The Waipawa Mail. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. TUESDAY, MAY 9th, 1916. CURRENT TOPICS.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7717, 9 May 1916, Page 2

The Waipawa Mail. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. TUESDAY, MAY 9th, 1916. CURRENT TOPICS.

Need for National Unity. One cannot read the cabled report of the line speech delivered by Mr Lloyd George at Conway (published on page 4 of this issue) without being forcibly struck by the fact that the Minister of Munitions is, in this great crisis, the strong man of the Cabinet. Courageous to a fault, he does not hesitate to speak in plain terms. One could wish there had been more of this plain speaking in the dark months that are past. “Trust the people, tell them what is happening; there is nothing tp conceal,” says Mr Lloyd George. Unfortunately there lias been too great a tendency to keep the people ignorant of the tme state of affairs. Can it he wondered at that a feeling of distrust has arisen 1 This is no time for party quarrels or disruptions, and Mr Lloyd George’s straightforward statement of his position in regard to the Prime Minister should have a very salutary effect. There is probably no man in England more sincere in his desire to prosecute the war to a victorious end than the Minister for Munitions. He realises that nothing short of an absolute victory can be of lasting good, and to that eml he is devoting his whole energies. The magnificent reception accorded him at Conway indicates that the nation is with him, and if the Cabinet will only pull together and trust the people, they will find that their confidence is not misplaced.

Through Election. To-morrow the burgesses will he called upon to make their selection of a member to fill the vacancy on the Municipal Council, for which there are two candidates. It is many years since there was a contested by-election in the borough, and to-morrow’s poll is creating no little interest. The candidates, the Rev. J. D. Smith and Mr J. Craig, are both well known, and each will no doubt command a good following. The former is out for what lie terms reform. He believes the present Council is dominated by the influence of the Mayor, and does not think this is conducive to the best interests of the borough. In the course of his open-air address on Saturday evening Mr Smith rather unwisely suggested that his opponent, if elected, would he a humble follower of tile Mayor. Those who know Mr Craig best know him as a. man of strong opinions and not afraid to express them. As a very old resident of Waipawa, he is well known to the burgesses, and if elected to the Council we doubt, not that he will serve them faithfully and well.

Parliament. Parliament met to-day for the despatch of business, which, Ministers tell us, will he confined strictly to war business, and it is hoped to conclude the session by the end of July. The Government are very optimistic. When one considers the importance of some of the measures which are to come up for consideration, it is difficult to imagine the Parliamentary curtain being rung down inside of three months. Three questions alone—the cost of living, war pensions, and compulsory service—contain sufficient debatable matter to occupy the House during the whole of that period, and we doubt not that members will freely exercise their right of full and free discussion. There has been no suggestion in the foreshadowed programme of the Government that it is intended to deal with the cost of living problem. As a matter of fact, events point to the contrary, Cabinet having decided to grant the railwaymen’s demands for increased pay, but it is quite certain that private members will want to know why something is not being done to lighten the burden of the householder. Patriotism. When the present chairman of the local Patriotic Committee took office he' appealed to the general public to take a more active interest in the work of the institution, but the appeal apparently fell on deaf ears. The meetings are attended by the same few each time, and so far as the general public are concerned there might as well be no Patriotic Committee at all. This is not creditable to the community. Our boys are lighting the Empire’s battles in the trenches, and those who remain at home might at least show some little interest in any work which is promoted for the betterment of the boys during the course of the war and after. It does not require a great amount of self-sacrifice

to attend a meeting, but apparently the sacrifice is too much for the majority of the townspeople. At a meeting called for last evening to discuss proposed alterations to the rules of the Hawke’s Bay War Relief Assocition there were only eight persons present, and the fact gave rise to some deservedly warm ,comments on the public’s neglect of its duty.