The Waipukurau Press. Friday, June 22, 1906. Rotes.

Waipukurau Press, Volume I, 22 June 1906, Page 2

The Waipukurau Press. Friday, June 22, 1906. Rotes.

—% — Ju ing by remarks that have been made by Wellington papers, there is likely to be some trouble over the Premiership. It is already an open secret that a section of the Liberal portion of the House would prefer to see Mr Hall-Jones retain the position of Premier, notwithstanding that Sir Joseph Ward has generally been looked upon as Mr Seddon’s successor. So far Mr Hall-Jones has not expressed any wish to keep the office he now holds —he may be awaiting the decision of the House on the matter, or he might absolutely decline to hole' the position after Sir Joseph’s return. If the present Premier, on pressure, indicates his willingness to remain in office, there is bound, to be some trouble in the House; if, on the other hand, he insists on making way for Sir Joseph Ward, then the business might go on smoothly. Mr Hall-Jones is now properly-constituted Premier, and, unless he wished to retire, only an adverse vote of the House could put him out of office. What course the House will take remains to be seen. As to the fitness of the two gentlemen, both have had considerable Ministerial exper enre and each has been Acting-Premier and filled the position with credit. It is sai 1 the coming session will be of brief duration. In a letter to one of the city papers, Mr Hornsby, Liberal member for the Wairarapa, ridicu'es the proposition to adjourn the House until the arrival of Sir Joseph Ward.

There are a great many people who can’t see that anything of today is as good as that of years ago. This is partly because familiarity breeds contempt, and partly because history is kind and generally gives a sort of Sunday view of men. Also, as the man who held forth fifty years ago is not Lere for inspect! >n, his imperfections are not noticeable. Also, once more, the past is deceitfully glamorous in all things. Not to go so many as forty years ago, in the bright boyhood of men who still go upstairs two steps al a time, wasn’t everything bigger, brighter, and better than now ? Think of the scenery iu those days, how beautiful; the fish, how big; the fruit, how much richer in flavour ; the cooking, how much better ; the politicians, what wonderful orators. All delusion. The white-whiskered, skinny old chap with the scythe, who übiquitously follows us all and may give you or me a a deathly touch on the shoulder with his freezing finger any minufe, hoodoos us all the time lie refrains from reaping us, and if we surrendered to his influence we should have to believe that he has lost his form, and does everything worse to-day than he did it yesterday ; that, in regard to man, for instance, having bred him up, as is said, from au arboreal animal, living on nuts and seeds, he is now breeding him back to the Sinian type. It is to dispel such delusion that it is hereby affirmed that the men of to-day, public and otherwise, are better, not worse, than those who preceded them, and that in the last forty years practically everything has improved. Carpe diem!

There appears to be room for a Holiday Association, or some institution of the kind, in Waipukurau. When special holidays come upon us there seems to be divergence of opinion as to closing businesses. An example occurred recently. When news of the Premier’s death came to hand, the business places of Waipawa, Hastings, and Napier promptly closed up; in this town they remained open Yesterday a

full holiday was observed elsewhere but Waipukurau. An association would be beneficial to ail concerned, and it would obviate complaints on the part of customers, business men, and employees. New Zealand’s great Premier was laid to rest yesterday, the funeral being the largest by far held in this colony, and was of an impressive nature. The whole colony was represented, and hundreds of beautiful wreaths were sent. The deceased statesman was a deservedly popular man with all classes, and every class paid its respects at the last rites.