Political Prattle

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 91, 13 December 1912, Page 6

Political Prattle

Some cheerful "borak" at ihc Premier's expense from "Simplicitns," of the "Lyttelton Times" : From Pukekoho Mr. Maesey continued his triumphal I progress to the fair and populous city of Auckland. Here Mr. Massoy's popularity Was so enormous that it became necessary to protect him ffojn his friends. It was a popularity almost as intense and as effusive in its demonstrations as that which Mr. Massev found in Christchurch last time h6 addressed a political meeting here. On that occasion people were so anxious t*> sco and hear him that they battered in the doors and broke the windows, and a score of policemen was kept btifcy guarding the people's idol from their too affectionate embraces. Twenty policemen, as Mr. Massey knew by eiperience, were noli sufficient to ensure the exclusion of the more enthusiastic of his admirers. So, good, thoughtful man, he marshalled a small army of one hundred constables, drawn from Wnihi, where they were protecting th* members of the Federation of Labor from the fury of the strike-breakers. These formed up in military style and turned away from the hall, gently but firmly, several hundred citizens who ap-ix-ared incapable of that icy self-re-straint so necessary nt a feast of reason. All those citizens who were deemed capable of looking upon Mr. Massey without being moved to tumult had been sorted out, I presume, some days before and given tickets of admission. Notwithstanding all these precautions, however, I gather from the telegraphed reports of the proceedings that they wore- marked with wild enthusiasm." This shows you what it is to have a toomagnetic personality. Really, I think it is hardly fait that Mr. Massey should run these awful risks. Were I in his place, I should dictate my speeches to a phonograph, and get a squad of artillery to guard the machine while it delivered my message to. the people. * * *

A correspondent to the "Westport titaes" on the Reform Govef rithent: No Government of this debt-ridden Do* minion with so little to show for expenditure and talk, has ever passed such beneficial legislatibn in as short a time as Messrs. Massey and Cα. for the benefit of the select hvf and not thrt masses. Yo gods! What sort of a hell will this fair Dominion be to reside in if the,jr administrative capacity is of equal calibre to their legislative enactments? Workers, sink your differences, unite. Strive for legislative representation of your own, ami show our "Deform" Government at the hustings that you ftre ft power to be reckoned with. You have done well this first session of the Refdrm Parliament. Your comrades have been well jail-'-and next session it will probably be the gallows.

A general election, like varnish on a faded picture, draws out all the bright spots and favorable tints of our common nature. How delightful to the philanthropist to contemplate such a galaxy of purity ahd'glOry as is then radiant in a thousand speeches and advertisements.

. . . Pity that men Who always repre* sent themselves so amiably id their speeches should sometimes misrepresent themselves so lamentably in private and their constituents hi public life.—Horace Smith.

History is repeating itself in New Zealand as regards Legislative Council reform. A bill to make the- Council there elective under a system of proportional representation was introduced into the nominee House, which, however, killed the proposal in committee on the gr'Ourtd that the Government should first have tested the question in the House of Representatives. To Oblige the Council, the Government did this, and made the term of appointment three years. This, hotvever, was not sufficient to win the Council from its evil Ways and the bill again met with a very short shrift. Which only goes to show that non-elective chambers ate the same all the world over. After all, it is simply wasting time to talk of reforming such chambers. They serve no useful purpose, and should be swept out of existence. —Sydney "Worker."