FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1918

Grey River Argus, 6 December 1918, Page 2

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1918

GENERAL' ELECTIONS IN BRITAIN.

With a shrewd appreciation of the state of the public mind, the heads of the Coalition Government in the United Kingdom have not allowed the impression mad^ by the winning of the Avar to weaken, without turning it to account politically by holding a general election without ' (Jclay. Judging from a cablegram yesterday, stating that social reform. has been

relegated to tho background in Hie electioneering ■'meetings, and that questions relating to the peace terms have most prominence — such as indtfmnitit'ii penalties and exclusion of aliens — it is evident that Mr Lloyd George and liis colleagues £:«-e. All the elections with the most promising prospects of success. There are two opinions as to the advisability of holding a general election under the shadow of the great war. On- the ono hand there are the Unionists and those of the Liberals who follow Mr. Lloyd George in preference. 1b Mr Asquith, as well as some few Labour members who are mostly in the Govern incuts. ft is their contention that it. falls naturally to the present Government to represent the nation at the Peace Conference. As that Government in view of the victory, cau rely on securing at the present time the the stamp of public support vnd approval, which a substantial jiia^ority at an e'ection must be taken to mean, it will be an advantage for Britain to to be represented at the Peace Conference by a Government possessing such evidence of popular' trust. The Government, it is argued, requires a mandate from the electors to give effect to the peace policy Avhich it has professed and advanced before the world. Then again it is pointed out that no general election has 'been held for eight years, and the sooner this irregularly is remedied the better. The main argument is, 'however,, the necessity for a,- inundate; though some also beiievo that repatriatio) mid reconstruction should dc tackled by a coalition. On the other hand, it is urged by a, strong' element of .the Liberal Party and practically the body of the Labour Party that a proper popular verdict, under • war conditions, and without peace being signed, cannot possibly be expected. It is' said also that out of loyally, not to the Government, but the country, the electors would be averse to repudiate its actministration at such a crcitical time, for fear of the inferences that would be made abroad, and their effect at the Peace Conference. It is also urged that the many miljons of neAv voters — some millions of thorn women — and millions more soldiers — are more likely to give the coalition Government support at present than they would be when the st'-nin of war hau passed; and that tne present Government are influenced by this consideration in holding, an c' n ction so soon after the armistice. To us it seems that something else is to be said. La the first pace, the Government, whatever the state of mind*of the electorate, is placing itself in the hands ol mat electorate, and it. is uue.stionn.blp whether t.lie public feeling at present is such as to mint it to decifle what is best: to do in the existing state of things. On the other hand, there is the possibility of the Government, after, securing a majority and consequently a mandate to hand'e the present situation, coining to the conclusion that it has been elected to carry on the legislation of the country for a period much longer than the electors have bargained lor and continuing per haps in office for the full term "of Jive years allowed by the statute. The Parliament now expiring has on no fewer than live occasions lengthened the term of its existence from session to session. That, of course, is hardly likely to be taken as a precedent. Tlie danger of a political truce, however, is indicated by the fact that whi.e the expiring Parliament, during its long life, has lost nearly half its members the new members offer no reflex of popular opinion since they are nearly all returned without an election. The balance, at the present time, therefore, lies between the demands of the war settliug-up process [and the needs of the country as dis- | tinet therefrom in the Avay of soda', j economic and administrative, reform. j It cannot be said that, apart from the Avau questions of the immediate future, the Government has submitted a } programme of legislation and reform such as the country must call for after i such a terrible war. In these matters the danger is that it Avill claim authority whore none lias been given. To the Labour i'arty the situation must be very exasperating. With the enormous extension ol ihu iranciiise ; it couid luok lonvaru at any ume inner tiisiii a crisis like tue. pn.s>enl to a puelifiijueuai success, since tne great majuruy of new voters , n sovrnu questions were paramount, wou.u uuuuuut.iruiy suie \vun me x.auour I'arcy. As it is tnere may be some sui prising changes. borne parties, "or acvtiUiio or pari'ios, .may hiive laned'to remain a political loice when md numbers vie hoisted. This seems very piouauie in Ireland,' where tne l J ariy, after its strenuous career or '" half a century, bids lair to play a very poor . acconcl nuule -aiuugsiUe vie rising party or feinn Jb'ciii. lur Asquith nub ■ Kvyt |the. iiscal question, as iv yore, m the, forefront, but if the present Government should legislate on. the subject, .tree trade is dc-scint-d to yive_ place.- tu some form of imperial prcieience, unless, of course, tlie proposal for a League of JN'atious, as : Mr W. M. Hugues(jhe Australian Premier) cohtt-nus, will preclude tariff, discrimination^ agtainst each other by any members of the League. Mr Lloyd (ieorge nas hitherto been, a pronounced advocate of social reform, and some consider/ mat his presence in the 'Government would commit' the Unionists in this connection, but in our opinion the nclusion of the Unionists Aviv very eifectively counteract any such tendency on the Prime Minister 's part. If it came to a caucus A'Ote, tlie Unionists in the Coalition would have nothing to fear. However, with its opponents nearly all handicapped by divided .counsels, more or less, the Coalition goes} to the polls witii its prospects brighter than it could ever again hope for, and its members .seem easy in their minds that they Avill return with a very substantial majority.

Messrs Mark Sprot and Co. will on Monday next sell 200 head of fat stock cattle and sheep at Preston Road yards..

. The. regular ■■■meeting of Court Concord, No. 4,355, A.O.F.j will be he!d this evening at S o'clock.

The Mayor desires to acknoAvlcdge receipt of two cases of lemons for sick people from Mrs Sweet, Collingwood, and formerly of Greymouth.

The monthly meeting of the directors of the Grey Building Society will be held in the secretary's office, Mackay Street, today (Friday), at i p.m.

A question of which notice was given in the House of. Representatives by Mr J. Vigor Brown. M.P. for Napier, was as follows: "Whether the Minister for Defence will instruct -his officers to expedite the discharge of Main Body men who have been four years at the front and are now being fcept. in t camp here,, ""whilst others who have not been away at all are being discharged" .

An Auckland tologram reports sales of P & O shipping shares at "£406. '■: The secretary of the Grey Hospital and Charitable Aid Board acknowledges, with thanks, the following voluntary donations: — Mossrs S. P. Haszaid', £1 Is; & E. Bellamy. £1 Is; J. D. William. £9\ ' . The District Traffic Manager informs us that it is proposed lv run the overland train service ■ between. G ivy mouth and Christchurch every day except Simduys, from Tlnusdtiy. U)th December, until Thursday, iJtli January.

The Licensing Amendment Bill lias passed a.l stages in the House of Kopresentatives. With amendments limiting the amount of compcnsai ion to be paid to four and a half millions, and making six o'clock closing a permanent institution.

It is pleasing (stated the Finance Minister in the House) to record ilio fact that there has been very little unemployment during the past year; on the contrary, in nearly every trade the difficulty has been to obtain sufficient suitable labour.

Mr T. P. Mills, probation officer, atWellington mentioned the case of a house near Cambridge Terrace visited by him. He found on the window of a four-roomed cottage a "Rooms to Let" placard. Two rooms of the house were occupied by a family of live, a third room was let to a married couple. The room had a single bed and the man was down with the "flu." The fourth room is "To Let."

Among the Consolidated Fund estimates appear the following items: Cash lost, Greymouth higliAvay roDberv, £90; compassionate alowance to the widow of the late W. Hall, £1,000; assistance towards prospecting, £7 ,50U (£l,BOl spent last year) ; grant to libraries in mining townships, £~A) maintenance, Waimea-kumnra, water race, £1200; West-land Acclimatisation Society, £100; Fox and Franz Josepn tracks, £50; Koss-Waiho Gorge, eo'ae'n subsidy, £150; Okuru wharf repairs, £100; river encroachment, Westland, £100; Seal ly road, £200 ' (access to Mat»inui Block).

The terni "Bolshevism,'' as applied to certain Labour men in New Zealand, was referred to by the Hon. J. T. Pflul in the Legislative Council. In taking exception to the use of the term in the manner referred to. Mr. Paul said he did not agree Avith. the excesses of the Bo'sheviks in Russia, but in the case of revolution they must expect excess, particularly amongst a people who were liberating themselves from the thraldom and gross cruelties of Czavdom. To refer to the Labour leaders as Bolsheviks was a most discreditable method of criticism, and Avas nor nicely to help the better Government of this country.

During the present session business in the House is being, carried on at. high pressure and at a speed without parallel in the history of the Chamber. It must be said for Ministers, however, that realising this would be the case in order to allow the party leadj ers to get away to- the Peace Con-. j ference they have met members in a • spirit of reasonableness. Even the J Labour members have accepted the in : j evitable Avith a good grace, and as I zealous as ever for the interests of the of the community they speciali ly represent have done no unnecessary ktalk and occasioned no unprofitable j delay.

During a. speech of thp Hon,. J. T. Paul in the -legislative Ooiuieij, the lion. <i. Jones inteiyc<Ted that drink was the trouble witji"a great number of working 3uen. ' ' Insobriety is not msponsibie for the poverty of the working man to the extent which the hon. gentleman thinks," replied Mr. Paul. it is responsible for the poverty in some homes, but how does jay friend cxp.ain the poverty in homes Avhero drink does not enter i". Mr Paul attiibutud the cause of most o£ the inxtigoiicy to the fact thai working men did not receive wages commensurate v with the high cost oi living and to the fact the exploitation practised on tod great a scale by some traders and combines. ,

. . The Hokibjka "GuarJlan" reports that a number of damsels at Kanien the otlier evening, with a united etI'ort, managed to (and an eel, weighing twenty pounds. The Prime Minister. i n the House, declared that while he thought v o'clock, closing had come to stay, the present Licensing Amendment Bill^^ was not the proper vehicle to give el><"Bi feet to it. The prfess reports regarding the refusal of Mr J. S. Evans,' S..YF., to go ! through an inhalation chamber nt I Eeefton have been erroneous in one particular. Tt was not SergeantMajor Mettrick. ns reported, who took action in the matter, but a gate keeper at a barrier. Though th- H-wbc !nal:l ovt-- tlie Licensing Bill to the Council with permanent 6 o'clock closing provided for. ifc is understood this Clause was passed on a snap A r ote, and there is speculation as to whether the Clause will be cut out by the Lords.

Hon G. \V. Russell, yesterday stated he would gladly consider the question of affording recognition to thu voluntary workers i n the recent, epidemic. What form that recognition should be he was not yet able to say. ■The Premier yesterday said he hoped the Minister if Finance and himself i would leave for England before the i end of next week. He did not know I what steamer they were to travel by hut arrangements AA-ere being made by ! the Imperial authorities. Mr McCallum, M.P.. is asking the. : Premier: "What steps the Government proposed to be taken in the matter of granting compensation to premises of licensees in tAvelre electoral disi tnets in whirh no-license liad already I bee n carried?" i .

As some doubt exists as to whether the clause in the Licensing Bill prohibiting thcMiiamifaeture of alcoholic liquor applies to home-brewed beer or I home-made "wine, etc.. ihe ' question was put to Mr. Massoy. He repliert that the Avoid "manufacture" was a (trade term and did not refer to homemade liquors for consumption in the home. At a meeting of the Westland Racing and Trotting' Clubs, arrangements to go ahead Avith the New Year meetings were made, viz., for S al e of rights and for improved Saywell startingmachine. A report was read from Ri(T carton indicating that live trainers with sixteen horses wou'd be. across for the Coast meetings. Any postponement would be likely to clash with the altered dates of '"Canterbury race already postponed. It wsis stated the bun on racing might be lifted by Monday week next. and. was almost ssuer c to be before Boxing; Day.

Old Hokitikaites (writes our Rumara correspondent) will learn Aviui regret or the death of Mrs Crawford,, which took place at Wellington on | November 27th after a short illness. | The deceased lady, who was the wife of Mr Robert Crawford, for man;* years in the employ of the Hokitifcn Gas Company was greatly esteemed for her many good qualities, and very general sympathy will be extended to her sorrowing husband and fanvly in 1 tlie sad affliction that has overtaken them. \She was a sister of Mr Button, S.M., formerly a well-known Auckland Magistrate. Tn the Legislative "Council yesterday the Licensing Amendment Bill passed through Committee, with the exception of the clauses referring to compensation, in which the Special Committee of the Council had made Amendments. These were postponed, also 'the Clause dealing with .six o'clock closing. Sir F.. H.. D. Bell, on behalf of tlie Government, stntecl his intention of moving in Committee a new Clause containing, jsix ■■'o'clock closing till 30th June 1920. »T the determination at the t special licensing poll is in favour of. National Continitnncc, then, at the next general licensing poll there shall be submitted «t. separate issue as to whether restrictect hoiirs shall continue.. „ , .