WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1918, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE PARTY LEADERS. " THEIR RETURN HOME. ,» (Special Corespondent.) Wellington, October 14. Fire minutes' chat witli either of them would satisfy even their most sceptical critics that Mr Massey- and Sir Joseph Ward have had a most strenuous time during tiheir absence from the Dominion. Whatever may have- been tho case ou previous occasions, on this one they certainly have found a .great deal more work than play demanding their attention. t ln addition to taking their part in the various Imperial discussions that called them to London they have devoted a vast amount o£ time and labor to financial and commercial questions concerning tihe Dominion. They made a point of visiting every; camp and hospital within their reach where New Zealand soldiers were to he found, and made themselves fully acquainted with the conditions and needs of the men, and obtained at first hand information on a variety of matters that will have to be dealt with by Parliament.

SOLDIERS AND SHIPPING. Mr Massey, a3 Prime Minister and more particularly as Minister-in-Charge of Imperial Supplies, made himself fully acquainted with tlo shipping position' and though he has not returned witlwji promise that New Zealand will have 111 the vessels it may require for the carriage of its produce during the approaching season, he brings back a clear understanding with the Imperial authorities on tho subject and an assurance that everything possiblo will be done to save the country from inconvenience and loss ill thi3 respect. Tn this connection he explains that the cessation of reinforcements from the Dominion would necessarily mean tho diversion of further ships to America and in this way, to say nothing of the sentimental aspect of the matter, would very materially affect the supply of stripping.

AERIAL MAIL SERVICE. I Sir Joseph Ward, while sharing in ail the labors and social obligations of his colleague, found time to make enquiries into a number of matters intimately affecting the business of ih is own departments. The outcome of liis diseussiens with the Imperial authorities in regard to financial matters will be submitted to Parliament in due course, and in the meantime it is sufficient to say that he is fully satisfied with the results Of his efforts in this respect. His allusions to the coming aerial mail service have been anticipated to a large extent by the cable, but the details of what he did in this direction while at Home still will be very interesting and gratifying. The preliminary work already is in hand by well-known British experts, who have taken up Sir Joseph's idea enthusiastically, and it is quite possible, even probable, the aerial service will be in operation witihin a year of the conclusion, of the Avar.

THE OLD ADAM. Neither Mr Massey nor Sir Joseph Ward was inclined to talk local politics within ten minutes of their arrival in Wellington, but one might judge from their attitude towards one another that the National Cabinet is not likely to be rent by dissensions in the immediate future. One of the local papers, however, llias greeted the returned travellers with the reminder- that the Reformers still possesses a majority of two in the House of Representatives. The. contention itself may be. sound enough, as the loss of the Taranaki seat, as far as mere numbers go, is balanced by the return of Mr W. Urn, a gentleman with Reform predictions, in place of Mr C. Parata, a firm supporter of the Liberal Party, for the southern Maori district, but tihe time does not seem particularly opportune for the revival of a controversy which obviously has not been exercising the minds of the party leaders during their absence.