WELLINGTON TOPICS

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 129, 3 June 1920, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE RETURNED SOLDIER

HIS CONFERENCE

v (Spec?al Correspondent.) ;. ■'■. •WELTJN.GTON. Juno 2. The returned soldier has been much in evidence in Wellington during the last few days. He is holding his annual conference in tbte capital city, and by w^'d of mouth and through jthe columns of the newspapers is informing the community at large what he wants and what he is determined to get. There 'is no objection anywhere to his letting his needs be known or to his pressing Ms claims for their "satisfaction with all the legitimate meanb at his command. He wants more land and more money, and he is entitled to every acre and [enny the country can provide for him. But now he is fifty-seven thousand strong, significantly enough just about one-tenth the voting! strength of the"- whole Dominion, a portion of him is beginning to talk aggreEsive1/ of political action and of v risking the. united goodwill of the public which has served him so well in the past. In the opinion of many of his best friends here* lies one'of his immediate .perils. . •:•' SAVING THE HERDS. . During the last year.or two grave apprehension has, been expressed by high authorities* les£i~the ! growing practice of slaughtering' « calves at their birth, in order to savei the milk they; would otherwise consunje, should seriously deplete the herds of the Do-

nihiion and ultimately prodiice a beef famine.. The Department of Agriculture, recognising 'that the peril was* '•not.merely imaginary, set-on foot experiments with;a jyieW; 'itb finding some alternative for the natural sustt< nance of the calves. The experiments were conducted at jthefillua*kura and Weraroa State fa|rms, and Mr J. L. Brue<s, the superintendent of this' branch' of the Department's activities, is now able to report-that they have been attended by a very., large' treasure of success. •/'ltj .-,•<• ]has; been fdund that by substituting groimd linseed, oats,'.and beans, for' the. major, part of fhe -ifulkj formerly given to the calves thfy, can be raised ;in excellent healthi..and. condition, to1 ;the age at"; which? v they' .can^ shift" for themselves, atia cost which leayes -Or] '■.. tnaiffgihCi of 'profit^. ajid ; givesi.no-^xcus^ for the tragedy. ■ ".■■■ " ■- . 'SUGARy ~ ■-■-■^'■■.'t .For two or three years -past the Government and the Board o|\Traab have; been'; priding 1' v \ ; vp# haying made an;' r-.arrangemeht; "'jfithj the great A.ustratasiart; refining I com— I>any which gave New ZeaJsind abso^. lutely the . pheapest sugar iii theworld: '■ As; a matter of plain fact theh ;arrangemehti was'i?(figejy k due to the desire of* the ' refining company; to '< ina;intaih Vits very, valuable moriopbly in Nev Zealand^' and to the wisdom of the^Na-tional-Govemmentj eyen; 'in the stress of war-financing, inikeep^ ing the sugar-free of Custoni^j'duty.' • But in^^ad^tti^sing'^the Fruitgrowers'' Asso2i?.t:pn the other day the ••Minis-; ter for, Agricultui-e ventured mlit'de too far in claiming .that.the; jG.Qyerni lijent. v had^aghi|yed '^jgreat j triumph • ini;maintaining' supplies,-%dj holding' the price, down, arid npw" Hie pp«st;..has> turned, upon himi After ii-ecalling': the miserable system of rationing in-; stituted liere, the heavy loea| ©£ fruit. last season, p^d.th^..rest^ ! it liska; "lif" ;:Kll:this !<fS ilsueees&*>wha":t is i|ailttres-'••. IVThab, indeed j : !.._. *J XZ i ■ THir--yooii|p wmTj£—::" ■ 'y -Tlifera W^mikrai; deling junong" ; '»i* ir|WiBSPP^ I • ke?e iMi th§ ednfercnce oetcveea JSii 1 George Cli^ord, the presid.^pt•* pf. ;; the.i'BaciijgiS (&ftfeTe^ce, ' and the ' representatives: of .'tK^'-pro^': ffssionaJ, jidersvh^s . brought!what- >i&. I<bpularly known as the jockeys' dispute very near: to ita: ieijd. ■ The constituted authorities were extremely ■ lucky in having Sir George ; Clifford ■ and the Hon. E. Mit^helson as their( champions in this matter. 'T3ieir intimate acquaintance ;with .the ; spprfc v ., thc-ir, pea-sonality ,-apd their tact al/ ways gave them' 'jiii 'immense; .advantage over.the leaders of the incipient revolt., AYhether or. nqt. the receitt" conference sounded the death-knell of. the Jockeys' 'Association remains to ■•be seen,"butVit is, plain already that it; will have very considerably- to re-' vise its constitution; aJid'tme^hods be-fore?-it;'.can hope ; to achieve- any large 'share;'.in the management-<■'of the .spprt. At the same timei in commonfairness, it has to be/given some credit for Baying obtained, froip those m authority spme recognition of the jockeys' grievances. ....-'• ; . ■." ' * .