Political Prattle

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 32, 8 March 1912, Page 6

Political Prattle

After a fortnight of of a m>(id, bail, and indifleremt ordeif.'itlie fatal division upon which I lie country depended was taken, and Wnrdism trininphe<l. It" was a 'narrow! sf|ueak, the easting vote M the Hi^nk , -: i>r doin» the ti irk. In'; the ■ to which the |k>iifie..,w,a«: Hiiii.i<■••t<-d, the Liberal I'artjj; .was injwt-. liberal. It wah plainly evident that, they were talking against time', ,1 'Wp'alr-j ring for wiiul." in sporting< : phr«s*»olou\. The idea was to nll.uw. :ViJKlepeii'ient.R ,, of a doubtful .liatyrc .tq.inftke up tlp.'ir minds. . , .

Throughout the whole "(lisetssloV, ■ Irum Ijejliiiuing to end. the Opposition, wvro otit-nianoeuvred by'the fww.Q of i\vw Zealand's hereditary' ,titl,(,vboldor.: Kci'iwr in d<'bate J on the whole; ,they; play«l to th<- "independents"' ''ft'i'th' tlie reiterated of 'land , - , monopolists." ' ' ■■ '•■' ■•''''•' .

Dut the most serious error v,ad cbrn•mitted by the Opposition phon they ■allowed t'ho blundering clothier from I'arnoll to attack Moving■ PictW'cs of (J rev Lynn. Then Bill Massoy certainly '•foil in" his eagerness to, Ui't < even , with Payne. Sirjoc didn't help him any. h\. tact, lie fairly trar/ffed' the' Ancient Ono and next the rafik arnHllo ■ oi tin? Wardit*'!? waded in. Horror a*nd; indignation \\ : w in their tones.,as they, sjKiko of "dosjjM'ablc conduct,','., etc.,. etc. Wonder what these same' gentle- , me>i would have said if the individual.' against whom the and grmyidUJss ohargo, was launched had decided to, vote in an opposite, direction? Would ' tliere have been such righteous iniligna- ; 'tio»..th»m?. It's very doubtM. , : ■• ■ ;: '

The blundering tactics of the land- ! grabbers' leader did not tend to,instil confidence into the hearts of his followers, i-andvfor a day or so they • very sick indeed. Then eaine»>relief•.; Vtu'toh. of Wanganui, would . support IHutt' William, so smiles once' more, wreathed the faces of the Opposition and gloom and uncertainty those of'the government. ;

And t.lie campaign waged 0n.,,, The Opposition refrained from spc<i.k,ing, feeling sure of their position.' and the Government Party kept talking feverishly to .stave off apparent.dcic«i.t. They derived gome sniull share of satisfaction from the liumnle apolog> of Mnssey. for the silly utterance? made in reference to Labor member Payne. Massey cast an imploring eye upon the Labor.'group as much as to say, "Oh. please, idon't be hard on mo, I'm so sorry." Sovoral .times the debato nearly collapsed, but 'just at the critical moment a Oover'ninoiit sii])porter upended' himself'-and Uttered till' UMKII ItUltlUl.kb.

When Roberison., of Otald, stood upon his hind legs excitement ran fairly high. When he declared that'after a vory caieltil analysis oi the .nositiun h<( intended to vote for tlie Liberal I'arty, the GoveiniiKiu iorces chocrod :\m\ hope arose in their desporideat bosoms.

The question thiMi was: "Jlow is Atir.oro to voter' , 'flic Nelson man iiA\'u no All through the debutes ho listened with apparent attention to every speaker, so<'niinyly 'tho fvidi'nce adducfil. JHe was thu man of Ihe hour—in hi.s hands res toil tin l fair of rlu , (Jovi'i'iuiHMitj and 110 appcatTil to onjoy his jxisition. At last, tho man imm "Slc<-p\ Hollow 1, decided to unlinihoi' hi.s toii.mu'. and for .•ui hour In. , spoko ujMJii ihc pcliticill situation, praising and scolding oaoli party in turn. At the end of his address Miissey looked at Ward and Members looked <tt each other. There was a. question in tin if glance: "What is ho !-'"i t-o dor ,, Harry did not let on—that was his joke, and he was apparently tJijoying it ininio.iisely.

I?ut> even in>-.eonfnience motions must (•Ohio to an end. and this mio proved no exception to the rule. Tin , voting resulted in a tie,, AI more voting with i.h<> Govornnmnl. Then iho Speaker did the most ck'iiiiit-u action lie was ever guilty ol' during tJio i\:holi.» ot a vaciliii.tin.ii ourwi—h<; aavo his casting vote, rtiid as a liiatter oi coui'se it went to ..lie party in power.

Hypocritical congratulations followed, 'each naity kader congratulating the otluT.

It is rumoied that the crowd beJiind MiiKsey are anything but pleased with the way the ;j,rey-\vliiskored fanner conducted'tho debate. It is said tliat many of them hold the. opinion that ho has tho ■uicb of an elephant, and lacks that which is essential in the handling of men. On the- other hand, it is safe. to say that Ward faced tho House apparently a beaten man, but emerged from tlie fray, because of superior generalship, victorious. And yel, tho spectacle' of itl

After successfully staving oil' <>feat, later (in in the. week tho Premier moved lhal a ilsyN uraeo be allowed »vmljurs. Tin: day •. iis spent in jollification or lamentation, according to members' political leaning. T'pon tho Douse, resuming, after a little routine discussion, if was iuov(*l by the Leader of the Ho'ise that "this House do now adjourn," the. idea that tlie adjoiimiU'f.ul last till Juno, wheji the (ioveriiiinent would iiie<t niejnhers with a rocdiistrneted I in mediately the Ojipositiou clia!leti'4rd tli. Government., hut were once more defeated by 40 votes to 1)8. The Iloin-v tlien adjourned When next Parliament assembles it is certain that there will b<! a lew familiar faces absent from the Ministerial benches.