WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160735, 23 August 1920, Page 11

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

RIMUTAKA DEVIATION A BIG DEPUTATION. (Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, Aug. 23. The deputation representative o£ Wellington and the Wairarapa district which waited upon the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Works last week to urge an early commencement with the deviation of the railway line now running over one of the most difficult parts of the Rimutaka Range, received just the reply it must have expected. Mr Massey, speaking for himself and hia colleagues, was entirely sympathetic and satisfactorily definite in his assurance that the work should be put in hand at the earliest possible moment. But there was a shortage of engineers, a shortage of labour and a shortage of material, and he could no* say how long these difficulties would stop the way. The work, however, had to be done and it would be the business of the Government to do it as speedily as circumstances would permit. DEFENCE POLICY. The new Defence policy for which the critics of the Government have been calling for some months past was produced, in part, in the House of Representatives last week. The instalment of information was contained in a statement made by Sir Heatm Rhodes, the new Defence Minister, who was careful to explain that the full policy he would produce later on was largely the work of his colleague, the Hon. J. G. Coates, -fvho Imd held the portfolio fo ’ some months during the process of Cr bmet reconstruction. It seems from what was disclosed by the Miiifin;-, that the efforts of the Department are to be concentrated upon the Cadet force and upon the training of officers and non-commis-sioned officers. Parliament talked at large about the subject, but appeared to be in general agreement with the Minister’s suggestions. GAMING BILL. ‘ The refusal of the House to accept the amendments made in the Gaming Bill by the Legislative Council was to have been discussed in the nominated Chamber, hut since the adjournment of the question from the previous day it had been discovered that the House had not made its position clear and a further adjournment was taken. Apparently some clerical blunder had occurred in the communication between the two Chambers, over which the leader of the Council made merry, and as they could not correct their mistake as less august bodies would have done the whole business was held up. The bookmakers and their friends, who were well represented in the gallery, are building fresh hopes on the delay, but judging from what can be gathered about the lobbies they are not likely to be realised. THE OPPOSITION. The unexpected return of the Hon W. D. S. Mac Donald to Wellington has set the gossips talking of an impending arrangement between the three elements of the Opposition by which they will act in some measure of unison and become a more effective force in the House. But as a matter of fact, Mr MacDonald’s return to town rather earlier than was anticipated has no party or political significance whatever. He has returned simply because the doctors have finished with him for the time, and because he is anxious to spend any holiday he can take in his own home and not in a hospital. He does not know what may be in the mind of the Official Labour Party or of the Independent Party, but he has had no indication from either of them of any desire for more than the maintenance of friendly personal relations.