WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 October 1918, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

PARTY LEADERS AND THE

WAR.

NO ARMISTICE. • (Ou# Own Correspondent). WELLINGTON, October IG. Mr Mawsey and Sir Joseph Ward have re' urned to tire Dominion as they left it, confident of the might of Britain and her Allies and of their complete triumph in the war, and with first-hand knowledge of what is going on at the otlier end of the world. With wider information and a broader view, they speak as those having authority, in the course of his speech at the civic reception yesterday tne Prime Minister, while recognising the further sacrifices that might be required to bring Germany completely to her knees, insisted that nothing sßort of an unconditional surrender would satisfy the champions of justice and civilisation. There could be no armistice with an infamous criminal, whose bond was a by-word among the nations and whose hands were dripping with the blood of innocent women and children, but there must be punishment and reparation, sharp and substantial in the one case and adequate in the other. AFTER THE WAR.

Sir Joseph Ward, while fully concurring' with Mr Massey's view of what was imperative in the present and the immediate future, following his colleague, found congenial expression for his perennial optimism in anticipating some of the social and industrial developments brought about by the war. His allusions to the marvellous progress made in the mastery of the air, closely wrapped up with these developments, were particularly interesting. He had seen an aeroplane capable of carrying fifteen tons, or a hundred men, with fuel enough to enable it to travel 1000 miles at the rate of 125 miles an hour, and he had not the slightest doubt that within a very short time of the conclusion of the war such machines be giving New Zealand a fen-hour mail service with Australia and maintaining- regular communication between the Mother Country and America.

GETTING TO WORK AGAIN"

Though the party leaders have had to spare much time to public receptions and to social obligations of one kind and another since their return to Wellington on Monday, they have not been neglecting the business of their offices. Between making speeches and exchanging courtesies with the scores of friends who have wished to assure them of their goodwill their working hours have been broken and irregular, but already they have managed to pick up the threads of their various Departments and to realise how well they have been represented by tueir colleagues during their absence. The statement of tne public accounts for the first half of the financial year was ready for Sir Joseph Ward as he stepped off the train and was G"iven out to the papers last nlg'ht with a cordial acknowledgment of the ability with which the Hon. A. M. Myers had filled the Minister's shoes.

THE POLITICAL SITUATION

Though the Prime Minister still declines to discuss the results of the two recent by-elec-tions in their relation to the political situation, it is obvious lie is not greatly perturbed by what has happened during- His absence. Nor can he be drawn into any expression of opinion concerning the criticism of the National Cabinet by Mr Sykes, the member for Masterton, one of his own personal supporters. Mr Sykes's complaint is that the Government, in its very proper and admirable zeal for winning" the war, has neglected the domestic affairs of the country, particularly in the matter of the cost of living. This, of course, is a very general complaint among a large section of electors, but the Minister hopes when Mr Sykes fully understands what the Government has done he will be disposed to considerably modify his criticism.