WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1919, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS

" THE GRATUITIES SCHEME. TIME FOR CONSIDERATION. (Special Correspondent) • Wellington, Sept. 22. Whatever may have been his intention when the soldiers' gratuities scheme was submitted to the House on Friday the Prime Minister was-reason-able enough when the Opposition asked for time to consider the Government's proposals. Probably Mr Massey was right when he said he had a sufficient majority behind him to push the scheme through forthwith, the question not being a party one, but he accepted Sir John Findlay's suggestion for an adjournment with a good grace, and during the interval between the afternoon and evening sittings any feeling that had been provoked by the earlier debate had evaporated. The arrangement now j is that the scheme will be discussed on Wednesday and Thursday and the probabilities are tyiat the proposal for the payment of Is 6d a day to the boldiers will be confirmed. A minority may stand out for 2s a day, but, as far as can be gathered from lobby gossip, a majority, having in view the vast obligation assumed by the Dominion in connection with the war, will confirm the Government's proposal. THE SOLDIER'S VIEW. Just how far the monster deputation that waited upon Ministers represented the considered opinion of the soldiers it is difficult to say, but it is certain that a very large body of the men are opposed to extracting a liigber gratuity from the Government at the point of the I bayonet. They feel that the payment, whatever its amount, is a free gift from the coutrny and that it is for the representatives of the givers and not for the recipients to determine how much it shall be. Meanwhile there is some misunderstanding in connection with the proposal to pass the payments to the men through the Po9t Office Savings Bank. .Some of the critics of the scheme are declaring this arrangement will prevent the men obtaining any immediate benefit from the payment, but as a matter of fact the cash will be at their disposal directly the scheme is adopted. THE ELECTIONS. Both the old parties appear to be particularly fortunate in finding a number of capable men to stand in their interests at the approaching election. The Liberals, who confess themselves they were not very happy in this respect five years ago, seem likely to be much better represented on occasion. Mr Sidey, who would have been a v§ry real loss to the party, has been induced to reconsider his determination to retire from Dunedin South, and several new men of parts have consented to take the field in the same interests. There also is a revival of enthusinsm on the Reform side of politics and Mr Massey's difficulty is likely to be rather in making a choice between the candidates offering than in beating up recruits. Labor, with its superior organisation, is never at a loss for men to carry its banner at the polls and already it has a full contingent of champions at its disposal. TRAIN SERVICES. Mr Massey's announcement that the normal railway services will be resumed on Monday next—a week hence —has been received with very "Teat satisfaction here. Wellington, as the principal distributing centre of the Dominion, probably has suffered more than any other of the large cities from the restrictions of the past month or two and its patience was just upon the breakingpoint. No doubt the railway authorities have done their best, but people who have been suffering serious inconvenience and heavy loss from the dislocated traffic have not been inclined to regard this best as being nearly as good as it might have been. The determination of essential and non-essential traffic has been exasperatingly erratic and the permit system has not operated fairly. Trains have been compelled to make long waits at stations to conform to the time-table and there has been an utter disregard for the importance and urgency of mails. t