Political Prattle

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 74, 9 August 1912, Page 4

Political Prattle

♦ * ******************** PARLY PATTER. (With apologies to Brisbane "Worker.") ' 'Back again in the Hall of Phrases! Back in the old discoursing shop. Treading the old familiar mazes, Talking machines that never stop. Back once moro in the old arenaStadium open three nights a week— With Massey starring now in soena, The Lib'ral song but a tiny equeak. Back on the soft upholstered beeches; Barracking strong for the 'Ayes' or 'Noes,' Threatening punches, looking like clenches, Yet never coming tq knock-out blows. One eye on the Chair, the other .on 'Hansard"; Popping in and out of the bar— Questions asked that never are answer* ■cd— 'Hear, hear, hear , — and It's here Wβ are!" * * * The Dominion Parliament, with the Masseyites in the seats of the mighty, resumed operations on Wednesday of last week. The passage of an Imprest Supply Bill, which occasioned some discussion on the question as to why the depositors in the local Post Office Savings Bank should not receive the same rates of interest for money loaned to the Government as the London moneymongers, was the first important business of the session, which is likely to be a busy and strenuous one. Among tfhe most noteworthy matters io be dealt witih during its course are the alteration of the constitution of the Legislative Council, providing Jor an elective Upper House, a new Land Bill, amendments of the Defence Act and Arbitration Act; tori, thwe are ether Bills galore to b* considered—if there is tiiix. . The Financial Statement of the Government was to have been submitted to the House last Tuesday. * * * The Massey Government has bestowed upon the late Prime Minister, Hon. Thomas Mackenzie, the appointment of High Commissioner, and it seems to be generally recognised that the choice is the best that could be made. From the political point of view, the removal of Mt. Mackenzie to London will have results of some importance. The Honse will lose one of its most powerful personalities, a loss which the Opposition will feel to no slight extent, while the Government will be relieved of the presence of a very effective critic. A byeelection will be necessitated in Egmont, for which several candidates are already announced. The Government candidate for the eeat will be Mr. J. Wilkinson. Mr. Wake, who contested the election in 3905, claims to be the Opposition candidate. Mr. Jennings, formerly member for Taumarunui, is a possible candidate on the Opposition side, and Mr. Dive, who was displaced at last election, may also stand, while an effort is to be- made by the Labor Party to run a candidate, probably the Hon. G. Fowlds. The Government) seems to be quite confident of winning the seat. ' .-■-/'" » k m ■: A declaration from the Inveroarglll branch of the Labor Party that the sitting members of the Liberal Party would not be acceptable to the Labor Party, has been criticised by Mr. Veitch, Labor member for Wanganui. He remarked to a "Lyttelton Times" correspondent: ''From my point of view, it is utter madness for "the Labor Party to adopt such a policy. As a matter of fact, it is the Tfnited Labor Party's policy to attract as many sitting members to its raiike as will become members of the party." * # * The political gospel according to Mr. Eradney: "The working-classes have no grievances; they, have been pampereil and spoiled by the Liberal Party." So, so, Mr. Bradney. This may go down in ■City West, but in an intelligent country constituency Mr. Bradney ttouH get short shrift- He would never see the inside of Parliament again. The amazing part of the business is that he ever did see it. —"Waiioa Bell." * # * Mr. Sidney Brooks, writing in the "Pall Mall Gazette," says: ''Intheory, the American system is a government of the .people, by the people, for the people; in practice, it is a government of the people by the Bosses for the 'interests.' I l r now of no country where politics is so a .game between two sets 6f sharpers -at the expense of a muddle-headed public, -or -where ihe alliance between .the wire-pullers and the industrial atul financial 'magnates' rules and pillages with so much impunity, or where the entrenched and organised .minority can so easily manipulate the course of public affairs, or where the traditional parties have so completely lost touch with the facts of modern economic life, and serve no "more useful •purpose --than that of a screen for predatory intriguers." * * * The twin personalities of "Horn" and "Haw" are two bright creations of the rhymster -whom we all can recognise, and whom we all have met, particularly in Parliament, where-they are seen in their f ullest development. "Hem" is the high-sniffing satirist who sniggers and belittles. "Haw" is the pompous Philistine who prides himself on his robust common-sense, and his freedom from enthusiasms and illusions. Let the versifier vivify them:— "Hem" was the .father of bigots and bores; f As the sands t>f-the eea were they; And "Haw" was the father,of all the tribe Who criticise to-day. And still, in tlio honest working world, With posture and hint and smirk, These sons of tbe devil are standing by, While Man does all the work. They baulk endeavor and baffle reform In the.sacred name of Law, f And over the quavering voice of 'fHem" Is the (Ironing voice of "Haw." * * * A friend from West Australia sent congratiilations to Queensland Labor member Kirwan on Jiis election, and tlio

following is cut frcun Mick's jceply as per Westralian "Worker" :>— "l mm 0m of the 400 r,ailway.msu wbo caw* aut au strike, and because I took an active part in the general 's-tiriJse t&ey refused to put mc back in my position as foreman porter at -teoferal flotation. So I took on Brisbane as a forlorn hope. . • The other side are simply ranging mad at a railway porter and a striker beating Forrest, after him iheMiing the feat for 14 years. They mould sooner have lost all the other seai>s around Brisbane than lose the premier constituency of Queensland- Evejxju&w they are talking of lodging an. .appeal.'. . "SCW jawed around Brisbane where -fchfi strike we* felt worst and where the peepjc .ka»w the facts, but the lies fif *1» papers beat us in the country, The J&edisbri* button of .Seats was aka agAWJtfc u». Wβ lost several good men, but hope irfdo better nsst time." * * *' ' "In these days," jay.fi Lloyd" Gteogsei Chancellor of the British "people are getting too halting to il» application of their principles. tell you what is the matter with a good, many politicians. They bt* afraid of their principles. Wnen you hear of unrest &n3 trouble and suspicion and toiling and bubbling amongst the millions, I tell you why it is. There are-gigentlo problems awaiting settlement, an 9 Parliament is afraid. Ml parties seem to be affected with this nervous prostration. Look at the land. Every Liberal tells you rt is the root' of everything, but up to the present w© have just dealt with it as if we were handling a, hedgehog, more terrified at Socialist principles than even the most frightened members of the AntirSocklist League. If in this country we were as timid in business as we are in politics, instead of having the greatest international trade in the world we should hare been nothing to-day but a wraljartl ior-tibe German Empire." *** . . H. L. Washer, in antwwr to « \tMtt in the "Lyfctelton Times,* , 'dechwei that "no reform comes from Parliament, but from the enlightened demooracy, who, having been educated up to the need of any reform, begins talking about same, and Trfmtever the people talk about the politican follows suit and talks about it too, for the politican is 'only a reflex of publio opinion. Politicians have no opinions themselves, but they steal them from whatever is tibe popular belief." Quite true I