KING EDWARD BARRACKS,

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 45, 19 January 1912, Page 3

KING EDWARD BARRACKS,

Christdhurch, was recently used by Wirfch's Circus, which vacated the premises just in time for another attempt (Act 2) at the Conscription Show. It is an open question whether it would not be more reasonable to convert the building into a permanent cir-ctis-what-d'you-call-it, using the animals for the purpose of entertainment, than to retain the concern under military showmen as a circus for men only. It has been observed by many that under certain conditions, particularly under oaths of allegiance, all men beliavc like monkeys, tigers, and other menagerie curiosities. The reason i« obvious. Put a curb on man's reasoning faculty <md he degenerates towards the lower kingdoms.

nnH'E first ballots jn eonnenion with the German elections have incnwed tlio Socialist representation and without losing any prominent SocialDemocrat. This is cheering intelligence. Tho result indicates that evt-.n the "good old stand-by" of Military Mania can no longer considerably li-ulp the miserable- gangs who for long years in Germany and every other country havo lashed to frenzy the patriotic instincts of the people. The Socialists havo been depicted, for olration purposes, as tho enemy of arything and everything—and what h»s made them most ha to' their opponents has been the rascally and malignant parading of God, Home, Fatherland r.s necessarily on thc.sido of the capitalistic wasters and tricksters ready io destroy all good in. the interests "f profit-making and money-grabbing. If ouo particular tiling could make i!;a N-Z. worker realise the menace of militarism it should be tho exhibit;mi the cables revealed of how in Germany Jingoism raved and raged in capitalism's desperate plight.

nniTAT remarkable gathering, :lio conference of tlie Federal Labor Party at Tasmania has concluded its sittings. As far as- the meagre reports supplied to tho papers go. it would Boom that the, most iiiteresli;;g feature of the deliberations was (ho refusal to alter the objective, whkh naw provides for "tho nationalisation of uionopolicSj" and should provido for "the Bocialisation of the means of production, distribution; and exchange"—that is, if the Labor Party would be true to its own claim, viz., that it is the Socialist Party. Apart from the logrcttablo absence, practically, of Socialist talk find spirit, the conference did good work in declaring for another referendum of the people of Australia upon the issues previously submitted, for the. abolition of Sunday work in mines, factories and workshops, and that no "citiswjn soldier" be compelled to bear arms against workers engaged in industrial disputes.