WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 March 1917, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

MILITARY SERViCE.

ADVICE BY THE MINISTER

(SriiciAl. to "Star.")

WELLINGTON, March 14The Acting-Prime Minister, as chairman of the Recruiting Hoard, is urging farmers drawn in the 'ballot not to leave their land idle while they 'ore away at the warCases have been brought under his notice in which fanners "are selling oil' their slock and shutting U p Hieir properties," rather than make appeals to the Military Service Board for exemption or application to the National Efficiency Board for advi > and nssist-auce-"Sir James Allen, impressed, no doubt, by representations that have been made to him throughout the country, is very much in earnest about this matter, and wishes it to be widely known that the Government regards the production of foodstuffs in war time as a national necessity of the first importance JLe has not suggested that, every farmer who appeals will be excused from service, but he has implied that the need for keeping Ihe farms going will be very sympathetically considered-

TIIK WOIUCBIIS' CASK 'Dip workers jg-enerall.v are not disposed to complain o[ special consideration beintf exleiubul - u farmers and' lurtn labourers in the lnaitor of exemption Irom mihlary service, but they claim, apparently with some reason, that there are numbers of men eii'ga'ged in. other industries just as essential ;i s the primary producers are to the welfare of the Oorniiiimi and the Kmpire. The raiiwnynien, the carters, the v.atersidcrs, and the seamen, they instance, till have a hand in tfHlinj? tli«» products of the country lo their destination, .„„j ~j-(. as well entitled lo special consideration as are the men who own the land and the hands they directly employ. The larger questions of keeping the workers home o'oinj-' -and his jol) o|kmi whim lie is at the front follow sis a mailer of course, but their discussion leads lo more intricate problems than can 1-"' <»v«n s(;lU ' i! ' ! " nl -

|)l{ M.XMi'S SIT'CKKSOK. 'lli«' popular uKKtimjitioii that Sir John J-'intlUiy's election t(. the UnwliPH Buy seat in tl»o House ot ]{epresenta fives would bo followed by the now member s appointment to the National Cabinet has not vet been justified by any official announcement- Ii is quite incredible however, that both Air Masscv and -Sir Joseph W ard would'havebeen m» eager to secure Sir John's return, or that MV John would have been so ready to , n .,k,» the persona! sacrifices us election emails if it were intended he should sir merely as a private member. Ministers decline to ( ~i v(, , )IIV information on the s\ib?(..i mm.'! Sir John is equally reii;.piit. bul li is still taken lor .minted by I lie public that the successor to i)r MeXab's seat will be also the successor to his Ministerial responsibilities. Jhe una! decision, of course, will comefrom London, and possibly it will be delavcd till some tune nearer the meeting of Parliament,

\ i.KSSOX VOW LlK'Afi BODIKS. Tii 1 ' (Minimum of Hie Weslpori Harbour Board !u'« •>«'«.» '" UeU ]iti«4oii tor sonic (lavs in eonuecti„„ with a Utile irouble which )),.» arisen between the Board and i| l( . Audit Department, and which furnishes n useful lesson tor local bodies generally. In I lie course ( ,r reorganising its stall' a year or so ago the Hoard relieved some «>t 111,. officers llial bad gone gvey '" it.s service and paid them retiring allowances, with the full approbntion of its constituent* .But instead of employing the subterfuge of granting them leave of absence on j mv and engaging ether men to do their work, it frankly terminated their engagements, and now Ibe Audit Department, in strict accordance with the law, is holdin'" the members personally liable for the refnnd of the allowances. The Chairman's tactful representations may be followed by some measure of relief, but meanwhile the law's preference for roumj„)„n,l methods lias io be vindicated.