The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1907. THE EXUBERANCE OF JOSEPH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3769, 2 July 1907, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1907. THE EXUBERANCE OF JOSEPH.

The Right Honourable Sir Joseph Ward K.C.M.G. P.C. L.L.D ; Freeman of the Cities of London, Glasgow, Edinburgh etc, Premier of New Zealand and all its dependencies, is suffering trom swelled head in its acutest form. Our revered Premier uses more words to say less than any politician in Australasia. The more unimportant the subject the more he says about it. The least important thing he has said since he returned to N.Z. was fired off in a volume of words as a matter of the most vital importance to the people of N.Z. New Zealand is to be called a “Dominion” instead of a ‘ ‘ colony. ’ ’ It shows how the leader of a colony that is alleged to be democratic, simply wallows in the luxury of titular distinction. On the same occasion as Joseph fired this terrific shot he frequently referred to himself as Premier, immediately correcting himself by substituting “Prime Minister.” This democratic colony (we beg pardon “ Dominion ”) once had an'Agent-General in London. It has no one in London at the present time, but the man who didn’t call him “The High Commissioner ” would probably get struck by lightning or be disfranchised or something equally dreadful. • The democratic Premier at the same meeting that he produced the “ Dominion ” farce indulged in another vaudeville turn and made a deliberate threat that sometime in the drear future the unassuming and self-made men who have the honour of being Chief Magistrates of our leading cities should be called “ Lord Mayor.” Why does this colony (we beg pardon “Dominion”) desire to ape the farcical titular business of older lands ? Why is it that in a country where eyerybody is so fond of saying “Jack’s as good as his master ” so much importance should be attached to a mere handle. A spade isn’t a better spade beckuse one calls it “an implement of husbandry” any more than Joseph Ward is a better Premier >e beg pardon “Prime Minister ”) because' the’ King touched him on the shoulder - with a sword and told him to “ arise Sir Joseph.” We recognise that the teeth of Radicals are often drawn by the authorities by titular means. Thus a man of eminence with any views of his own in the Old Country is bound to be made a peer sooner or later, the best known means of rendering him harmless as far as effort for the peoples’ welfare is concerned. In N.Z. titles of local growth are usually conferred with deliberate intention. For instance in the ever-increasing Army of Legislative Councillors there is wisdom (of a Tory Government wearing a Liberal overcoat). A Labour leader begins to get troublesome. He] has ideas and opinions. It is essential for the life of a Tory Government in a cloak of Liberalism, that these opinions shall be put a stop to. Hence Labour “ Lords.” At the present moment, although nothing' definite has been , said by the authorities, the observant man knows exactly who is to be made an M.L.C. in the future. It is absolutely nauseating to watch the evolution of a Legislative Councillor. First , he is in constant

attendance on a Minister, If he can’t get on a “ welcome-home ” committee or a “ send-away ” committee he’s bound to be somewhere handy to take the Minister’s sacred hat or his sanctified coat. If this is denied him, he takes tickets in the middle aisle of the hall wherein the democratic entertainment (most of the seats being reserved for the known “crawlers”) eventuates. He doesn’t sit down all the evening. He stands in the middle of the aisle beaming at the Minister. He becomes a nuisance to the Minister. He has already been made a J.P., or the visiting magistrate to a gaol or something, but at last the Minister gets so sick of him that he shoves him into the Chamber of Dreadful Sleep to get rid of him, and makes him his for life. On the other hand there have been labour “lords” in the past who have dared to criticise the Government which drew their teeth apparently with the . Upper House bauble. They are not in the Legislative Council now. It is essential that an M.L.C. shall be obedient, having no opinions ; that he shall be perfectly harmless. On the first outbreak qf opinion he is relegated to his pick and shovel again. He is of no use to a democratic country. Shades of Richard Cobden, John Bright, William Ewart Gladstone, and Richard John Seddon.