POLITICAL PELLETS

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 10, 31 July 1930, Page 11

POLITICAL PELLETS

...The latest Parliamentary pa pa!— Perhaps the most honourable unofficial distinction that can be gained by a member of the House of Representatives is the title of "Father of the House." The honour belongs to the member with the greatest number of years of uubroken service, and the man that- is able to withstand the whims of Mb constituents for a longer period than his fellow-legis-lators may look upon his record with justifiable pride, says the "Evening

Post."

Last year it was relinquished by Sir Thomas Wilford, who, on being appointed High Commissioner resigned the Hutt Seat after holding it continuously from 1899. Now for the first time in the history of the New Zealand Parliament the distinction has been gained by a member

of the Maori race, Sir Apirana Ngata, Minister of Native Affairs, who has been representative of Eastern Maori a'^ne 1906.

Ka pai te Ma«ri; Ngata to very good pa pa. Him te Prime Minister some dayt Him te brains, te education v.hy not" 1 te pakeha rise to such nn occasion, ehf

Have you a deviation round your wiv¥ They are tine things! When Mr -Mepougall' (Mataura) was speaking in the House of Representatives a. short time

ago-he declared he had found land at Palmerston North, connected with the deviation, had been bought for £75 an acre, and sold for £1000 per quarter acre." Ok! may the Lord drop a devia- . tion in my direction!

Mr W. Nash (Lab. Hutt) got on to weighty jaaatter, cement being the foundation of his theme when sjfeaking in the House last week. He wants the Minister of Industries and Commerce to inquire aB to the reason for the difference in prices quoted for New Zealand in Auckland and Wellington. Ruling price* for cement on June 21st were :-^-Wellington, £5/4/3 a ton; Auckland £4/10/8 a ton.

The member for Waikato (Mr F. Lye) was in great fighting form the other day when he delivered his dissertation on the sins of the political administration, lashing out ,in all directions, Ministers of the Crown, bookmakers, departmental heads, right down to trouble over the telephone were all dealt with by. ' 'Freddy," his pent up feeling ended with the Arspnni DAM! It must have

been a great relief.

Mr Lye "regretted that the Government, of the past haa not taken advantage of the great markets- awaiting

us in the East."

The question is, are they awaiting us, or, has New Zealand through her dilatoriness allowed those golden opportunities to pass to. other countries. On his return from an extended tour of the East some years'ago,'Sir Thomas Wilf ord who had gone into the matter, earnestly urged the Reform Government to take advantage of the Eastern markets

for the disposal of our superfluous pro-

ducts, but, they would not-listen^ they scoffed. Now, that New Zealand is beginning to wake up'"we shall find, that all the plume have been picked.

Scripture was quoted by the Member for Napier (Mr W. E. Barnard) when flourishing a threat at the Government, It ran in effect thus:—That a certain gentleman of Biblical fame ordered Ms fig tree to be cut down as it failed to produce the fruit desired^—and the dresser of the vineyard answering said unto Mm: ' ' Lord, let it alone this year also, till-1 shall dig about it and dung it. And if it bear fruit, well; and if not then after that thou shalt cut it down.'*

That gardener was a wise man. I don't mean to imply that the Govern-, ment requires top-Ciressing or, its toeß manicured —but a little patience and encouragement might have a, wonderful effect, and Mr Barnard and his Labour brethren must not expect a fig-tree to produce grapes even though it is planted in a vineyard, or even ripe figs, before they have had time to mature.

Much has to be done, and much is required urgently, but be reasonable, be helpful, give the Government a chance to carry their schemes into effect.

Consider a flock of sheep being turned into a paddock where a mob has been for.so many years that the ground has become spur and impregnated with. DlSease, —pasturalists will understand that the incoming mob must step warily t« dodige foot and mouth disease, foot-rot, lung-worm and all the pit-falls a young and innocent flock might fall into; also they will have to look diligently for sustenance; the incoming flock is not always in an enviable position.

One more of New Zealand's GREAT men has just stepped across the border line. A great politician, a great jurist and a great public example.—l refer to Sir. Robert Stout's resurrection in his 87th. year.