THE CHANGING SCENE

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 431, 13 February 1909, Page 6

THE CHANGING SCENE

V vA BIRD'S-'EYE VIEW. i ' ' (By M.C.K.) [ Mr. Massey may as well give op his hope I of e\er ejecting the Government from office, i Nobody can overcome a Prime Minister so |_ versatile'as Sir Joseph' Ward.' Any ordinai'y I ' t Prune Minister would have allowed Mr. Wil- ! ford's attack upon the Rotorua trout to pass [ without notice. He would have dono no more, at any rate, than say that the Govern- £ mont is not responsible for general debility ! ( or any other complaint in, fish.. But Sir \ Joseph is not ordinary in any sense. Ho \ ( bolda himself responsible for everything: a | ! Jrord against^even the weather is a , charge ' to be answered, end answered by statistics, i Ie the'case of tho trout there were no statis- / tics. So ho took Mr. Millar out, to create I statistics, and they caught 44 fish—every one f of which, one ie sure, was delighted to find t Sir Joseph at tho end of the lino! (If ahyI thing could reconcile a trout to death, that j would.) Having got the statistics, he was ' roady for action, and at tho open-air concert I- he had the chief turn allotted to him. Tho f report says:— I "Srr Josoph Ward remarked that it had been i eaid by some people that tho fish in the lake f •• waro all 'slabs. (Langhtor) Hβ wished te cive ' that statement an emphatic contradiction. (Apl phrase.) He had, ho said, been out fishing that ' day with his collengne, and of tho 41 fish rhat 1 ' they caught only seven had. to be put aside as ' being of an inferior description. He thoupht ; this was a very small proportion, and he } doubted whether a better result could bp obtained from any 41 salt water fish. When Deo- ' ' pie who had not a full knowledgo of the iaets I talked 'about their fish in the way reforred to, ' it was calculated to damage the place, and such i ill-]udged cribcism'-nas'much to be regretted." i It is undofstood that in his next speech ho f will show thatiunder tho. Liberal regime tho i proportion, of "slabs" had decreased from 98 ! per cent, to 16 per cent. (Applause.) Those I dishonest, critics who complained that 84 per I cent, of good fish Was' evidence of loss over- [ looked the fact" that the Government had [ decided deliberately jnpon 'the 80 per cent. ', policy. By a stroko of the pen ho could make , the figure 90 per cent.j but he would not do ,' it. It ras better to develop the country by ! making concessions than to run the trout species for profit. (Applause.) The Dominion \ had dono nothing but carp at the trout since f it was established. Then, as to tho weather, f ho had stood in tho sun for ten hours with Mr. Millar, and between them they only lost ' u ' 2} stone through melting. (Applause.) That r ' should bG_a sufficient answer to the people f Tiho, with no knowledge of the facts, decried v the heat. Such criticisms seriously injured the country's credit. i 3l cable message published yesterday stated ' tliat extraordinary methods to catch men ,' for the Territorials'are being adopted inLon- ' / don: "The regiments are arranging special 1 marches in order to attract recruits, and f London Mayors are_ delivering ten-minute , speeches in the music-halls. An anonymous donor offers prizes of from £100 downwards for the largest number brought to the colours." i What is really extraordinary is the fact that Rudyard' Kipling is not writing ' stirring pooms 1 . On making inquiry it was found that Rudyard has Teally and truly been left out, and he has accordingly written the following verses, which he calls his very last chantey: Dead am I, and doomed, and out of date— (Oh! the. strings that tingled once beneath ■>my thumb!) " ' ' lord! the little people stagger to their fate— , (Grey the dust upon the t banjo and the i drum I) t They have made them strange inventions; they "are "musth"; ' And tho men of steel and khaJd that I made Are the,pawns of flabby fancies, for, to catch the rookies' glances, tlioy are doing fancy pranoes • ' ' i> On parade. And the < banjo, .ohl tho ringing, stinging banjo, • That Islandered and Flagged and Manda- ■ laved, - Hasn't had an hmtation from the new annation that was of solvation . v" - " • - Whon I played. „, ,i, ~ ~ 'No more I strum away their pallid fears, (Oh, the verses double-leaded in "The Times"') Alien voices make now music for their cars— (Oh, the loud euphonious slaughter in my rhymes') I Once I Uang«d them very free to Table Bay: \ Now their cheering sets the music-hall _ a-roar— ( Cheers, and not a hint of Mooting, though a v beadle talks of shooting and the Mayor of Upper Tooting 1 Calls rto war. ' Anb! the banjo, fallen low now is the banio, ' That the Seas and all the Nations knew afore, .While the beadles tali them dizzy, and the overfed mtuiicipal officials, brisk and busy, \

i : -:?■ Sold ~ tievflSor.f :$: ] ;'"'■ :> '■: W^;. ; •'■ ; 'i;-;' K'A- !■:;.• Sv?5 My m;aafie\has : < the : igirls-^'££ v i^l i!(P^» :; 'JftWi^^^w"-'-WdmM'e'' l c^iiTas3'? , fpr.' : !a , :^:?^vy■i•^ ; ''^•:; : 4 V^^^-!.,: :- : ■> :^':;:;^^ :■ its'-.?? 11 ?, ofy?po%,imjd.eecbnd; '60ns;■rfVb'eHwij; earls■ i^k.Jo'n'Ulie( coloiire £fqr '.- a Raman's 1 :• wHeedlitig herded tnein to'Haiiesa.li^ithi'a'song,"'■'<■■■* '■ ;Si»%.But/j;h&brea|yoflTime;liaa'WbTO;mriiame jS^ra^a^ : :OTfr;;6f;aU;^6ndjti6iHthey% : ilc-Vvvi-'-vV'-rSering;■ to^perditipn^in : i: kind' if : compel : 'Jjv ;?i-i ; ; );3Sort; of ; 'fi ';-■ /';-. i;;j : ■; y ;::; ; . nl •.: nc i?^>:: pn?«f ; bboming ([Oh,, ;my: i>ij?'-V-' ''ft'^'anioli'ii'; ; -.-l : :'r r J;'^i'i"•''■■ i , -.' J -:•■■'i : "'>',.•,.•?■ :S W^ y r?J?V;cheV>aibitter. oud^liey; !?£• s s^:?*i'!? : ) made/my. name; SS "V^γi^"l°? : \EQud.: ■:-U' -v ■""'■■■■*■'■'- : ■■■. : '--':'-.:f.. , .> 5iX; •;..'". >;:d^t^iheiri : pay/ f^::K-^^''v .:- : --! ; r i)y ; . v^; '-v ; |i' i S , '^ s there. : werepeop]e; wfien';they; had^very..inde■••'!Yi/.e?*t,ft(aJid ■'.pxaggCTa.teii+riqtio'ns concerning tHe TW?%s!s\y?si\hoyn&,P i Later, j.:.;; ja \TatheiDbig; brder^t6 ! lexpecV |the S;'7:?;Engdom..tha,t;ther^ S'■ , ; >; land.-. ,-It. isnnot.- , generally^' wisey thing '. ::£:/tei:. any, ; .body.,:or ,natioiiito-cify- stinirimg fish; ].^:i but:ter'tainiyy.:asffarjas : ;the giving :of' any yi.'■ official./.information'!.isI';concerned,'1';concerned,' : you 'can' v;,rely; ■VQ;V,.'Biprier|s.voffice/i'no';j]iformaticln."'Wfli begiVen :i;;>;;witliyrespeot:: fe the;- yariouV' industries;' 0;\ ceptmg-Vsuch : ;as : isjreyealed'-by ■th'e.ffigure'k." , %{: : :- ;hefewith ; giyen:tddesp'ribe. the ;, ;i: :: : sort>pf;>^ ;5Si in Commissionfer's :.ofice:-^v'' ■.'•;;. * r: :V■■ ■ "Butvl'Tfcread'-Sir; Joseph's' .Ward's o*n ;'.}:, speeches,": said "thejantending emigrant. ■ ■;■ fv-■'■■■■'■':"WeH^you,''l|nb#;'Ksaid ;the' -';Sv was : . evidently;;^mbitTasse^i;:"yoq;;knoT^-70h, ; jiV : ;;ycsi4heXwas;sonly; speaking, !let>me ; ;:;^;; i ; speaking! metaphoriballyv;;; The" Bun'cloes/noV v=: v ;rise... wlien;,; ordered.'': ..That" is,■■' only .his. way i'f": : :Jof paying—of: saying—in ') fact, ; it's;;his way to v'>of,'saying}the^clinrnteV; goei."-.. ;: ; -; ■.:;;:;>; si^Y,g','VVhy; : Uon'tv'e:?Jßey<sp?":- saic(;.the-! caller; S:'-.;'■:"^Vellj'Swd : t.:'abbnt' : these';'ere gold deposits^

ivotyis.suoli a/noosnnce .to farmers?. • 'Ow many acres can* I'get, free?" .-' v -.. ; ''.•'•'. , • ■ ;■- -Metaphor ■ again,".- said : the. clerk.. ''You see,: policy", fequires.'that,' to be said —policy. But" it is a very -rich "country." .. ■'.Jhe ;caller/thoughta-while,.lobking/as if ,he ; had/some 'suspicions./ ;"I suppose,"-.he • said,"-;'"that'■ those.-750 employers-wot.rush every, emigrant' is genuine, and not policy .and; metaphors, ■top?"<- : . , : . ;■/', - : . : '•'..- ;v."sVcll, l "to -toll: you -the.truth," ■ said .the clerk,,"ttere's rather:a—shall I say?—rather; 'a"'''depreß'si6n'iit.presen^ : ''' l .pretty.?well supplied.'j^ist.-now.' , .',' .'; "I see, , ,'- said the caller,., ."I- see. Then this 'ere ad. ; is/"a; fraud,".and he waved;a poster onwhich an ideally, beautiful farm .was ipiciuretf—''and: these 'ere. is' only, the produces . of;, Joe vivid . and ' riotous imagination , '^theso..were.'"dusky, beauties" ; ;'these : : 'ere. : 'rainbows. i3 r wqt'yer:dbii!t" see, "an' these.'ore.figures": .^he.,nurled'ori : ;the;floor a.mass'of reprinted. ;speeches'.by.-the;:Prime.Minister l -"is: just a poetic;; view''of;the.fat's.-.Now, just;tell me /, ; v\; V ■'.'■■■' .j!;."Come',into. the,'private' office,"..said..the iclerkj j"whore .no; one will bear -us," ;, / : - :, •■/ ■■.';A,masß.meeting'of the ;als',:tJnion-:andr:the.vLeague>.of. the -Casually consider Dr. prison methods.;: The ;poiiceVwMe'-noy:Bdniiiitedi'l)iit.;-the'"chairinani-Jim; the j.'Na'rkj'j.has-.supplied-a- , brief ■■ report : of the .'proceedings ,'to ;,the: Press: ..After sev-:eral7:spe^ches/-Ihad;■ been' made.: in eulogy ■ of : /the: Minister's determination to.make a.first-' hand '■ study; of- the prisoners before, coming to : a : fi'cbnciusioi, : it.'-was,• resolved vto -set: up' a; -committee-/to -furnish - . a- .-.' selection of pious and;Vrepe^ntant;"remarks'- to' those-members" '.of '■'. the ;,union; ■ and : the league>who are'.-, at present on. aotive ; -service.;.: Exception was rtaken-'.'-by: : Ginger/Charlie to the. Minister's idea-.that the ,;object .of the. Government shpWd be to substitute reformative for puni.tive^inethods....This,.he urged, 'Was;to begin the wrong end,' and "nobodyVho had had the misfortune,:• as he (Charlie) had; pnee : had, to .question , .his. statement .that/serious evil;<always', resulted ■ from.-; beginning at the wrong , : 'ehd.,;. A' beginnin'g should :be;made with the ■police! .:I/et;.the punitive habits of ,t¥e police, ibejdpne.iaway', with';' 'aid/thei .prisons "would; .soon;bejempty- enough ;to suit -the' most" ar-dent/humanitarian./,-Billy-the';Nipper under,took>to' convince." the;'Minister-.that, nothing 'sbl-'degraded'.ahd; so; : "deeply; injured;the.self-' ,i^ept!-ofitliy.cr.a.ft- r '.as' : .the,; cottages"bf- thei tree-planting' community: at-night; v ; ;;The- : 'cTiairman considered it? a ; hopeful'..sigh, that,;:: in/the. Minister's' own words, the -public "attitude towards the criminal,': class.; was; changing, "andmust/change" still i further;'^ question'.of 'time':;before./<the;.change . was; complete. ■-.A-. committee was appointed■';to , take:.th'e neces- , sary..;.step3 ; tb : 'place,:.themselvea in ,a .position, assist in the., educa tipn' : of the.^Minis- ; ;te/r;;"and/the .meeting adjourned; aftier;:passi ; ing/the. , usual'ybte. of.i thanks' to' the. Wei-' Jington. City'-Council's StreetLigh'ting Commitfee.^;-.'^':- :r --':;y-;;-/ '■ ;'■',,■-. ,-v : ;-/-,;;■ \ r ;-- : :-.