RANDOM REMARKS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 626, 10 December 1913, Page 7

RANDOM REMARKS.

By Onlooker.

The debate on tha Public Works Statement usually affords members of Parliament an opportunity of getting something into Hansard which may help in again appealing to their constituents. It is a time when the most loyal supporter of the party in power can let himself go and spread hits eloquence on behalf of his district before the House. He can even wax indignant with the Minister over the wrongs of his district and denounce the Cabinet in mild terms for providing such a paltry reward for loyal services and support. Dark hints as to what may happen unless the purse strings are opened wider in future may also be levelled at all and «undry, but the Minister does not tremble. As the Americans say? he doesn't even bat an eyelid. He smiles underand hares his head to the blast' which blows, now, from one direction, and now from another, but always it hiows, from friend and foe alike. The loaves and fishes must be scrambled for and woe betide the member who fails to raise his voice and clamour on behalf of his district when the distribution of money for public works is the subject of discussion. If the Minister possesses a ssnse of humour it must be hard work for him to restrain his laughter.

An entirely different atmosphere pervades the halls of the legislature when the licensing laws are under discussion. The fact that a certain percentage of members are in earnest concerning licencing matters is sufficient to charge the air with electricity. It is difficult to conceive that a politician can be in earnest over any political question, but the secret apparently lies in the fact that the licensing issue is held to be non party and is discussed on that basis. The Prime Minister has already ingenuously explained that members will be free to vote according to their pledges in respect to the proposed new Licensing Bill. This is rather a startling announcement, implying that on party questions there is only one way to vote, pledges to the contrary notwithstanding. It -is a very mad world, my masters, and nothing conceivable is madder than the system of party government which has been adopted in New Zealand.

The officials of the local A. and P. Association are raising blisters on their hands with the hard work they are putting in **ith the object of making the forthcoming show a conspicuous and abiding success. The president has already passed several sleepless nights and hectic days in planning, and organising, and advocating the show on lines of efficiency so excellent and complete that it will pass into the regions of history and fame with a halo which is peculiar to performances which cannot be rivalled. At least this is the impression I have gathered concerning the im-

p nding event, and if such impression proves to be unwarranted and incorrect,! shall be reduced to total unbelief the efficacy of effort, initiative, and originality as exemplified in human form. There are other attributes necessary to the occasion, but being human is one of the first pssentials in appealing to the public, and the officials and executive of the A. and P. may justly claim that the essential quality is represented in their ranks to an outstanding degree. It is to be hoped neither the president nor his car break down before show day, but it promises to be a fearful tax on the car.

A re-union of old identities is always a happy sight, ana when old King Countryites get, together the occasion is usually one to remember. Of course the time and place, as well as the occasion have an important bearing on the meeting, but these matters are usually of secondary consideration to the identities referred to. Saturday last witnessed something in the shape of an old identities' re-union at Oparure, the occasion being firstly the re-union, and secondly the initial trip of the coach service which henceforth is to connect Te Kuiti w ; th °its suburbs. An unreliable account of the meeting furnished to the writer credits a wellknown and highly esteemed old-time Ohura settler with being the discoverer of the King Country. The settler, moreover, is given a high certificate as a post prandial orator whose services are likely to be availed of at all subsequent re-unions, 1 have only a hszy idea of the meaning of post prandial, but any other term in connection with the Oparure function would appear insufficient and vapid.

Oratory, after all, is greatly a matter of habit, time and place and affinity in association being greatly conducive to eloquence. This possibly explains the heights to which the enthusiastic bowler can soar, at times, on the green. The man who is lying one at the finish of an even game and sees his shot bowl taken out by a fluky wick is sometimes stricken speechless, and has to have restoratives applied before regaining his normal state. These occurrences no doubt explain the afternoon tea habit of bowler?. The very spirit of perversity seems to control the efforts of a bowling team at times, as witness the chequered career of the Te Kuiti president's team this season. Strengthened by the absence of its number three last Saturday it suffered an unexpected reverse at the hands of the second rink, and the skip will now have to justify his action in placing the team. Experts in the game will understand that the fickle goddess plays an important part in bowls and will give little weight to the unexpected reverse. Other critics, less kind, are already giving vent to sinister whisperings concerning a wager which was made at [the conclusion of the game, the suggestion being that the skip was not over anxious. Interest in the next meeting is already keen, but there is little doubt as to the result.