RANDOM REMARKS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 124, 21 January 1909, Page 5

RANDOM REMARKS.

[Contributions to this column are always welcome from any part of the district. The Editor does not vouch for the authenticity of the stories, nor is he responsible for the criticisms.]

The why and the wherefore of things are sometimes difficult to discover, but the person who endeavours to account for the actions of Government departments will reach the limit of bewilderment in record time. Probably the King Country can exhibit a greater percentage of shining examples of departmentalism than most districts. The roads are our standard complaint —the one particular, abiding grievance which can never be misused, nor inappropriately referred to. A sheet anchor in time of stress, and the never failing subject of interest to r our settlers. There are other injustices of course —more'than sufficient to carry a man to Parliament. As a matter of fact, a discriminating and pushful person could travel.to.Parliament on our roads alone, and perhaps secure a seat in the Cabinet. He would require to be a Scotsman to reach Ministerial rank, but getting to Parliament would be easy. However I started by referring to departmental strokes of genius, having in mind that branch of the service which is reponsible for the supply of post offices.

Te Kuiti hitherto has lived the simple life, and made giant strides in the path of progress without any post office of its own. Only when the postal officials were crowded out of the various sheds, and faced with the alternative of a tent, or the shelter of a willow tree, did the department attempt to provide a building. The result is possibly gratifying to the department, but public enthusiasm has not been stirred to its depth as the architectural beauties of the edifice have become revealed. A meaner aud more uninviting structure, in the shape of a public building, it would be hard to find. Judging from the space allotted for the combined office and residence, one is driven to the conclusion that the Government i=s living up to the idea that King Country towns were not expected to grow, and, in deference to Governmental theory, should feel ashamed of wanting a post office of any sort. While on the subject I should like to point out that a grave oversight has to be charged to the department. In orier to be in keeping with our railway station, the post office should have been built with its back to the street, and without chimneys, so that it could be turned round at some future time, at the least possible cost. This method of building is peculiar to the Government, and ordinary people are not aware of its advantages. It is to be hoped the oversight will be noted; even a Government department cannot afford to toy with its opportunities in such.an unpardonable manner.

Talking of the Cabinet, the more one thinks about it the more amazing do the recent appointments appear. To crown the performance we have now the well-authenticated statement that Sir Joseph Ward is merely keeping warm the Lands portfolio for Mr McNab, who will shortly be returned for a Southern constituency. "Whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad." We are all supposed to possess a particular strain of brain weakness, which under certain conditions would lead to startling results. Fortunately for ourselves, and incidentally for our neighbours, the conditions seldom occur. In the case of the Prime Minister, the outstanding weakness appears to be Scotch (not the liquid)— and conditions favourable to the indulgence of his madness were created at the recent general election. The result is a Cabinet with a bur-r-r-r as pronounced as that of a bandsaw, and the Dominion will probably be given over toadiet of oatmeal, and the wearing of kilts. Even Mr McGowan, who is practically Scotch, had to make way for a true Caledonian. . In some mysterious fashion the Maori has become associated in the Premieral brain with the Scotch, and Ngata's appointment is the result. Fortunately the- list wa i full before Henare,Kaihau's name was reached, as I have it on good authority that Henare was confident of becoming Treasurer of something. It is deplorable to think that the young New Zealander has not yet developed sufficient ability and public spirit to entitle him to take a hand in directing the destinies of his country. A solid "Young New Zealand" party from the North Island is required to counteract the Southern-Scotch weakness of the Premier, and impress the fact in no uncertain manner that New Zealand — particularly North New Zealand —has to bfe considered, and prefers conducting its own business to appointing faddists from other lands for the purpose.