POLITICAL NOTES.

Mataura Ensign, 26 September 1913, Page 4

POLITICAL NOTES.

A WELLINGTON GRIEVANCE. PUBLIC EXPENDITURE WANTED. DT TKMOUKAI'II. FItOII OUIf SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, \\ ELLINGTON, Sept. 26. I A large deputation, all Wellington members, waited on Hon. W. F Masse* (Prune Minister) last night. The deputation included two Ministers, Hons A L. ilerdman and F. M. B. Fisher" Ins proceeding is unusual as Minister do not generally join deputations to tjie I rune .Minister. The complaint of the members was that Wellington had been overlooked :n public oxpenditnr® 111 int:> years. Only one railway vas is progress, and that was being'shelved eight men being all that woro employed unmi it. Iho doputation wanted th« deviation of the Manawatu and Rinmtaka railway proceeds! with, a centra) station built in the city of Wellington 'noro expenditure U|x>n roads and hridgfts and the tourist retort at Tonga nro opened up. Hon. W. F. Maguey did his best to placate the deputationists, but said that a loan of i 0,000,000 would l>e required to meeti wie demands.

PARTY LINES. Iho Iloyd Garlick <lebato tcsterda* was purely a party one. Tho House dicl not take the same impa-tial view as tli« committee had done. Tho and evening were taken up with recrimination but nothing e/Fcctivo re* suited, the committee's rejx>rt being received and Mr Russell's amendment de. feafcod on the strictly party division. There is a feeling of relief that th« wholo matter 'has been done with. Hon. J. Allen (Minister for J education) i would have saved a lot of time and j trouble both to himself and his partr bad ho refused to notice criticism inj tho first instance and shouldered whatever blame, if any, attached to th» appointment.

LABOR'S GRIEVANCES. The Imprest Supply Hill gave the Labor members an opportunity to make good <lll their failure to discuss their, grievances on tho Estimates and the party fxxjk lull advantage of it. The Opposition meinbi'is also availed thenisehe.s ol tlie chance to "Hansardise" the. reasons for tho recent stonewall. Mr Weill) ((<!w) wanted tho Government to earn- a _ resolution condemn--in gtho action of Vlstennen in tin eaten--ing war if Hoine Rule wore carried, but tho Speaker pulled h:m up an the subject was under the jurisdiction of the Home Government.