WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1919, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

MEMBERS' HONORARIUM. PROPOSED INCREASE. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Oct. 6. Both the Prime Minister and the !r-r "t of the Opposition are favorably ui.-jh>sed toward the proposal for an increase in the honorarium of the members of the House of Representatives and it may be assumed that the leader of the Labor Party is' not opposed to this expression of democratic principles. The present honorarium of £'3oo a year was fixed at a time when the sum represented a much larger amount, measured by purchasing power, than it does in these days, and when the representatives of the people had fewer calls upon their purses and their services. .In these circumstances it seems likely the proposal would be acceptable to a majority of the House* and to a majority of the electors. It would not. of course, take effect during the life of the present Parliament and members could not be twitted with increasing their pay without a mandate from the people. The inadequacy of their remuneration has been a matter of comment for many years past.

INDUSTRIAL UNREST, KAILWAY LEADERS ATTACKED. BY FOOD CONTROLLER. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyrlclit. Received Oct. 8, 10.10 p.m. London, Oct. 7. Mr Roberts, Food Controller, speaking in London, made a sharp attack oil the raihvaymen's leaders. He said that secret diplomacy had been used for imposing on the rank and file the will of the leaders, who were acting as autocratically as any European State had done. The agreement, they signed on Sunday was obtainable nine days earlier. v ** BRITISH CONCILIATION PROPOSAL LORD ASKWITH'S VIEWS. Received Oct. 8, 8.15 p.m. London, Oct. 7. It is understood that all the fourteen members of the Conciliation Committee are willing to serve as the nucleus of a permanent body. Lord A/kwith, in an interview, paid a tribute to the mediators' remarkable solidarity and patience. He agreed that Mr. Gosling's proposal might result in establishing a body which could exercise a restraining influence, but the first step rested with the trades unions. It had often been difficult in the past to secure the adherence of one trade to another's judgment, but the question of control and responsibility was the crux of the whole matter. There was always a danger of the clashing of such a body with Cabinet, with which the final responsibility inevitably rests. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Lord Askwith added that he considered it impossible for labor to appoint a central executive -capable of acting for the whole of trade unionism. It would be necessary to have every section represented. He said: "We cannot hope to see the cotton workers accepting the decision of the coal miners. Sectional unrest continues one of the chief dangers to industry. Although the public is greatly relieved by the settlement of the railway strike, there still exists the great iron moulders' strike, affecting the whole engineering trade. The most hopeful factor in the situation is the workers' realisation that they, can only attain prosperity with prosperous industry undisturbed by strikes, and aiming at maximum pro-ductions—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. TRIBUTE TO ' VOLUNTEER WORKERS. . QUESTION OF NATIONALISING COAL MINES. Received Oct. 9, 1.40 a.m. London, Oct. 8. The newspapers warmly endorse Mr. Lloyd George's tribute to the thousands of volunteers who proved the value of liberty and prosperity of the country, and are determined to defeat the fraIrieidial schemes of the extremists. Mr. Lloyd George has but a short respite from the consideration of the demands of the Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress, which is pressing for an interview on Thursday to urge the nationalisation of coal mines. It is understood Mr Lloyd George adheres to the policy of declining nationalisation, but providing for the State purchase of mineral rights:.—Aus.K.Z. Cable Assn. THE RECENT STRIKE. Received Oct. 8. 7.">0 p.m. London, Oct. 7. Mr Lloyd George, speaking at the luncheon to General Allenby and ,turning to domestic affairs, the Premier said the recent strike had proved that Britain was a real demosratic country, and that it was public opinion, not Prnssianism, in the industrial and economic world which must prevail. Britain had again rendered a deep and lasting service to real freedom by defeating the effort to strangle the community into submission, and he thanked the multitudes who frustrated the attempt.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn and Renter. Received Oct. !), 1.30 a.m. London, Oct. 8. Mr. Lloyd George added: "These multitudes who helped to frustrate the attempt to strangle the community proved their efficiency." The Premier then proceeded to affirm that trade unions could not win without public support. "On the other hand," he said, "resistance of trade union demands must satisfy the sense of justice and fair.play which is innate of the British, people." That might sqund commonplace, but he reminded his hearers that there was i a section of quite honest and sincere men here and in other countries, who having I grown tired of the progress of convinIcing their fellow countrymen of the justice of their claims, had come to the conclusion that more direct and forcible means should be utilised to achieve their purpose. That movement was dangerous to the whole fabric of society, and must be defeated. Instead of depending on the justice of the case, the tendency was to calculate what forces could be got to support it, and whether these were powerful enough to ride down every obstacle. That w:n a perilous movement, and every country must demonstrate that it could not succeed. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AN ARBITRATOR APPOINTED. *' London. (Vt. 7. The Government intends inviting Mr J. H. Whitley, the Deputy-Speaker, to arbitrate regarding the remaining negotiations with the raihvaymen Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FRENCH RAILWAYMEN'B DEMANDS. Received Oct. S, 8.15 p.m. , t Pitria, Oct. 7. The French railwaymen have presented n demand for a standard wage, askiiur for double pay and a war bonus, with a minimum of £0 weekly.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.