WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 153, 30 June 1917, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE PARTY, LEADERS

TUiaE EBTUKN. -

(Special Correspondent). ■ WELLINGTON, June 27. The home-coming of Mr Massey and S:t Joseph Ward was marked by no stag:?-Managed ceremonial and Hr.o display of popular enthusiasm. A bedraggled flag here and there, a of Ministers, Members -t. of Parliament and' officials at the railstatin and a little crowd oi "listless spectators outside the simply these and nothing nore, distinguished, the wet afterof yesterday from many : wet afternoon that has tried patience of the rain-weary city last month or two. But "Wellington public- is not a depublic so far as Ministers the Crown are concerned, whatthe occasion or whatever the and there is ho sinister inbe drawn from, the fact .the Prime M'inister v arid his were allowed to\ go about business without being embarby triumphal arches or adof welcome. TEETR MESSAGE. Both the party leaders have made since their return and.have eagerly interviewed by the reBut they have both actc> perfection the art of talking generalities, and so far ; their have been more stimulating to imagination than satisfying to t/jix'st for information. Their reto the business of the ImWar Conference and the ImWar Cabinet have been vague the extreme, scarcely indicating difference between the constituand functions of the two and audiences and reporters B|iive gone empty away. -However, H^jMr Ma?cey has promised to be more X- communicative, in Parliament at the K. proper time, and meanwhile he and |r Sir Joseph are delivering a message »~ of good cheer in connection with the UT war and the conditions that will ■Ljpre\'ail after the war. The end may not- come this year, nor even next Bfcyear, but of the ultimate result there Bptfin be no doubt, and arfter that there be enduring peace and continued ■prosperity'for New Zealand. HT THE SESSION. K. Sneaking only a few hours after K^ their return to the .Dominion, Krinturally the Ministers' references to B; the business of the approaching ses- » fion have been even more general y*ihfm the re.«t of their generalities. It X ?;ns not pa??-d unnoticed that at ■ Aufkland Sir Joseph Ward, after X paying a tribute to the integrity and ■ rfbtlity of tlie late Dr McNab, con- ■^ jratulated Sir James'Allen and Mr Hr-'^'wrfl upon the success of their adB ministration during the Prime Mm B*j*.-f/«r's absence, but he has not been B^><*h*nyed Jnto suggesting who- really B*li«s been loader of the Liberal Party ■tsrne? the d^nth of the gentleman he in charge. His only direct alto matters to come before have been an endorseBfrient of Mr Myers's statement that Kthe impciiding war loan will be a BFlnrcp orrf, and a hint that no tariff f will mvi be erected against the tt United^ S Latos. B IMPET? T\L FEDEEATION. Though the Prime Minister is unBrible to tri.ke the public into his con-B-ndenf-e in regard to the matter, it BHr evident his mind is full of a BVcheme by which ''seventeen million B^/vnglo-SriMoris l-osident in the OyerBri!»as. Dornipion.s" are to l)ave some E. roire in tlie of the Kr.fTairs o; the Empire, even to the B^lcngoh if assisting in shr-ping its m foreign policy. From wli'at lie is X i-^portud to hnve said at Aucldand Bi 1. might ho assumed that an Imperial B Cabinet containing representatives Bfroni the Dominions is already craftW* on to the Constitution, but from j X his later uttprances it would appear £ that tlv.1 nnnl step in this direction, L whitovoc its nature may lie, will be Is fiflayed till the eon elusion of tlie war L hns brought leisure, the proper perm* ppeet.'ve, ancV the suitable environIk jiiPiit t'> the men who will be enlisted ivith t-lie completion of the ■fc'^henie. This is ns, it should be. ipire building is necessarily a slow B' -ePS nnd no stone in the great' ' B; -o of the British Empire should ■, id while the minds of its scafcB 'teoples are -distracted by a, H^ :c for their national existence.