WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1922, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE LIGHTER SIDE OF POLITICS. , PRIME MINISTER IX HOLIDAY .MOOD. SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN. WELLINGTON, July 10. Between races at Trentliam on Sat-j unlay, .Mr -Massey whose new-born interest in racing is probably official nit her than personal, chatted interestingly on the lighter side of polities, lie had a good joke against himself. The leader of the Opposition bad introduced to him on the Stewards’ Stand a prosperous looking gentleman who claimed to have been working for him for several years, lie could not recall the face, though lie thought lie had a good memory for his old employees and did not like to let any of them slip out of his recollection. He felt bis way warily, speaking of his farm, public works, political contests, and so forth, all to no purpose. No shadow of a cue was forthcoming. Ultimately, however, the prosperous looking gentleman, with a merry twinkle in his eye, helped him out of his difficulty. He was an owner of racehorses in a small wav and all the money lie had made out of them, and a little more, had gone into the State Treasury in the shape of taxation. The Prime Minister wished that every taxpayer might go just as cheerily about his job. OPTIMISM.

Mr Massey regards optimism as the verv salt of life and cultivates it as

lie might any of the other cardinal virtues. It was optimism that sustained I)iin through tlie long years lie spout, in Opposition anil it is optimism that is making his occupancy ol tlie Treasury Benches tolerable now. He admits that could lie have foreseen

twenty years ago the task in which he is engaged to-dav lie would have hesitated to follow tile bent of his political aspirations. But being in it he deems it his duty to look out for the bright ' side of things and to make the best possible of the dark side. This is a comforting philosophy, endorsed by all the sages, and in his holiday mood Mr Massey would apply it to the present Opposition. It is a very good Opposition, he says, good in that it provides I’arliamont. with many points of view and does not embarrass tile Government bv insisting upon any of them. In this respect it is entitled to much | credit and in others if discharges its constitutional duties very well. j AN ANNIVICRMAItV. I It is ten years to-day since Mr Massey succeeded to the otlice of Prime Minister. In anticipation of the anniversary Mr .1. Edie, the l.ibcral member for .Bruce, in the course of bis contribution to the debate oil tile Address-in-Heply on Friday, quoted largely from a speech delivered by Mr Massey in the Wellington Town Hall some live or six months before the General Kleeton of 1011. This exposition of the aims and operations of the Reform Party after its long sojourn in the wildnerness, certainly makes strange reading in thoso days. Mr Massey promised a reduction of borrowing, a lessening of taxation, an elective Bpper House, constituted on the proportional representation system, fin improved railway service, a less lavish distribution of titles and a great number of other desirable things. Every one knows how many of the promises have been fullilled and how lew. But the redoubtable Mr Harris, the Hcforni member for Waitemata, following Mr Kdie, was glad the speech bad been recalled and the House reminded of Mr Massey’s unparalleled achievements. Mr Howard, one of the Labour J members from Canterbury, with inimitable drollery begged Mr Harris to refrain from jesting! SKTTLFM ENT 1N TAB AN ATv 1. . Land settlement in Taranaki boa been receiving. some attention .iron) both sides of the House during the debate on the Address-in-lleply. Mr Hawken, the member for Egmont, led off in a prophetic vein by suggesting, •fchat the time was approaching when

tlio dairy province would uo longer encumber its rich pastures with the fattening of cattle and the production of beef, but would devote all its pastoral energies to a vast increase in its butter output. The “Evening Post” perhaps a little ungraciously, but still in commendable pursuit of the lnnd-nggra-gator, seized upon this text to tell Mr Hawken that when he became more of a politician, and less of a servant of tho public, bo would' believe aggregation under the ngis of the HeSorrn Governmont impossible. Mr Masters, tbe member for Stratford, is among tbe others concerned for the future of Taranaki Settlement. Ho told tbe House on Friday night that there was a block of land in tbe province for which the Government bad paid £GG,000 four years ago for tbe purpose of Soldier Settlement upon which not a solitary man could be persuaded to embark his fortunes. Here was £3,000 a year, at least, lost in interest and Mr Masters wanted to know bow long the waste was to go on.