TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 32, 7 February 1913, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY

A movement has started in Cliristchureh. for at least four GovHow Many? ernment Houses. This is not the direct ob jective of the campaign, but it is plainly the indirect ono. The suggestion is that a property valued at £20,000, "much finer than either of the Government Houses at Wellington or Auckland," should be acquired and maintained for the comfort and convenience of the Governor during his visits to th© City of tho Plains. We predicted that when the Ward Government weakly surrendered to Auckland's clamour for tho retention of Government House there, at the cost of the general taxpayers, Christ- , church and Duuedin might put iv claims. We believe more firmly than ever that this country of a million people .cannot afford more than one Government House. We believe, too, that the expenditure in this Connection has been altogether unreasonable during the past ten years. Instead of further inflation of expense, the people are entitled to look for a reduction. If certain folk in Christchureh— -we are sure they are & small minority in that democratic city-*-yearn for a Government House, they ahould bear the whole cost themselves, both the purchase and the upkeep. They havo no right whatever to expect a single penny from the general taxpayers, and they should be ashamed to ask for any tocmoy. Here is one peculiar passage in to-day's Press' Association report :— "Ono or two citizens spoken to were very much impressed with the suggestion, and it was remarked that it was a reproach that the Governor, yn visiting Cliristchureh, should have to accept private hospitality." Indeed! A reproach that the King's representative should be tho honoured guest of a prt i vate citizen ! This in a democratic country ! The "reproach," really, is that a few people in Cliristchureh, to gratify their little vanity, hope to put an additional burden on the people's backs New Zealand has some peculiar potentates, . pompously Where and What arrogating a semis the bianco of brief au- I Voice of "Labour"? thority. In 'Lou- „ , don Mr. Keir Hardie has flourished a telegram '*from the Labour Party in New Zealand, repudiating Mr. Allen's offer of an expeditionary force." It is now known that the genial Mr. Walter Mills, an American who has been in this country for two j years, and the anti-defence Mr. Semple, ! put their heads together on Tuesday afternoon in the offices of the so-called Peace Society, really an anti-defence organisation, at Christchurch, aaid framed a very misleading message, Mr. Mills i was once anathema (only a few weeks ! ago) to the Red Federation, and now he is the comrade of Mr. j Semple. Mr. Mills seems to believe that ho and Mr. Somple have the right to speak for the whole of Labour in New Zealand to-day, simply because Mr. Mills, "national organißer of the United Labour Party," has person* j alty approved, apparently, the ultraSocialist basis of tho new "unity scheme." Does the "United Labour executive agree with th© attitude of its organiser? Has Mr. Mills a free hand to do what he likes in association with the Reds, who aro not remarkable for patriotism? Before that foolish messago was sent to, My. Reir Hardie, Messrs. Semple and Mills had ample time to diicover that Mr. jAlien, wmA no£ fe*Xi j

possibly offered eight thousand men for compulsory service abroad. It was dear to all fair men, except those who chow to be stupidly blind and deaf, that the Minister's remark applied to volunteer*, Does New Zealand** American ciliaen "repudiate" an offer of volunteers in a time of national stress* Messrs. Mills and Somple are welcome to their own opinions, but what is actually the voice of Labour? Where is the voice t What is Labour? Is it Socialism? The peo* pie's curiosity grows day by day,