WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1716, 6 January 1920, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE HOLIDAYS.

A GAY SEASON

(Special Correspondent.) . ' > WELLINGTON, Jan. 5

Thougli the weather for tho holidays was very mixed, wind mid rain' alternating with calm and'sunshine, Wellington never has spout a- gayer Christmas-New Year, time. .Tradesmen Report record business and tho trains, trams and ferry steamers hiivo been .crowded day after day .with glad throngs of children and grown-ups on pleasure bent. Tho race meetings within reasonable reach, those at, Maiiawatu, Wairarapa and Marten, drew large crowds of visitors from the city and doubtless these crowds were re. sponsible for the phenomenal increases in the totalisator investments everywhere. 1 There evidently is plenty of spare cash in Wellington, as there appears to be in all ether centres of population, and -during tho last fortnight little of it has been employed in making preparations for the rainy day tho joyless- pessimists always arc predicting.

TRAMS AND MOTOR CARS

'The shocking accident to an inwardbound Lyall Bay car on Saturday evening, has sot nervy people talking afresh of the perils of the Wellington trani.'fand motor car traffic. The deplorable catastrophe, which is giving point to their protests today seems to have Been due to no sins;.of commission or omission on the. part ,of those in authority, and, in any case, will not J>c- : open for discussion, from tins point of view, till an official inquiry into the ,facts Inis been held' For a long time, however, tllor'e’ has boon a growing feeling that tho motor ear traffic in the city find suburbs is, allowed far ton much latitude in the matter of speed and in .the interpretation of the rules ol the road. Minor accidents that, escape publicity in the papersaarte t of frequent occurrence and major ones are, mounting up at an alarming rate. , THE LIBERAL LEADERS.

The meeting of the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald, tho. Hon. A. ,M. . Myers and •■Mr 1 T. M. Wilford at Rotorua-to prepare the' way for a caucus of tho Liberal Party ,in Wellington later on has boon the subject of' much interested discussion during the holi-' days. Sir Joseph Ward’s late colleagues naturally are expected to suggest a lino of action to the other members of the party, and their ad vicq, doubtless will be received with much respect. ■■ .But'it.hi not to hoi assumed that they or the 'other., members of tho party... arc contemplating tho institution of a vigorous..campaign against tho Reform Government. Mr Massey has (irmly .established himself on tho Treasury benches, and tho ■ present temper of the Liberals is to accept to circumstances as they are and to make the best of them. A A VIGOROUS OPPOSITION.

At: thetsame time it is "certain that the Opposition, though neither factious no(. particularly well disciplined, will be analert and a very vigorous one. The Liberal Party will sadly miss Sir Joseph Ward, whoso personality, experience., and knowledge wore dominant factors in the daily life of the House; but it.still comprises strong men who will nbt allow'their ideals to go by default. There is less talk of a coalition between "the"'parties, and the probabilities are that the reconstructed Cabinet will bo entirely Reform. Official Labour is hoping to bo the recognised Opposition in the new , -(Parliament, and would like nothing .better thaq another “truce” between .the two, .old parties.