WELLINGTON TOPICS

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160814, 23 November 1920, Page 9

WELLINGTON TOPICS

ASIATIC IMMIGRATION " r - PROTESTS AGAINST ADMISSION. (Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, Nov. 22. The cable published this morning to the effect that 130 East Indians have arrived at Suva, on their way to New Zealand, will not tend to allay the indignation of a large body of workers at the admission of immigrants of this class. Probably this party of Indians left the East before/the new law in regard to immigrants came into force, and in that case they will be . subject to the , old conditions, which impose only a .rudimentary education test. But returned soldiers in various parts' of the Dominion, are raising their voices in loud protest against the introduction of what they call unfair competition with white workers and are obtaining a,pretty general hearing. The Minister of Labour, however, has pointed out that the legislation of last session provides ample, protection against an influx of Asiatics and that there is not the least’ danger of the country being over-run by undesirables. ,

COST_OF LIVING BONUS. An impression has got abroad that the Government has been exercising some pressure upon the Arbitration Court in connection with the review of the new coat of living bonus and irresponsible people are talking about Ministerial interference with the administration of the law and so forth. There is, of course, po justification fot this kind of criticism. When he indicated tentatively the,amount of the bonus, Mr Justice Stringer made it quite clear that the Court would be prepared to hear argument on the subject at its next sitting, and this presumably is 'what it is going to do. As many branches of the public service -will be affected by the Court’s final decision, it devolves upon the Government to place the facts plainly before the president and his colleagues. It is reported that the employers are going to challenge the Government Statistician’s cost of living figures, and if this is the .case the review will assume very particular interest. RAILWAY DEVIATION.

The agitation against the proposed railway deviation at Palmerston North which save some 17 or 18 miles Jn the journey between Wellington and Auckland, by making' a short cut from Levin to Greatford, while reaching its greatest fervour in the district immediately concerned, is finding a very emphatic echo here. It is urged on behalr of the present route that Palmerston North is the natural centre of a wide district served by the Main Trunjr line, and that the deviation, while sln'-toning :he jou mey between the two big centres to some extent, would be enormously costly and would give no corresponding advantage in working the railway system. Lookers-on are predicting that the outcome of the agitation will be a protracted delay in effecting the much needed improvements at Palmerston North and that the Minister of Public Works will welcome the excuse the contending parties are providing fof postponing a work which would make a big. inroad upon the funds at his disposal.

ELECTORAL REFORM. Various attempts have been made here lately to turn public attention to the need for electoral reform, but so far the seed of proportional representation distributed by a zealous little band of workers in Auckland has fallen on barren ground. The truth of the matter is that politically Welington is the most apathetic centre in the Dominion. Probably it hears and sees too much of politics during the session to take any burning interest in public questions during the recess. That, at any rate, is the only explanation people who deplore its attitude can offer. In the case of proportional representation, however, there always is the additional difficulty that the party in office is disposed, to be well content with the system of election that has placed it there. Then it is obvious to everyone that during the life of the present Parliament there is litle prospect of any change from the existing system, and this in itself is sufficient to extinguish any enthusiasm that, might otherwise be raised in the capital city.