WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1919, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

SOLDIERS' SETTLEMENT. THE MINISTER IN CHARGE. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, March S. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie, the Sfiniater in Charge of Soldiers' Settlement, whose earnest desire to establish men returning from the front on the land no one doubts, is not very happy this morning in his reply to the criticism that Angtralia is doing better than New Zealand in this respect. The Minister contends that whilo Victoria limits its advance to the soldier settler to £2OOO, New Zealand is prepared to provide £2500 or even more if the security is regarded as good enough to justify an increase; ' but he does not dispute the assertion that Victoria has spent four times as much as New Zealand has in providing, farms for the men, and admits that no enthusiasm has been raised here in regard to small holdings. Altogether Mr Guthrie's statement is rather an exposition of what hj desires to be done than of what the Government has accomplished.

COSTLY DELAYS. Wellington people have never taken more than a languid interest in the East and West Coast railway which., is to bring Canterbury and WestlancT-into direct communication; but they are cordially sympathising'with the Arttuc/e Pass Tunnel League in its protest against the wasteful practice of keeping railway construction dragging on afc a dozen pointß year after the charges for interest amount to mora than the actual expenditure upon the works. It is stated with every ■appearance of authority that the cost of the particular line for which the league, hi concerned already has been morerilua doubled by twenty-five or thirty yews* delay and that the figure at whrcbvit will eventually stand m the offtßSalrVeturns will represent less than half the amount actually expended upon carrying it from one coast to the other. And it is only one example of many of the drain this wasteful policy is making, upon the finances of the-coontry.

SUBURBAN RAILWAYS. A matter of much greater genera! In-, torest here is the refusal of the Minister of Railways to restore the suburban train services which were stopped during the war on accountof the shortage of labor. Mr Berries' latest pronouncement on this subject is in reply to«a. request by Mr W. H. Field for a service between Otaki ai d tlie city. It i»>to the effect that \, actically no fit men: have yet returned i-om the war to fheir employment with the Railway Department and that in these circumstances, it is impossible to offer any additional travelling facilities. The. ' Minister gives no idea of when the suburban aw-"' vices will be restored, but promises to give the matter consideration directly the men arc available. Meanwhile motor services arc being firmly established and the agitation for a tram line along the Hutt Road is being revived. HIS EXCELLENCY.

The New Zealand Times-this mornteg heartily commends the motion Mr Inn Simson, the Mayor of Hastings, is to submit to liia councillors at their next meeting urging upon the proper author!tips til* appointment of Sir Andrew Russell as the next Governor-General of the Dominion. "The appointment of Sir Andrew," it says after referring to the gallant soldier's services in the field, "would be acclaimed by all New Zealand with appreciative enthusiasm." The Mayor of Hastings is not taken very seriously by certain sections of the community that may claim to enter into the composition of "all Now Zealand," but there can be no question that the installation of the distinguished general at Government House would, be extremely popular. This, however, is « matter entirely for the Imperial authorities and it would be a little embarrassiug to them, as well' as to oijr own Government, if every local body in the country proceeded to nominate a candidate i for the high office.