RANDOM REMARKS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 444, 2 March 1912, Page 6

RANDOM REMARKS.

By Onlooker.

Another round of the political battle hag been fought, arid victory rests with the Ward Administration. It is commonly understood to be a very barren and feeble sort of victory hardly worth dignifying with a name. In all probability it would have been held to be a moral defeat but for the fact that Mr Massey and his supporters had so frequently and emphatically assured the country that the Reform party was in the majority, and a vote had only to be taken to clear the Government from the Treasury benches. Now that the whooping is all over it may be just as well for the public to ponder over the question of what the trouble is all about. The business of the country must go on whoever is directing operations. Mr Maasey's methods cannot differ very greatly from the methods of Sir Joseph Ward as to the business aspect of the question, the limitations of any of the Empire's dependencies being very sharply defined. Even the effervescent Mr Payne would have to fall into line, wefe his dream of Premiership to come true.

Parliament is elected by the people of the Dominion as a whole, and represents all shades of political opinon. It also includes all brands of intellect, according to the taste and fancy of the electors in the different districts. This being so it seems common sense to appoint the best intellects of Parliament to formulate the policy and carry out the work of the country. This can never be accomplished by each a system as party government, which inevitably decrees that the brightest intellects, and beat fighters must be opposed to each other. It consequently happens that much valuable time is wasted, and the best efforts of the brightest politicians are devoted to endeavouring to discredit their opponents in the eyes of the electors. Under such conditions the best interests of the country are bond to suffer. Members are shackled with party ties, and pledged to the party vote. What folly it is to imagine that "beneficial leigslation or statesmanlike ideas can only emanate from one side of the House. Some day the electors of the country will realise this and will unanimously ask each other: Why?

New Zealand has frequently been cited as an example to other countries in the matter of advanced ideas and progressive legislation. Her reputation was becoming so pronounced in this respect that the fortunate inhabitants of "God's Own Country" were beginning to believe they were really It, and to regard with tolerant contempt less favoured countries where old-established custom, and tradition, carried weight. Strikes were commonly held to be abolished, and we wera supposed to be a very happy family engaged in the worthy work of showing the rest of the world how to live, A rift in the lute occurred when the Te Kuiti Fire Brigade after due consideration, decided to strike. Upon the merits of the strike it is useless to comment, though the circumstance shook the social fabric to its foundations, disclosed the feet of clay, and generally played havoc with the beautiful dream of peace and happiness. The matter was naturally kept as quiet as possible, but the knowledge must have spread in that subtle, mysterious manner habitual to bad news. This week the cable informed us that the Adelaide firemen had struck, and suffering hardship had possession of the city. The moral of the story appears to be--"Plav up to your reputation, if you possess one." There may, of course, be other morals, and I am open to receive suggestions. f. * * Man yearns unceasingly for the unattainable. The more unattainable the object the more alluring it appears to the human gaze. Happy is he, who with his eyes firmly fixed on the farthest eights, unconsciously uplifts him self beyond the realms of his brother man. Even then, with upward gaze, he still moves onwards unsatisfied, and always the ruling spirit bids him strive. Thus is idealism justified,and optimism finds ample scope. Only the man is apt to become lonely. Materialism is at times more profitable; the yearning then has a chance of getting satisfied. sp. * ; i ; There was much yearning, perhaps, but little idealism about the note left by the carpenters on the table of the new Borough Council Chambers the other evening, it ran -"Councillors are requested to pay their footing by donating <o the carpenters who have worked very hard 4 bottles XXXX, 2 bottles Dawson's best. If fulfilled peace will reign for evermore (Signed) ; Chips," supporters of the Red Flag. Not being privy to the innermost secrets of the Red Flag adherents I dare not attempt to decipher the cryptics creed. Crosses usually stand for kisses in written communications, though why on earth they should want to bottle kisses will puzzle the majority of people. However, the peace which is to reign for evermore may possibly be sealed with kisses of the bottled variety. The question is: "Who is to do the kissing: the Borough Council or the Red Flaggers."