WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1711, 30 December 1919, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE HOLIDAYS A BRIGHTENED CHRISTMAS (Special Correspondent.) ■ WELLINGTON, Dec. 29. . Wellington is celebrating the Christmas 1 estival with all tho joyous irresponsibility ot the pre-war days. Not that it did less than justice to the traditions of thoiseason when the tragedy of conflicting civilisations was saddening the whole world. But it is different now. The clouds of uncertainty have passed away and the work of reparatioiMind reconstruction has begun. One can *’ jmcc without haunting fears for the future, and without apologies for throwing off the cankering cares of every day life for a time. The bettered conditions are reflected in the cheery spirit that is abroad, in Hie crowded trams and trains and steamers, m tho tradesmen’s takings and in the atmosphere of friendliness and goodwill that, prevails everywhere. It is the old peace tune back again with a people chastened by anxiety and sorrow and inspired by new hopes and high' resolves Christmas this year is a festival of very special significance.

A DISCORDANT NOTE. But folk who read their newspapers this morning found just one discordant note had been struck amidst all this rejoicing. Mr H. E. Holland tho leader of the Official Labour Party, gathered around him on Christmas Sunday in one of tho city theatres what a reliable witness describes as a “somewhat sparse audience” and poured out for its delectation all tho accumulated party bitterness of tho election campaign, which wholesome men and women of all shades of opinion had laid aside with their work-a-duy clothes for tho season. Of course his tirade was directed mainly against Sir Joseph Ward, whom ho committed to dishonoured obscurity for tho rest of his days, but it did not spare Mr Massey, nor any other politicians, past, present or to come, who might not see eye to eye with the little party of extremists (hat stands for tho narrowest interpretation of the democratio creed. THE LICENSING POLL.

With political controversies sot aside for tho holiday season, the public is losing count of the licensing poll. There is ono point in connection with the figures, however, which may bo mentioned without offending against the Chiistmas truce. Tho Now Zealand Times this morning announces that the figures up to date show a majority of 2218 for Continuance. It gets at this result by adding tho 234,352 votes for Continuance am! tho 51,110 votes for State Control together, and then deducting the 'j 263.244 votes for Prohibition. This, very truly, leaves a balance of 2218 against Prohibition. But-that is not ihe way the votes are to l o counted. They are to be added together anff if ariy of ho throe issues receives more than half (hi- total it will be carried. The total at pres: nl is 528.70) The half of this is 264.355, and as Prohibition has received 263,244 votes, it is only 1110 behind the lequirod majority ELECTORAL REFORM.

Electoral reform, though its importance has boon brought into renewed prominence by the result of tho recent appeal to the constituencies, is very properly being discussed as a non-party question by politicians of all shades of opinion. Mr Massey already has committed himself to the, application ol proportional representation in the election of members of the Legislative Council, and though tho measure ho passed through Parliament towards this end was held in suspense during the continuance of the party truce, it is expected it now will be brought into operation. This will not satisfy tho reformers who have been calling out for the application oi the system to the House ot Representatives, but it will discharge the only promise Air Massey has made on tho subject and with this ttie reformers probably will have to bo satisfied for the present. A number of Mr Massey’s own snp|)orters, however, are favourable to an extension of tho system to the Lower House,