounded the principles of his Party to an audience of 300 or 400 of his sympathisers. Of course he had nothing particularly new to say, but he reiterated the old things with considerable fluency and with very obvious earnestness. He roundly denounced the Government tcr its failure to stay the advance in the cost of living and the Independents for their efforts to divide the forces of reform. His worst five minutes were when Jie attempted to explain the quality of his kyalty to "King and country" and he did not emerge from a little controversy on this subject witn. a discordant slement at the back of the hall with flying colors. On the whole, however, he rilled his role fairly well and appeared to give satisfaction to his friends. It remains to be seen how he will fare when he meets a more critical audience. THE COAL TROUBLE. The ballot papers in the recent reference of the coal mine-owners' offer to the men were to be received in Wellington this morning and later in the day the result will be officially announced. In the meantime there is a general feeling abroad that a majority of the miners have accepted the owners' proposals and that the acute stage of the trouble is over with a prospect of much better relations being established between the parties. The fact that the Minister of Mines went out of town yesterday and will be away till the beginning of next week is taken as a good augury for a satisfactory settlement of the dispute. Mr Mac Donald evidently left with a sanguine view of the situation. The ballot of Kaitangata probably represents a larger majority in favor of conciliation than will be found in some of the other mining centres, but it is an indication of the trend of opinion among the men themselves and so far is a matter for congratulation. THE COST OF LIVING. In his address last night Mr Peter Fraser referred to the increased cost of living as the cause of the industrial unrest tihat was spreading throughout the country, and if one may judge from the complaints on this score that are coming from all the unions he was speaking with some authority. The tramway men, the railway men, the seamen and a great body of other workers are striking the same note and hinting at further trouble to follow if they obtain no redress. The Government is receiving most of the blame for the existing state of affairs, but the Board of Trade is not escaping criticism and the wholesalers and retailers are suspected of making huge illicit profits. The cost of living, indeed, is going to be the prominent cry in the Wellington Central by-election and the candidiate who has not some Tpyal roads to lower prices will fare badly at the hands of the constituency, THE SESSION. It is reported now that the session of Parliament will not open till the last •week in October, and this is taken to mean the absent Ministers will not return so early as was expected a week or two ago. This is a subject on which public speculation is not permitted and there is no information to be obtained from those in authority. It is understood, however, that if Parliament docs not meet until the end of next month it will be impossible to get through the absolutely necessary business before the Christmas holidays and that after a short adjournment members will be brought back in January. What will happen then will depend largely upon the course of the war and the temper of the House, but it is believed that quite a number of the members, perhaps a majority, are in favor of a dissolution and that if Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward are inclined towards this step they will meet with no opposition from their followers.