The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, August I, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1024, 1 August 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, August I, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

IT is stated in political circles in Wellington that the Acting-Prime Minister is in for a wigging in consequence of a speech delivered by him at a banquet to the Irish delegates, and the fact that the toast of “ The Pope and the King ” was honoured. The remarks by Mr Carroll that are objected to are that “ there were weak parts of the British Constitution. The edifice had stood too long, and its pillars were decaying here and there. In our small way we must try to think out the method of renovation of the national edifice and the strengthening of its pillars. And where were the pillars ? The outer ramparts had been fortified, but not sufficient consideration had been paid to the inner building. Not only did this affect England, but it affected Ireland and the dependencies of the United Kingdom.” It would be more to the Acting-Prime Minister’s credit if he, in his small way, devoted the whole of his time to setting his own house in order before he attempts criticism of the British Constitution. Such criticism, in view of recent honours, comes with very bad grace from Sir James Carroll. Anyhow, he was attending a banquet, and people are sometimes inspired to say things on such occasions that they would not dare utter elsewhere.