A SCHOOLGIRL ON POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 1 May 1907, Page 3

A SCHOOLGIRL ON POLITICS.

To the Editor. Sir,—My teacher says it is a good thing for me to write essays on things that come under my notice, whether I understand them or not, so I am sending you a short essay about Mr. Massey's meeting. I ought to tell you my age first, because that is always put at the top of our essays or compositions at school. I am eleven years old, and I went to the meeting with mother and father. We sat upstairs, in one of the best scats for seeing a play. But there wasn't any play. The curtain wasn't down, and there were lots of empty chairs on the stage. By-aud-by people began to come in from the side of the stage, and nearly every seat liad someone in it when I heard a lot of cheering, and two gentlemen with shiny heads eaine to the centre of the stage. There were others with them. Mr. Duckrill'was one of the old gentlemen, and father told me the other was Mr. Massey. They sat behind a little table covered witli (lowers. There was no orchestra. Mr. Dockrill spoke first, and said a lot about a patient hearing, and the people cheered when he sat down. Then Mr. Massey got up, and he smiled awfully when the people kept on clapping and cheering. Then he went on talking, and talking, and talking. It was very dry, worse

than a poultry show. But then' another bald-headed mau in the audience started to talk, and I thought there was going to be a fight. But there wasn't. Every now and again this bald-headed man—what a lot of bald heads there were—would get up and talk to Mr. Massey, and ill*. Massey told him ho wasn't intelligent, so I suppose lie wasn't on Sir. Massey's side. Then there must lune been a eat somewhere, for I heard a lot hiss, hissing, and some people started calling out to others to put something out. Then a lady just behind us said

something about an old goose, so I supposed it was a goose and not a cat. 1 asked lather, but he was looking mad as anything, and mother was looking over at another lady's new hat; so I

didn't lind out what was wrong. Mr. -Massc-v didn't .seem to mind much, for when the noise was done lie went on talking again. He seemed to have had a quarrel with hu doctor, for be kept 011 saying that Dr. Findlay was wrong. ! couldn't quite find out what had been the matter with Mr. Massey, but he seemed to be afraid about the security ol his "tennia;' or some other doctors Latin name like that. 1 suppose Mr. Ma>.sey was the "patient" that Mr. Dockrill had mentioned. Anyhow, he kept on referring to his system, optional system, 1 think. Then the funny old

man down below got quarrelsome again, and Mr Massey sat down after lie had been talking for such a long time. The peojde seemed glad he sat down, because they clapped like anything. Then a lot of people asked .Mr some questions, and he answeed them, and then two young men said something and one of these pointed to Mr Okey," who was sitting on the stage, too. Then Mr Dockrill said he would put a motion, and some of the people held up their hands. They didn't all put up both, perhaps because they were lazier than the others. 1 put up mine, both of them, and father held his up, with his hat in one hand. Motile. didn't because her hands were in her mulT. Then Mr Massey said some more things, and the people cheered, and then we went home. Mother says I can go and lmar Mr Malone talk on Wednesday if I lik", and she says it will be funnier than on Monday, Father says Mr Dockrill lias the Government ticket on him. but J saw him to-day, and he hid no ticket on him at all. If I go to any more meetings 1 think I will write you another loiter. Good-bve.—l am, etc., "IUTA LETTER."