CURRENT TOPICS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15955, 25 October 1919, Page 11

CURRENT TOPICS.

The cable Ln,in yesterday told the “Herald’s” readers that the Ring's appeal on behalf of the men disabled in the war was" receiving considerable response from the employers of Great Britain. Out of an estimated 800,000 disabled men within tho British Isles, about 700,000 are already in employment, and it is with the object of providing for the employment of the balance, 100,000, that his Majesty wag making his appeal to the employers. A national roll of those who undertake to employ discharged men is to b© compiled, to be known as the King's National Roll. * -M * * - Briefly, the scheme is as follows: Every employer iu the United Kingdom who employs ton or more workers is asked to undertake to employ as many ' disabled ex-service men as possible with a minimum of 5 per cent, of his total establishment. Those employers who can absorb .more than 5 per tent, are strongly urged to do so. As the total number of all disabled ex-service men (not merely of the unemployed disabled) rejiresents about 5 per cent, of the’total number of workers in the country, employers may count towards their percentage any disabled men already in their employ or in training in their premises, and also any vacancies they have guaranteed to the Ministry of Labour to leave open for disabled men in training elsewhere. These proposals, it must be noted, are not made with a view to the dilution of skilled labour, and it is not suggested that disabled men shall, without necessary training, be employed on any work previously performed by skilled men. The wages of trained disabled men will be fixed according to agreements made on their behalf with the Trade Advisory Committee. * a n One wonders when the municipal au-r thorities or tho police are going to straighten up the traffic of this rapidly growing town. ■ True, spasmodic efforts iu that direction have been made occasionally, but it is only a nine days’ wonder, and in a short while the motor “hogs” are acceding along as furiously as ever. Occasionally our City Fathers, with a passing hurst of indignation, pass well-meaning resolutions, but there they end. Some unfortunate person will be killed one of these days, and then perhaps the authorities will wake up in earnest. It is quite a common occurrence for accidents of a minor nature to happen, while the number of “might have bcens” are legion. Suburban streets with a nice level surface aro favourite spots for the indulgence of sneeding, and these localities seem to be immune from the supervision of officials. By the way, can anyone throw light upon a by-law case, which was commented about a year ago and never, to the writer’s knowledge, finished. ’ The case wis to test the validity of a certain hv-law. * * * » There is another matter which needs attention, and that is the practice of somo drivers of vehicles, horse-drawn as well as motor, in not drawing in to the kerb. This practice, which is a dangerous one for other users of the road, is particularly noticeable in the Avenue on busy days, and tho writer has often Seen cars standing half-way between the kerbing and the tram-tracks. * * # * Pedestrian traffic in well-regulated towns like Wellington and Auckland flows in two streams on the footpath, the injunction “keep to the right” WSiug strictly observed. But here there is a go-as-you-please system, pedestrians taking whatever side they wish, and, if it pleases them, hold family conference in the middle of the footpath. On a busy day a person walking along an Avc*nue footpath needs, of he is to escape collision, to steer a course like a ship trying to dodge a submarine, and even then he is not always successful. It is sometimes a matter of difficulty to walk through the crowd which congregates at the Post Office corner. These points may appear trivial, but it is these which impress the visitor who, upon such small matters as these, builds his impressions of the town. Wanganui is fast becoming a city, and it is time its inhabitants departed from the ways of a country town, and to assume a more city-like aspect. * -a * * Politics are in the air just now, and as the day of reckoning approaches, the discussions on this ever popular subject will become keener and yet more keener. Prophets are not lacking who are ready to forecast the result, which naturally is coloured hy their political leanings. A widely-held opinion is that the present Government is going to receive a castigation for its sins of ominssion and commission during the last five years. Others again say that none of the parties will go back sufficiently strong enough to establish a stable Government. But enough; it is a waste of lime to attempt seriously to try and pierce the veil which is drawn between the present day and the momentous day in December next. Sufficient for the day is the- eveil thereof, and one is tempted to add, the politicians. * * * * Whatever will he the result of the fight, the actual contest itself will be complicated enough. The New Zealand public will be torn, not with conflicting emotions, but with conflicting parties, for the fight promises to be a strenuous one, as well as complicated. It will not be a straight-out. fight between Liberal and Reform. Both of those parties will h© in force, and have their satellites in the guise of Independents, while Labour will he divided into two camps, one for the extremist and the other for the. sane, moderate, or, independent, whatever he likes to call himself. Then the liquor question will further complicate proceedings, for although placed as a separate issue before the voters, it is so important that it will become entangled in general politics. Then, with strong religious political organisations in the field, there is a danger of dissention in party ranks. Religion should be kept out of politics. Of other political issues which. will have to be faced by the electors, there is the returned soldiers’ question, for the public will lie called upon, hy its choice-of candidate, tomdecide how it will treat the men who have fought and suffered, for their country. The farmers’ organisation, too, will doubtless enter the political arena, while there are also other leagues and organisations which will take a hand in the coming fight. They may not be represented. on the platform, but, nevertheless, they will exert a certain amount of influence.