WELLINGTON TOPICS

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13890, 16 October 1918, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE PARTY LEADERS. THEIR RETURN HOME. (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Monday. PiVO minutes' rli.it with either" of them would satisfy even their most sceptical critics that Mr Masscy and Sir Joseph Ward have had a must strenuous time during their absence from the Dominion. Whatever may have been the case on previous occasions, on this one they certainly have found a great deal mure work than play demanding their attention. In addition to taking their part in the various Imperial discussions that called them to London they have devoted a vast amount of time and labour to financial and commercial questions concerning the Dominion. They made a point of visiting every camp and hospital within their reach where New Zealand soldiers were to be found, and made themselves fully acquainted with the conditions and needs of the men and obtained at first hand information on a variety of matters that will have to be dealt with by Parliament. Soldiers and Shipping.

Mr Massey, as Prime Minister and more particularly as Minister in Charge of Imperial Supplies, made himself fully acquainted with the shipping position, and though he has not returned with a promise that New Zealand will have all the vessels it may require for the carriage of its produce during the approaching season, ho brings back a clear understanding with the Imperial authorities on the subject and an assurance that everything possible will be done to save the country from inconvenience and loss in this respect. In this connection he explains that the cessation of reinforcements from the Dominion would necessarily mean the diversion of further ships to America, and in this way, to say nothing of the sentimental aspect of the matter* would, very materially affect the supply of shipping.

Aerial Mail Service. Sir Joseph Ward, while sharing in all the labours and social obligations of his colleague, found time to make inquiries into a number of matters intimately affecting the business of his own Departments. The outcome of his discussions with the Imperial authorities in regard to financial matters will he submitted to Parliament in due course, and in the meantime it is sufficient to say that he is fully satisfied with the results of his efforts in this respect. His atlusions to the coming aerial mail service have been anticipated to a large extent by the cable, but the details of what hb did in this direction while at Home still will be very interesting and gratifying. The preliminary work already is in hand by well-known British experts, who have taken up Sir Joseph's idea enthusiastically, and it is quite possible, even probable, the aerial service will be in operation within a year of the conclusion of the war.

The Old Adam. Neither Mr Massey nor Sir Joseph Ward was inclined to talk local politics within ten minutes of their arrival in Wellington, but one might judge from their attitude towards one another that the National Cabinet is not likely to be rent by dissension in the immediate future. One of the local papers, however, has greeted the icturned travellers with the reminder that the Reformers still possess a majority of two in the House of Representatives. The contentio/i itself may be sound enough, as the loss of the Taranaki seat, as far as numbers go, is balanced by the return of Mr W. Uru, a gentleman with Reform predilections, in place of Mr C. Parata, a firm supporter of the Liberal Pai'Cy, for the Southern Maori district, but the time does not seem particularly opportune for the revival of a controversy which obviously has not been exercising the minds of the party leaders during their absence.