POLITICAL NOTES

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2938, 19 September 1925, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES

RANDOM SHOTS.

(By the One-eyed Gunner)

The Associated Institute of Electors is to approach the Government with a request that a law he passed this session compelling candidates to draw, quarter, mince and forward to the nearest boil-ing-down work all election speeches, so that they may be reduced to a length suitable for recording on one-side of a 32-inch gramophone record. The reverse side will be reserved for something interesting, such ns a good fox-trot, or a saxophone jangle.

Even political meetings are not immune from those who love to resurrect bewhiskered and discrepant chestnuts with which to weary their listeners. Mr, Rollings, who proclaims himself a champion in Foxfon’s interests, indicted on our much abused railway a musty joke of prc-Biblical origin. lie lold his audience on Thursday evening that the Foxton-Palmerslon railway had the distinction of being the only railway mentioned in the Bible. If was to be found in the first chapter of the Book of Genesis, and reads: “And God made everything that creepeth upon the earth . . . .” It might be mentioned that the same chapter of Genesis ends: “And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good . .

Are political meeting's dry? Seemingly! One of the first questions to be asked at Thursday night’s meeting was: “Are you in favour of cutting off our liquor at the meter?” Mr. Hollings came back gamely with the answer: That question is in the hands of the people themselves, who will exercise their votes as they think fit. Personally he was prepared to abide by the wish of the majority.

Mr. Hollings made so much out of the supposed power of the Reform money-bags during his address, that one began to suspect that after all those bags were really sand-bags. Mr. Hollings must be hard-headed if he can hit as hard with his brains as he savs he can.

Dir. Hollings says the Reform Government is the rottenest government this country ever had. The people of New Zealand have apparently been labouring under a delusion for the past fourteen years. They have chosen to return this “rotten government” in the majority for that length of time, and, really, those who tire considered sensible people have been living and enjoying life in the belief that the country was prosperous and had a. sound and capable government. Hang out the crepe, boys, put on your best black tie-—(lie Reform Government is going in again this election!

The lute World War was a grea educator in Ihe art of propagan der. And our worthy Mavor ha become an addict of this vice. Wit a characteristic smile he mentioned to Mr. Rollings at the close of T’littr day night’s meeting that a eliih had insisted on him asking Mr. 110 l lings if he was in favour of swim tiling baths for Foxton. An oh child, that! Mr. Hollings mcntionci something which in effect mean that “out of the mouths of babes and sucklings comes forth wis dom,” declared himself onside, tun handed back the onus to Tlis Wor siiip with the intimation that thai was one of Mr. Pcrreau’s little responsibilities.