FROM THE OTHER SIDE

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1129, 17 May 1911, Page 6

FROM THE OTHER SIDE

a MR. F, M, B. FISHER, M.P, 'POLITICAL IMPHESSIONS, Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, M.l'., who has been on. a holiday trip to Australia, returned to Wellington yesterday afternoon, looking very lit and well. Interviewed by a leprosentalivo of The Dominion', Mr. Fisher said that ho spent two months in Australia, visitinj; New South 'Waleij, Victoria, and South Australia, and in all three States noted that the people wero undergoing a period of great prosperity. In Sydney, the building trades ■were very "busily employed, and numerous complaints ' wero heard as to the great scarcity, of skilled labour. It was estimated that the value of the buildings erected in Sydney and its suburbs for the last twelve months would exceed 42,000,000. In the Thick of It. "I was fortunate enough to witness and take part in the great -Referenda struggle," said Mr. i'isher. "In Victoria, I put in 13 nights on the platform, occasionally doing two meetings in ono night. In these meetings 1 was sometimes with the Hon. Alfred Deakin and the Hon. \V. A. Watt, Acting-Premier of Victoria." How do you account for the result of the poll? "Wull," said Mr. Fisher, "the pnmarj reason unquestionably was the fact that the Labour party was divided against itself. Mr. M'Gowan, Premier of New South Wales, his Attorney-Genera!, Mr. Holman. and Mr. Beeby, Minister for Public AVorks, were strenuously opposed to the proposals emanating from the Federal Labour leaders, and realised that an affirmative vote meant the extinction of State Parliaments and the probable extinction of the wages boards, which, in Victoria especially, had given universal satisfaction. Another-factor which tended to bring about tUa result, and cms; an immense majority to vote against the proposals was the circumstance that for the first time in the history of Federal- politics, the commercial section of the community realised that they were m grave danger. A huge fighting fund was raised, and splendid organisation resulted in a strong.campaign being carried out, in the cities and all over the country districts, for the defence of commercial rights. Probably the most powerful organisation in the campaign was the Women's National Defence League of Australia." Before leaving on his return to New Zealand, Mr. Fisher received special letters of thanks from the Coifhcil of the League and from the Premier of Victoria for the services he had rendered on the platform. News from Now Zealand. Mr. Fisher had something to say about the inadequacy of New Zealand news in the Australian press. "It was with the utmost difficulty," he said, "that one could find any mention of New Zealand at all in the great Australian dailies, and very frequently the messages transmitted were mutilated and inaccurate. For instance, one Victorian paper announced that Mr. Wallford had been elected Mayor of Wellington; another, that Mr. Carmell, Acting-Premier of New Zealand, had delivered a speech in Auckland; while a third noted that the Governor of New Zealand, Lord Plunket, had taken up his residence in Auckland. The death of any prominent citizen would be recorded in ono or two lines, but beyond that, and occasionally a lengthy account of a suicide, the Australian public is very poorly supplied with news from New Zealand. Considering the fact that in New Sonth Wales there are over 20.000 New Zealandors, it would be a good thing if the Government would take some steps to see that a reasonable amount, of news is transmitted across the water." Public Speakers. Mr. Fisher was asked what he thought of the standard of public speaking in Australia. : - Y "Perhaps,", 'he said, "a comparison between the political leaders of Australia and New Zealand'would bo rather invidious! I was fortunate enough to hear the Federal Prime Minister (Mr..-Fisher), the Attorney-General (Mr. Hughes), Mr. Deakin, Sir John Quick, Mr. Hume Cook, and many others whoso names stood out prominently in Australian politics. Tho Federal Primo Minister is a solid and cautious speaker, giving ono tho impression that ho has thoroughly weighed what ho is about to say, says it, and says no more. Mr. Hughes is somewhat Aery, much more imaginative than His leader, and stirs an audience in a manner Mr. Fisher is unable to approach. Mr. Deakin is vastly different to either. He is a very cultured speaker, quite as rapid in his delivery as Sir Joseph Ward, grammatically correct always, every sentence beautifully turned and finished. But, if I may presume to criticise, I should say that ho speaks more like a constitutional lawyer ' before a High Court, and is often so abstruse that the average audience, whilst filled with wonderment at his flow of- language, is apt to wonder what it is he is driving at. Mr. Watt, the Acting-Premier of Victoria, is a fine powerful speaker, and full of homely phrases, which' make him popular with his audiences, and very often unpopular with his opponents." Wellington Central Again. Coming nearer home, what about Wellington Central? asked the interviewer. "I shall undoubtedly stand for Wellington Central again," ho replied. "I have come back full of vigour, and in- ; tend to tako a prominent part in the Opposition campaign. I shall address my constituents before tho session commences, and many moro constituencies besides/' he concluded.