RANDOM REMARKS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 473, 12 June 1912, Page 3

RANDOM REMARKS.

By Onlooker,

The calm which preceeds the storm is the existing state of affairs in politics at present, albeit there is a suggestion of thunder in the air, and a feeling of expectancy of portentous happenings. The Mackenize Ministry is doomed, according to its opponents, and the most that its adherents claim is that it be given a fair trial to justify itself in the eyes of the country. However the pendulum swings it is probable that the sun will continue to shine, and the grass will show its customary growth. A coalition of parties is confidently spnken of, and the cessation of wordy warfare between the rival leaders gives colour to rumours which are afloat. In Home politics an eventuality in view of the achievement of Irish Home Rule is the going over of Ulster to Scotland. In New Zealand the flight of Scotland to the welcoming arms of Ulster seems a possibiltiy.

Like other great countries the Rohe Potae is destined to pass through successive stages of industrial activity. It has seen its stone age, survived its gold craze,, passed into its coal era, and is confidently looking forward to its mighty, undeveloped oil fields to land it at the very apex of its industrial glory. An entrancing vision is unfolded by a story told by a reliable Rangitoto settler. The man in question, though still young, has played many parts on the stage of life, and knows something about petroleum. He avers his profoun.l conviction that under the fertile mould of the Rangitoto exist inexhaustible supplies of the precious lubricant. As an earnest of his confidence in his theory he has just departed to where the desirable capital grows green, for the purpose of raising funds to develop the field. Prior to his departure, he secured the freehold of his property.

"Life is real, li'e is earnest; life is not an empty dream." So sang the poet, and so sings man to-day when a virtuous fit is on him, or when his liver is abnormally active. To the scoffing materialist liver and conscience are synonymous terms, but a calm scrutiny of his fellow man should convime him that ther* are exceptional instances. Romance and sweetness vanish from life at the cold, glittering glance of the cynic. To spread his friend's cherished theories and beliefs on the operating table, and dissect them is a recreation which affords the greatest joy to the cynic, but it is questionable if the pleasurable sensation would be maintained were the operation reversed Naturally, life being such a bundle of make believe the cynic frequently scores with hie scoffing. Unfortunately the habit grows, and the scoffer, to maintain his reputation finds himself levelling his wit at the things that matter. That is where he becomes a nuisance and should be taken out and set to play golf. "The cynic and the golf ball" is the title of a King Country story which has yet to be written.

We are chained to the orthodox, and our bonds are the strongest—that can possibly be conceived. Entwined in out hearts are the silken bonds of sentiment; our brains are corded with customs which have been established by our forbears to meet the conditions of bygone years; the pursestrings of capita! are only unloosed by conventional methods; our whole education is on conservative lines with the definite object of fitting our youths to follow in the footsteps of their fathers. Initiative apparently is considered a Godgiven gift which is tendered to few, and the person of initiative has perforce, to fly in the face of: convention in order to achieve his mission. A very small departure from the crthodoxs proposed by our King Country representative on the Licensing Bench for the district. It will be interesting to await developments and observe how the suggestion anent the control of the liquor traffic is received.

The arguments in favour of municipal control of the liquor traffic of the district, from the strictly business point of view, are fairly strong. An enormous amount of money is being sent out of the district for liquor each year. The only return for such expenditure is a stack of empty bottles, and a headache, with an occasional police prosecution to lend interest to the proceedings. The idea of obtaining a revenue for public purposes from the traffic, instead of contributing towards the revenue of other districts, appears to be common sense. Then again municipal control would effectually slaughter the bogey of'ruin to the natives," which has been given such prominence. A danger would be in the fact that as the revenue would be devoted to road work there would be a double temptation for patriotic King Countryites to face. The knowledge that indulgence in the social glass was leading to the emancipation from mud would be a strong inducement to all and sundry to "have just one more" for the backblocks. As somebody once remarked the proposition is bristling with points.