WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1919, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS

COAL SUPPLY. METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION. (Special Correspondent) Wellington, May 16. Mr P. Fraser, M.P., and Mr R. Semple, M.P., were invited to be present at the conference between the Hon. A. M. Myers, the Minister of Supplies, and the local coal dealers yesterday in order that they might make themselves acquainted with the methods of distribution. The Labor members were admitted to the full confidence of the Minister and listened to the representations lof the dealers, but Mr Fraser, at any rate, still persisted that soma improper preference was being shown to wealthy purchasers to the prejudice of less fortunate people. Mr Myers explained that industries dealing with perishable products, such as meat and milk factories, had to be kept going and that lighting had to be maintained; but beyond this | there was absolutely no preference with- ) in hia own knowledge and naturally he I desired to give relief to those most in need. If Mr Fraser knew of any departures from this policy he would bo glad to hear of them and to take steps to prevent their recurrence. MINERS' CONDITIONS. Mr Semple viewed the position from another and probably a more defensible standpoint than did his colleague. He insisted that the coal shortage, which I was Teaching a very acute stage, was jiDjJnly due to the conditions under ; which the miners were compelled to live [and n'ork. The shocking sanitary state of some of the mining towns was driving I the miners to other 'places and into oth!er occupations. He instanced Blackball ! where one of the largest mines in the j Dominion might have to be abandoned if the conditions were not made more j tolerable to the men and their families. j Replying to this statement Mr Myers said the Minister of Mines, the Hon. W. D S. Mac Donald, was on the West Coast at that very moment investigating the | allegations that had been made and if they were justified the necessary remedies would be applied without any avoidable delay. ! SOLDIERS' WIVES. | Following upon the Government's announcement of its intention to make | the increased separation allowance to soldiers' wives retrospective come many j stories of cases of hardship that will not be relieved by the half miilion it is proposed to expend upon this act of justice. Probably the majority of these would not bear close investigation, but one, at least, of those that have not previousI ly found their way into the newspapers [ has been fully substantiated. Nearly a year ago a married soldier after three years' service returned to his wife and family, two young girls, suffering from I shell-shock. He was given his discharge at the side of the ship and after spending a few days at home, behaving in an unbalanced fashion, he went off into the country. The next heard of him by his wife was that he had been arrested for forging a paltry cheque and now he is serving a term of reformative I treatment while his wife and children are seeking out a precarious living in the best way they can. THE LICENSING PROBLEM. The prohibition leaders are conferring | here to-day over their preparations for the new licensing campaign. If Mr [ Massey and Sir Joseph Ward do not return to the Dominion before August, as [now seems probable, it will be practically impossible for Parliament to deal | with the legislation of last session and the issues to be submitted to the electors at the forthcoming poll will be left in a hopeless state of confusion, much to the advantage, of course, of the friends of continuance. It is understood the prohibitionists themselves are divided on the question of preferential voting, which would give State control more than a remote chance of being carried, and if this is really the case the Govejjnment will have a very good excuse for leaving the present defective law unaltered. That it will be ready enough to grasp it may be judged from Sir Francis Bell's communications to the newspapers which imply that without a clear majority of first votes for one of the alternatives the present system must continue.