Newspaper Notions

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 53, 6 July 1901, Page 6

Newspaper Notions

OR is Mr. Seddon scheming for a greater honour stall when the Coronation takes place in London next year? We snail see. But, in the meantime, it is idle for the Democracy of New Zealand to delude itself that King Richard will not accept a title. He will rush it when the time comes — provided it is big enough. — Auckland "Observer." * ♦ # Wherever Britain's intrepid explorers go, there follow the minions of some jealous foreign power, reaping for their country where it has not sowed. — Waihi "Telegraph." * * * Colonel Pole-Penton only gave our volunteers a small taste of what "Tommy" is regularly subjected to by a set of detestable snobs, called officers, in the British Army. — Carterton "Leader." * * ♦ It really seems as if the Jook is a fairly decent shot. Men who were with him on his little Victorian shooting excursion say that he brought down his birds — birds being very plentiful — in very smart style. So that George of York really can do something. How very remarkable' — Hobart "Clipper." * » • It really seems to be an unspeakable sort of folly to sanction fat surpluses while putting up with a dear breakfast table, and submitting to heavy Customs duties, and allowing our railway servants to be paid less than the legal wage. — Greymouth "Argus." » ♦ * It is difficult to ascertain how the Defence Department contrives to make its numerous mistakes but it is beyond doubt that if an error in anything of urgent moment is to be perpetrated it will be done by the office. — Nelson "Mail." * • * It is truly said that the Democrat, with all his protestations, dearly loves a lord. And our Democrats are no exception to the rule. Even while they are ridiculing the old-world aristocracy, they are snobbishly sighing, in their innermost hearts, for the veneer of knighthood that they affect to despise. — Auckland "Observer." * * * We almost feel disposed to take a ballot of our readers as to whether, in their opinion, Mr. Kruger is a rightminded, high-souled, and devout man ; a crack-brained enthusiast, or an unmitigated hyprocnte and self-seeking scoundrel. — Greytown "Standard." * * » New Zealand is not yet a republic. It would be churlish on the part of a pubhe man to refuse on principle any honour which his Sovereign may think fit to bestow, though a refusal on personal grounds might be quite right and proper. — Hunterville 'Express." * ♦ ♦ This year members are promised a "rise" even more substantial than last year's "forty-pound steal," with a prospect of a five years' reign for those good boys who come back to school after the next election. In the name of Democracy and Liberalism. Hurrah ! What does it all matter — so long as the people pay' — Wanganui "Chronicle." * • » If anyone could elevate the moral tone of the Boer, Mr. Seddon could do so. The post of Governor of St. Helena is a more responsible one than that of Governor of the Fiji Islands, which Mr. Seddon now craves to rule over, and there is a greater work to be done amongst the Boers at St. Helena than amongst the savages of Fiji. — Carterton "Observer." * » « Will all this tomfoolery stop before our last shilling is spent on tinsel and gun-powder ? The children of the colony might have been spared, by the authorities, in the present effort to show the King's son that New Zealand possesses quite an army — and is Jingoistic to the core. — Masterton '"Times." * • * So long as there has been no general colonial protest against the continuance of a system under which old and worthy public servants like Sir John Hall, Sir Robert Stout, Sir Henry Miller, to say nothing of the yet more distinguished figures of our past political history, have accepted their titles, theie can be nothing either improper or unwise in a colonial democrat following wcll-estab-llbhed puccdent. — Blenheim 'Express."

We believe that Mr. Seddon will be offered the Governorship of the great mining Crown colony of Transvaal — and that he will accept the honour with as much alacrit^ as Sir Robert Stout accepted his knighthood. — Southern paper. r • • • As it is, a cold douche has been administered to the volunteering movement from which it will not recover for some time, and the terms applied by the Commandant will rankle in many a volunteer's breast all over the country. — Balclutha "Press." * • • While we believe that is imperative to apply a scheme of sanitation, to areas of land less than half an acre in extent, we hold it to be absolutely sinful and wasteful to force the users of a greater extent of land to conform to regulations which are necessary with mere residential areasi. — Hutt "Chronicle." * * * While the proper inspection of all forms of animal food may be expected to reduce the mortality from, tuberculosis, any substantial reduction in the number of deaths from consumption can result only from special care to prevent infection of the air we breathe by means of expectorated tubercular matter. — Napier "Telegraph." * * * Sir J. G. Ward may rest assured, despite the insolent poltroonery of the three members for Dunedin, that his action has the approval of the mass of the people of the colony, even of those who, like ourselves, are not likely to be overwhelmed by the reflected glory of ribbons or stars. — Lawrence "Times. 1 * • • Colonial soldiers and volunteers are proverbially "free and easy," and are given a good deal of latitude, but there must be a limit to this freedom. What would happen if "Tommy Atkins" marched through the streets playing the "Dead March in Saul" over some bad meat and stale bread ?— Marlborough "Express." # We prefer to regard Mr. Seddon's self-isolation as a hint that he believes himself as meriting some honour of an extraordinary and striking kind. A knighthood or an order will do very well for an Australian Premier or a subordinate member of a New Zealand Ministry, but Mr. Seddon's case demands special and urgent consideration. — Opotiki "Herald." * • • Patriotism is born of the heart and the intelligence, and who that has the intelligence to appreciate a tithe of what the British Empire is in magnitude, in commerce, in progress and in loftiness of ideal but is constrained to yield that patriotic devotion, without which treaties are nothing worth — which treaties are nothing worth. — Westport "News." * * • Teachers are, in many cases, anchored for life in one district, without much chance of promotion or removal , and it is needless to say that such a system is bad for both teachers and scholars. With classification, teachers should get a chance of removal, say, once in five years, from town to country, and vice versa. — Tapanui ' Courier." * ♦ ♦ We believe that there are a few disappointed ones in the political arena who will rush at Mr. Seddon openmouthed if his Majesty the King should even call him "Sir." But, "all things come to those who wait," and "our Richard" will yet receive such higrh distinction that all unselfish and broadminded men will greet it with warm applause. — Levin "Farmer." * * * The Maori men of to-day are loyal to the core, and would give a good account of their prowess in defence of the Empire. We do not at all wonder that their Royal Highnesses have taken such an extraordinary interest in the natives of the Britain of the South. — Dannevirke "Advocate." * * * General regret will be expressed that our worthy Premier was not amongst those who were decorated, but it is understood that he did not wish anything of the kind at the present juncture. Probably, it is understood that at some future time he will receive a distinction greater than that which could be bestowed by anyone of less rank than the reigning monarch. — Coromandel "News." * ♦ • The military authorities are wasting time and money on the formation and equipment of volunteers and rifle corps, who, in the case of war, would have the satisfaction of being interested spectators whilst a little boat with big guns playfully played skittles with Wellington property, interrupted without notice tetes-a-tete between trooper and barmaid, and considerately made city residences suburban — a case of "What oh, she bumps!" with no chance of getting one's money back. — Gisborne "Times."