WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 July 1919, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

DOMINION FINANCE. PERFECTLY SOUND. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, June 25. The Acting-Minister of Finance naturally is a little indignant at the attempts tiiat have been made to discover a note of pessimism in his recent review of the Dominion's financial position. He is astounded that anyone should have read into his figures a suggestion that the country i? not perfectly well able to bear the additional burden of debt that has been farced upon it by the war. As a matter of fact the figures showed that the uational wealth was enormously larger than the national debt, that the public revenue was extraordinarily buoyant, that trade and production were rapidly expanding, and that the whole position was eminently satisfactory. In these circumstances there was no need and no temptation to disguise the fact that the liability's of the country had largely increased, and thr-t in order to bear them lightly the people (■must be united in effort and purpose towards the realisation of their great destiny as a prosperous and progressiva nation.

PARTY POLITICS. Though there is no reason for supposing it was the intention of the 'Liberal caucus in declaring for the termination of the party truce before the n&xt general election to stir up political discord in advance of the return, of the party leaders, there can be no doubt its determination has tended in that direction. The nerves of the politicians and of their friends are on edge, and it will require all the tact and forbearance of the party leaders to preserve the peace during the approaching session of Parliai ment. The kite flown by The Dominion last week, implying that Sir Joseph Ward was hurrying bade to the Dominion for the purpose of organising his forces for the impending contest, is typical of the sort of stories that are flying about. There is no actual and open breach between the rank and file of the two old parties, but they are looking ahead and preparing for eventualities.

THE COMING SESSION. In the usually beat-informed circles, however, it is generally anticipated that the bonds of the truce ' will not be offioially loosened till the end of the session, and perhaps not till the dissolution. The retirement of Sir Joseph Ward and hie liberal colleagues from the National Cabinet before the session would place upon Mi'. Massey the embarrassing duty of filling their places ;from among his own supporters. It has been suggested that this would give the Prime Minister an opportunity to heal such dissatisfaction as there may be in the ranks of the Reformers, but experience has shown there is nothing' more disturbing to the harmony of a party than Cabinet-making. There are not sufficient position to go round, and the disappointed aspirants for Ministerial honors are bound to be in the majority. With the session over there would be no :need to make the appointments till after the election. MIKES AND MINERS.

The coal mines report, which, unlike Mohammed's coffin, has been hanging suspended between Wellington and London during the last seven or eight Weeks, makes its appearance in the evening papers to-day and proves to be somewhat leas heroic production. than was [generally expected. The mines are to be nationalised to tihe extent of being controlled by a boaid consisting of two i members selected by the owners and two selected by the miners, afid a president appointed by the Government. The owners are to receive debentures for the value of their mines, and are to have preference in profits up to 4 per cent. Beyond that the miners and the State are to participate. That, roughly, is the basis of the scheme. Of course legislation will be required to give effect to ; the proposals, and the Hon. W. D. S. MaetDonald has a Bill on the stocks towards that end. Accompanying the report are some pictures of miners' "shacks," which ispeafcrtdoqtssntly of the need for reform.

SIGNING OF THE TREATY. NO--LOCAL ENTHUSIASM. Wellington, June 30. The news of the formal signing of the Peace Treaty aroused little interest and no enthusiasm here. People passing the windows of the newspaper offices where the special cable was displayed glanced at the announcement and turned away with an expression which might have been taken for one of disappointment that it did not deal with Satur.day's football matches. The truth of the matter is that since the signing of the armistice the public have been taking the rest of the formalities for granted and not looking forward with any great zest to the further demonstrations, Some sort of jubilation proper to the occasion will be worked up for the official celebration, but it will be lacking in spontaneity ■and largely artificial. The peace negotiations have been so long drawn out that the public have lost much of the interest with which they at first looked forward to their conclusion.

REDUCED RAILWAY SERVICES. ■ The announcement of reduced railway services had been anticipated for soma weeks, but when it was actually made the reduction proved to be more drastic than had been generally expected. Cut-i ting out all the express trains will mean an immense amount of inconvenience,, not only to business men and others who have been in the .habit of using these regularly, biro also to the commer-. cial community which has depended upon them for {lie" rapid delivery of its cor' despondence and for the carriage of small -parcels of goods. ' authorities, howj. •aver, are meeting, all protest and comj. jriaints, and all applications for special 'treatment, with the frank statement .that the ooal position is so acute it probably would be necessary to stop !fl» whole service if the expresses were soontinued. In the face of this patient is the only course open to ■the public'SHE PARTY LEADERS.

The news that Mr Masaey and Sir '.Joseph Ward both are on board the iMaoretftaia, making their return trip $9 the Dominion in company and as :&pee«£ily as they can, has quickened instere«;t in the political situation. The MMnflnnnes have predicted all along that Sba two Ministers would eoroe back together, if uitly in resentment of the- suggestion that ose or other of them was feaquffikng with the position of High

•Commissioner, and now they ate congratulating themsefvestipon their. gJEt'Of ■astute prophecy. Ventaring fuSbmv >thev predict that the party campaet on i which .the National Government rests mill endure till the end of the nasaon Wtnd that before members get bode to< •their constituencies both the old parties >will have been reconstituted and that j%he labor Party wfll; teewiimportance. RUMORED CHANGES. ■ At such times as the present tbe political atmosphere is always full of rumors of a more or less startling character. A year or ho ago Sir James Allen and Mr T. M. Wilford were .talking to their intimate friends of retiring from public life after the war and seeking rest and recreation in a less strenuous sphere. Now it is stated on what seems to be pretty good authority .that the Minister of Defence, while still determined to rid himself of the cares and burdens of office, has decided to Beek re-election as a private member, and that all Mr Wilford's enthusiasm for politics lias returned and that the youngest of the Ministers is hoping to occupy a much more important position in the next Parliament, possibly the leadership of a party. Naturally neither Minister is disposed to make an announcement of his intentions at the present juncture, but there may be news for the public on the return of the party leaders to the country.