WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 March 1917, Page 8

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

SPORT AMO WAR, THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUOK. (Special to "Stab.") WELLINGTON, March 16. Judging from his latest public litter-' mice on the subject, the Minister of internal Affairs lias somewhat modified his earlier views as to the measure of restriction that should he placed upon racing during war time. Probably he has come to realise, as the .Minister of Finance and the .Minister of Defence must have done, that, from the economic and military points of view, racing is not exercising the baneful influence noon the community he had supposed. Mr Russell now suggests that tho Uoverinneiit should submit ;i. scheme to the Racing Conference ftud the Trotting Conference for reducing tho number of meetings or that the Conferences should submit a scheme to the Government, and th'at the task should he approached fiom the sentimental point of view which assumes that it is unseemly people remaining in the Dominion should be gambling and merry-making when their soldiers are fighting the battles of tho Kmpiro. This seems to he a sane vvnv of dealing with t.he problem, and if the Government and the Conferences between Ihoin can frame a scheme that will stirvivo tho political '"pull" of the smaller clubs, substantial muni may result from their joint efforts. ' THE GAMBLING EVIL, While the Government is dealing with tho further regulation of nice meetings along the lines suggested by .Mr Russell," it*ought to take info consideration a very grave menace to the community that is fastening itself on to a perfectly legitimate sport. Probably the day when the question as to whether the totalisator lists lessened oi aggravated the gambling evil could bo profitably discussed has passed, but tho bookmaker, who js flourishing in tho hind exceed!up!v. could he so eiisilv

suppressed, there seem? no reason why his extinction should he delayed beyond the firpt week of the next session oi Parliament. All licit is needed is a short Act of three or four clauses, or nn amendment to the existing law, rendering the bookmaker liable to the pains and penalties provided for other idle and disorderly people. It in understood that the At-torney-Genera] has some measure ot this kind in contemplation, but the evil is so widespread and flagrant the Minister ought not to lack ihe assistance of puhhc opinion in making up hjs mind. national rkfjckncy. The National Efficiency Hoard is receiving through Die Government and other channels, as well as directly, a great deal of gratuitous advice upon the discharge of its very important duties. Most of its counsellors are concerned chiefly with the organisation of labor and its ■•mpioyinont upon essential works. It is said there are 600 U or 7000 Dalmatian-:, > f more or less doubtful loyalty, on the North Auckland gumfields, and long be-

fore the Farmers' Union suggested these people- should he turned to useful account under military supervision, individuals had urged they should be removed to those agricultural districts where labor is urgently required. This is one of the birr problems of the situation. A smaller one is the further employment of women, and here there will be no reluctance on the part of the people immediately concerned. Women are clamoring for war woik, without making any stipulation as to j!s character, and probably a couple of thousand capable girls could ho found in Wellington alone ready to L-hal » hand in anv service Milled to tliej,- strength. LABOUR. The stories of impending labor troubles. which weie so prevalent at Christinas and New Year time, as they had been twelve months before, seem to have been notlinig more than tiie idle chatter of the holiday season. Negotiations concerning wages and conditions are still proceeding between certain sections of employers and workers, but they are being conducted so quietly and with such apparent goodwi I on both sides that no one i s alarmed about • 1 'suit. The ciedif for this reassuring state of a (Tails may be fairly divided between the masters and t.he men. who have displayed an amount of forbearance that was not common among them a few . years ago. In one of the Westpori mines the men are making their dissatisfaction with a readjustment oj condition* by ''filing slow. but. apart from this unfortunate incident, the labor oijtjook is tjifitinctly encouraging.