The Political Cuttle Fish.

Manawatu Herald, 21 July 1896, Page 2

The Political Cuttle Fish.

The marine Cuttle fish is provided with the power of ejecting a black, ink-like fluid, from a bag or sac, so as to darken the water and conceal itself from pursuit. From this little bib of natural history politicians have not been slow to leatß, and in the grand farce enacted last week in our own Parliament we have its application to politics brought very clearly undue our: notioe. The summoning of Mr Watson before the Bar of the House and fining him £500 is a bright stroke of genius to divert" the gossip from the J. G. Ward Farmers' Association, the Colonial Bank and other troubles of the present Ministry. The fact remains that at present the Bank of New Zealand is Bob a State Bank, and all that the Ministry Were supposed to meddle with it was in the appointment of President, one or two directors and the auditor. It is a very natural protest for the President, Mr Watson, to raise, that customers will naturally object to deal with a bank into which Parliament may please to set up a roving commission to examine into their books* and) if persisted in, likely to cause much loss to the bank. The unbusinesslike remark of the Premier's that a losing account cannot be a loss to the bank if taken away is open to much criticism, as Ho bank opens an account to loose by it, but Very many excellent accounts are largely overdrawn to the advantaga of both Bank and customer, but no customer would desire such overdrawn account to be examined and discussed by a committee composed of a majority of his political opponents. Thus we uphold Mr Watson's objection to do that which, according to his view, would be prejudicial to the best interests he was especially appointed to safeguard. After a little more time has been lost, and the certainty that the committee will never report to the present Parliament, the fine will be forgiven and some show of inquiry will be made. If the Government had but made a reasonable proposal for inquiry into what led to the banking legislation in 1894, and to the further legislation in 1895 no trouble like the Watson incident would have arisen. This however would have been too much like business, too much like being in time for a report to be made to the present House, too much like the report containing unpleasant . facts in regard to past banking legislation to face a general election with.-^-and thus the necessity for copyitig':-the cuttle- fish' and ejeoting a large amount of inky fluid about anything and everything except that which the country has a right to know.