WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1917, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

PENSIONS TO SOLDIER'S WIDOWS. (From Our Own Correspondent); Wellington, Dec. 10. '■'lt lias been generally understood," says a southern newspaper, "that when members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force marries in England and were subsequently killed in action, their widows were entitled to participate in the New Zealand pension scheme. It now transpires that this is not so; that the War Pensions Acts do not include these women, who will not receive one penny of money fro mthe New Zealand Government, and, further, are not entitled to any pension from the British authorities.'' v This statement appears to have been made in disregard to the provisions of the War Pensions Amendment Act, 1010, which contains £he following provisions: i "Wife" of a member of the forces includes the widow of a deceased member of the forces. Pensions under the principal Act may be granted and paid to a member of the forces or to the father, mother, ■wife or children of such member, but not to any other dependent, notwithstanding that the pensioner may not he or may cease to be resident in New Zealand. These provisions seem to cover fully the case of .the woman who marries a New Zealand' soldier in England and subsequently loses her husband. If these is a weakness in the law, the Government will take steps to remedy it. The Legislature? clearly intended to provide for the e.ise of a widow who was not resident in New Zealand. THE HIGH COMMISSIONERSHir. The Prime Minister is reported to have stated at Auckland that ''Cabinet has not yet considered when Sir Thomas, Mackenzie's appointment as High Commissioner should end, neither has the question of Sir Thomas's successor been considered." One of the rumors tltat is afloat just now is that Sir James Allen will become Commissioner next year. This rumor has even less appearance of probability, than the older report that Sir Joseph Ward was going to succeed Sir Thomas Mackenzie. There is substantial reason for believing that if there is a meeting of the Imperial War Cabinet early next*year, New Zealand's representatives will be Sir Joseph Ward j and Sir James Allen. In that ease Mr. I Massey will become Minister for Defence. Put it is a good guess that Sir ~Jsfme9 Allen will not stav in London and that if Sir Jo=eph Ward stays it will not be as High Commissioner. Sooner or Inter this country will have a resident Minister in London." ' That seems to be one of the inevitable outcomes of the war. I NO HOLIDAYS FOR THE SOLDIERS. Some rcjfttives of members of the 33rd Reinforcements have complained that the draft is going to ieave New Zealand im-

mediately, before Christmas,, and have asked why the men cannot he allowed to lake their Christmas dinner with their people,before they turn their faces finally towards the front. The official reply is that the Defence Department must make'the fullest possible use of the transports and that no. avoidable delay can be allowed at any point. "There will be no holiday in the trenches at Christinas," said the Minister for Defence when the matter was mentioned to him to-day. "The men at the front must fijht on, and I see no reason why wo should delay the despatch of the reinforcements at this titr.c. I do not believe that the men wish to be kept iierc a' day longer than is necessary when they :-ro needed in the firing line. The delaying of transports now would mean delaying their return and so putting back The dr.to of the despatch of later reinforcements. The drafts must sail as nearly as possible up to tim.e in all cases.'' «, CHRISTMAS AT THE CAMPS. It lias been announced already that the military camps will be practically closed between December !!'< and January 5. General leave is to be given to the men now in training, with the exception of such units as may he required for. essential camp services, and the, medical authorities intend to take the opportunity to give the huts, tents and other parts of flic camps a thorough cleaning and disinfecting. DEFENCE EXPENDITURE.' The appointment of the Defence Expenditure Commission, whose personnel has not been announced at the time of writing, has set the critics talking afresh of the need for a thorough overhaul of the stalling of the various subsidiary departments connected with the Defence Administration. That these offices are necessary and that their work, on the 'whole, is being satisfactorily performed is generally admitted, but it is alleged that salaries altogether out of proportion to the services rendered are being paid to civilians holding the temporary rank of captain or major or colonel and that economies amounting to many thousands a year could be effected without in any way impairing the efficiency of the system. Some of the critics are demanding that the doctors and dentists, for instance, many of whom are now receiving substantially more than they ever earned in their private practice, should be required to make the same sacrifices as are being imposed upon the members of other professions who have to take their chance in the ballot. EQUALITY OF SACRIFICE. But. without discussing this controversial question, which involves a number of problems which cannot be solved by a mere stroke of the pen, there is very good ground for supposing that the cost of the military establishment which has necessarily continued to expand since the commencement of the war could he considerably reduce'd by a. thorough reorganisation and co-ordination of offices. This implies no reflection upon the Minister of Defence or upon the Minister of Munitions and Supplies, the two members of the Ca'hinet most closely associated with the direction of the military affairs of the country. Sir James Allen continues to devote himself with untirinf feal to the enormous labors of his office, and the Hon. A. M. Myers in his quiet unostentatious way is running his department with marked smoothness and efficiency. But there arc a thousand and one, details the Ministers muit'leave to their responsible officers, and it is these details that require the fuller investigation of the business mind. TIGHTENING THE BELT The appeal of the new Director of Food Economy is addressed to the people of the Old Country and not to the more fortunate folk of New Zealand, but there is a growing feeling among the community hiere that the Dominion's economies ought not to end at the discontinuance ,of unnecessary expenditure in State departments. . "Tishtcninff the belt" is a!

phrase which suggests greater sacrifices [than reducing the consumption of meat iand bread, and Wellington in particular, [which still is enjoying unparalleled prosperity, very well might take it seriously to heart. Earluy in the new yew the Minister of Finance will be asking for the balance of his twenty-four million loan, and no doubt he will get it without much difficulty, but aftei; that will tome another loan, probably of even larger dimensions, and out of its prosperity the capita! city ought to provide a very large slice of the money. There is talk now of a win-the-war movement here with the object of inducing the. public to talrt the great, national crisis a little more seriously than it has done 'in the past and it is to be hoped it will lead to some definite action. LABOR'S CHOICE. On Saturday next a ballot of the members of unions affiliated to the Labor Representation Committee, who arc electors of the constituency, will be taken to select a candidate lo contest the Weilingon North scat at tho impending byelection. Mr. H. E. Holland has'been nominated by the Drivers' Union, and the Social Democratic Party Mr. J. Hutchison by the Bookmakers' Union, Mr. W. Maddison by the Carpenters' and Joiners' Union and" Mr. J. Read by the Trades' Council and Engine-drivers' Union. An active canvass is now being conducted by the friends of the respective candidates and at the moment it looks as if by the end of the week labor would be as strongly divided against itself as it usually is on such occasions. It is being given out that Mr. Luke was selected as the National Cabinet candidate because he was more in sympathy with Labor than was any of the other aspirants rfor political honors suggested to the Prime Minister, but apparently the, majority of tho Labor voters will not be conciliated, by this assurance.