THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8290, 19 November 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1906.

Mr Lucy has some interesting observations in the Sydney Morning Herald on the efforts of the Independent Labour Party to capture the labour vote in the House of Commons, remarks inspired by the stormy debates at the Railway Conference at Cardiff. Unionists, ho says, are elate with hope at the rltt within the lute which is to make mute the music of the Liberal majority. The same disintegrating tendency was observed sixteen years ago by keen politicians like Lord Randolph Churchill, when Mr Gladstone oame in with a majority of forty, and Mr Keir Hardie was returned for West Ham. Mr Keir Hardie celebrated his victory by ooming down to Westminster with a band, which, however, the police would not allow to enter the Palface Yard. Mr Lucy was listening to Lord Randolph holding forth , in the lobby one evening on tho political situation, when the word went round "Keir Bardie's up." Without finishing his sentenoe or apologising for his abruptness, Lord Randolph rushed into the House to hear the member whose coming bad aroused eo much interest. But those interested were disappointed in tho new member. His maiden speech

conveyed an impression of personal vanity, studied ecceuirioity, and failure of grip on politioal questions, that waa not removed by subsequent experience. He steadily disappeared from the pedestal on which accident had placed him, and, accepting the position, rarely j interposed in debate. The present year, with its change in the fortunes of the Labour Party, saw Mr liardie an important person again. His party's present tactics are based | on those of Parnell, but they are of a kind which for fulness of sucaess require the inspiration and domination of a Parnell, and these, thinks Mr Lucy, are not to be found in Mr Keir Harclie. At the same titre Mr Lucy—a staunch Liberal himself—is frankly apprebeusive of the effect of tho Socialists' campaign on the fortunes of the Liberal party. The elation of the Unionists is justified by she certainty that in the House of Commons, even more seriously in the constituencies, the action of the socialist seotion of tho Labour Party will hamper, in some instances, wreck, the Liberal cause. There are constituencies where, whilst the majority is decidedly Liberal, the setting up of a third candidate [under tho banner of the independent Labour Party would etißure a walk-over for a Unionist candidate.

The Maaierton Rifle Volunteers will go into camp at th<* end of the present month, and it has been decided to endeavour, wftile under canvas, to raise the necessary funds for the purohase of a small ambulance carriage for general use. The proposal is a commendable one. A public convenience of the kind is required from time to time, and its absenoe on various pass occasions has been adversely commented upon. The cost of a vtthiole suob as the Volunteer Corps has iu mind is not very great, an'd as they will, no doubt, reoeivo the assistance of other bodies in the town particularly intere&ted, and of the public in general, the Volunteers should achieve the object that they have in view.