WELLINGTON NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1918, Page 7

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(■Our Special Correspondent.)!

THE EPIDEMIC AT THE CAMPS

Wellington, Nov. 20. The Minister for Defence stated today tliiat the epidemic in the camps w a s well in hand. Few fresh cases were being reported, and the serious cases in the hospitals were admitted some time ago. It was now possible to proceed with demobilisation fairly rapidly, and he hoped that soon the men would be leaving camp at the rate of 500 or more per day. Tilie men at Featherston had been| promised that demobilisation would be complete by December 1 unless some unforseen obstacle arose. The Minister added that he appreciated the way the men had played the game under distressing conditions. DEMOBILISING SAMOAN GARRISON.

The men of the Sajnoan garrison will be demobilised as quickly as possible, said the Minister for Defence tlhis evening, but it will be necessary to keep a force at Samoa until the fate of the island haß been decided at the peace conference. Influenza has appeared at Samoa in a bad form, and the authorities there have cabled for medical assistance. The Defence Minister is trying to arrange for assistance to be sent from Australia. WOOL SHIPPED TO AMERICA. It Bias been reported lately that a large quantity of wool was being shipped to America. Mr Massey said to-day that the Government had nothing to do with the destination of the clip purchased by the Imperial Government, Sfaipment was arranged by the Imperial authorities, who apparently had made some arrangement with the United States Government. . DOMINION'S WAR HISTORY. Referring to the official history of New Zealand's part in the war, the Minister for Defence stated to-day that no final decision (had been reached regarding the Gallipoli volume. The initial chapters of the volume had been written by an officer who earned distinction on Gallipoli. There were to be two other volumes, one dealing with the Palestine front and tsie other with the Western campaign. He had telegraphed to Generela Chaytor and General Godley asking if they could suggest suitable authors. It is intended if possible to have the books written by men who have taken part in the figthting as members of the New Zealand forces. REPATRIATION AND DEMOBILISATION.

The recently appointed Board of Repatriation, which consists of the Minister for Defence, Lands, Agriculture and Education, has held a primary meeting, but progress has been stayed to somfe extent by the influenza epidemic. The first step is to be tihe appointment of a Director of Repatriation, and this officer has still to be selected. The Minister for Defence stated today that the demobilisation and repatriation scbemeß were receiving the constant attention of the officers of his Department, and improvements were being made as information and experience accumulated. The immediate problem was the co-ordination of the work to be done here and in England, where General Richardson had aJready made many plans. Measures for the training and education of the soldiers had been adopted already and more would be done in this direction in order to bridge the period that would elapse before tihe last of the men could be returned to New Zealand and discharged. It would not be good for the men from any point of view that this time should be wasted. A SICK HOUSE. FURTHER ADJOURNMENT. When the House met yesterday afternoon only twenty-six members were in their places. Ministers bad made up their minds the night before to grant the adjournment demanded by the deputation to the Prime Minister and had advised a number of absent members accordingly, eo that the twenty-six could not be taken as th© only representatives of the people who had escaped the ravages of the prevailing epidemic. Still the position, as Mr Maasey and Sir Joseph Ward presently explained, was bad enough. Two members, Mr Hindmarsh and Mr Buick, had actually succumbed to Hie malady, eighteen others were kid lip in a more or less serious condition, and as many more had cases of illness in their own families. The adjournment for a week was made in the hope, the Prime Minister Baid, that at the end of this time the epidemic would lhave abated and members would be prepared to give their undivided attention to the business of the session.

WHAT IS TO BE DONE. The motion for adjournment gave members an opportunity to renew their enquiries concerning the work of tihe session. Ministers were very circumspect in their replies, giving little more information than was contained in the Governor's Speedh, but Mr Massey implied quite plainly that once the House got to work it would be kept at high pressure till the end of the ministerial programme was reached. Putting this and that together it seems pretty safe to assume from what fell fron) the Treasury Benches that Mr Massey is hoping to be free to leave for London in the first or second week of December, that he will be accompanied by Sir Joseph Ward and that he is strongly averse to Parliament sitting after his departure. T&e House is to resume a.t II a.m. on. Tuesday next, and if the Dominion delegates are to get away to the Peace Conference on the day they appear to have in mind, only ten sitting days, at most, will remain before their departure. THE LIQUOR QUESTION. All this would mean that a large part of the Government's programme, expressed and implied, would have to be postponed till a more convenient season. Demobilisation and repatriation sdhemes have teen prepared and discussed by Cabinet, but it would be quite futile to submit them to the House for discussion with any hope of reaching a conclusion within a week. Then there is the liquor referendum proposal. It is stated tifrat a Bill dealing with this would have "been introduced yesterday had the way been clear for its immediate consideration. If this is the case the measure may be expected as the first business for next week. The popular opinion there is that with peace in sight and a general election next year assured the House will be less favorably disposed towards an ir^affluent ssf«seadum ilyui it -!§§- >&

months ago. A pricked .card, however, shows a narrow majority of members still willing to leave th-e whole business in €h.c hands of the electors.

| THE PARTY TRUCE. Politicians in and out of Parliament are in no humor just now to take any interest in controversial polities and the resolution adopted at the Reform Caucus urging the continuance of the Pa.rty Truce during the Settlement of postwar problems has provoked little discussion anywhere. The Liberal Caucus, at whidli it might have been mentioned was not held yesterday, being postponed indefinitely for the same reason as everything else of the kind is being postponed The Evening Post, however, is giving Sir Joseph Ward sage advice on the subject, urging that Ibe and his party, following the example of Mr Lloyd George and the Liberals at Home, should ally themselves more closely with Mr Massey and his party so as to present a united front to the revolutionary forces which, it says, are as mucta a menace to good government in New Zealand as they are in older countries. But both the party leaders have found more urgent matters to occupy their attention at the moment, and are not proclaiming their personal views.