WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1922, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THOSE REVELATIONS. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. (Special Correspondent.) Now that tlie lobbies haVe discussed and rediscussed Mr. Holland’s "revelations” from every viewpoint, they have begun to make up their minds that there was nothing, after all, very novel or very dreadful in the Liberal-Labor "flirtation.” Assuming that everything alleged against Mr. Wilford and Mr. Holland is true, there still is nothing in the whole matter to convict either of these gentlemen of any grave impropriety. It is not the first time, by a very long way, that the diverse elements in an Opposition have discussed together the feasibility of joining forces for the purpose of ejecting a Government. Half-a-dozen happenings of the kind in this country during the last fifty years could be easily called to mind, one of them, at any rate, well within the recollection of the present generation. But the less chivalrous of Mr. Massey’s followers have striven steadfastly to convey to the public mind an impression that Mr. Wilford and Mr. Holland have been engaged in»a particularly heinous form of political villainy, and that they and their parties should be finally consigned to the outer darkness of public execration. MOTORS AND RAILWAYS.

The Minister of Railways told the House of Representatives on Wednesday night that the Government hoped to be able to announce before very long that it had decided upon measures to protect the railways from the stress of competition with motor traffic. Meanwhile ho. expressed regret that some people were apt to forget that the railways were their own property, and for the sake of a “mere shilling or a sixpence” would travel by the competing motor cars. It is satisfactory to learn that the Government is . about to make an announcement on this subject, but it is to be hoped that its remedy for the existing state of affairs will be something more tangible than an appeal to the patriotism of the long-suffering public. Even the Dominion warns Mr. Guthrie that the public will patronise the conveyance that suits them best without any regard to the suggestion of proprietorship. The motor ears have got a very long start in various parts of this island, and there are a number of schemes on foot for adding to their activities.