Political Prattle

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 73, 2 August 1912, Page 6

Political Prattle

If all the Auckland "Herald" says about Premier Massey is true, there are not enough modal* in New Zealand (or out of it) to "reward" him for possessing such "indomitable pluck," mh-Ii "painstaking energy," such "dogged p«>?wveraiic4\" such "leadership abilities, - ' etc., etc. What' fulsome flattery! Ain't it sickeiiin'r .

A recent single-tax advocate to Waihi said tho United Labor Party had joined the. Single-tax Party and not vice versa. Walter Thomas, have you your ointment pot ready?

Tt is reported Mi at Mr. Massey intends, "if he has the power." to appoint two more Ministers, finding that there is sufficient work for more than the present team. And yet he used to inveigh against the Ward Ministry lierause they made the same plea. What they wanted, he said, were Ministers equal to their duties. The Australian Commonwealth has fewer niim'siers Minn the Massey fJovernmout. ?lov is that for economy?—''Oroy River Argus."

Political terminology is undergoing so many and such rapid changes of meaning nowadays that a contemporary needs no apology for the publication of some suggestions for a new glossary of parliamentary terms, based on their application in the leading columns of Conservative newspapers. Among tho pifchiest are tho following:— Conservative.: An abusivo epithet applied by vulgar people to any true patriot or real statesman. Corruption: A synonym for bribery, peculation and dishonesty, which has the advantage of not being libellous. Plodge-hi'eakimr: A reprehensible vice (February, 1912); a commendable virtue (July, 1912). Reformer: One who is pledged to maintain iniact the legislation he has opposed.

Remarks the Dannevirke "Evening News": "It is difficult to know what the Tabor Party ho])es to do with tho 'New Zealand Times' or what the 'New Zealand Times' hopes to do for the Labor Party. Much Ministerial money has been poured into the 'New Zealand Times' but its political influence is about as great as 'Comic Cuts.' Tho 'Times' has boon associated with political failure in Wellington and we imagine the Labor Party will find some difficulty in living down the association."

I. » * Some up-to-date nursery rhymes from the "LylMlon Times": — Hoy diddle diddle, The Tories could fiddle An air that was sad and jejune, Hut. the little dog laughed To see the fine sport When they struck up a Liberal tune! Rock-a-by Massoy on the tree-top, While the bluff lasts the. cradle will rock, When the bluff fails the cradle will fall, And down will come Massey, cradle, and all. Ride a cock-horse To Manbury Cross, See Mister Massey Upon ri high horse. Tho things that he'd like to Tie dare, not propose, Rut he trios to look choeiTul wherever he goes.

As is woll-liiiown, Sir Joseph "Ward lisitos to la 2; behind ft confrere in any respecl uh all. Envious of the degrco of sneffss o£ Sir John Findlay's "Ilinnand Honiilios," lm is said to be handing to the printers tlio manuscript of "Dissolutions and How to Dodge Tlum." 'I'Ko v.-ork. wbicli is anonymous, has for iis foreword the motto of Sir James Carroll: "Nothing matters." '■I'etoiio Clironk'le."

lat our lieaiitiful symmetrical system of roprosiMitation loads t-o: Tn Diwhillt last votos were rerord«'d al the polls. On that occasion the -I? p<. 1111" 11H11 who voted to overthrow tlio Mac-konzif Ministry polled

at ihe first biillot 135,080—0r 28 per cent, of t]io votes cast. This should put fresh heart into our Conservative friends, comments the "'Wairoa Hell," for it affords irrefutable evidence of the delight their victory will give to — barely a, third of the electors. A party supported in its policy by a minority of the House, hoisted on to the Ministerial benches by a section of opportunists and disgruntled opponents, and depending upon 28 per cent, of tho electors can, of course, be relied on to give us that "stable government" we have heard so much about. w <* ■ Discussing tho new Ministry, a lending fanner of Ota so remarked that, he anticipated some of, the old "true-blue Tories" in the Dominion were going to be rudely disillusioned. "The men I refer to," lie said, "are those, who are to be found generally in a majority in tho 'Farmers' Tniion. They are jubilant at the success of Mr. Massey, but they do not understand the position. They associate Mr. Massey with the old Conservatism of 20 years and now that that Conservatism, as they conceive it. has Iriuiiirjhed, they expect to see ihe hands of the clock turned back, and all the works and legislative Acts of the r.allaiicc-Reddnn-'Ward Administration swejifc to perdition. Nothing of the kind, I venture to predict, will take ].l;;ce. Tlie result will lie that the hard-a.nd-fast. Conservatives I have referred to will be found before Ion i>; supporting tho Opposition. They will be 'agin the Government,' mark my words. Only a policy of negation would win their approval, and that they're not going to get from the, Massey Government."