CABLED "PIFFLE."

Taihape Daily Times, 29 June 1918, Page 5

CABLED "PIFFLE."

SERVED UP TO AUSTRALIANS

SELECTIONS FROM RECENT

BUDGET.

''To give Nr-" ni irlen of what appeals to Australians, judging by their ambassador (Mr Hughes, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, a^-present attending the Imperial War GSftnet and War Conference), I may state (said the Hon. A. L. D, Eraser to a .' Times' ' representative the other day( that when he left Australia for ILondon, he was accompanied by a retinue of valets, typewriters, shorthand writers, and special journalists for publicity purposes; and they supply, bo doubt at the dictation of Mr. Hughes, what he considers is palatable to the mentality of his fellow-Austra-

lians On Monday week last there ap-

peared the first of these effusions, tabled out -and filling two columns of the Sydney papers. To show the respect in which they hold Mr Hughes and his associate (Mr Cook) th<* fables redheaded "Billy and Joe. Warm welcome in London. Mr. Hughes chews gum. Mr Cook drinks his first cocktail." Then follow two : . columns.of* from a New Zealand point of view.the most nauseous, oiffle that . one could, conceive; and unless I hud ..,- brought the cutting (produced) with ■me, I am sure that no New Zealander . would have believed my story. We are ;, *Old that Mr. Hughes is suffering from dyspepsia, that he has discovered a

■wonderful panacea in America in .chewing-gum, and that he has bought a gross of packets; that he chews between meals and during meals ■ -'' sticks the gum on the table, or anyeonvehient; also that Mr Cook, flping a teetotaller, had his fisrt cockl *iil In the States, and it is suggested saw double and felt single.' "