The Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1909. INSTRUCTIVE COMPARISONS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7820, 12 June 1909, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1909. INSTRUCTIVE COMPARISONS.

rHERE is a proverb which tells. us that iomparisons are odioUs, but is there not also another which says: fo mow youreslf, compare yourself with jthersP" And is it not obvious that what is applicable to individuals m this way must also be more or less jo. to communities P If this is so, if New Zealanders would really like to know what a ridiculous figure their politicians are compelling the country to cut m the eyes of the world with regard to Dreadnoughts. and the Defence Cortferencc ; let them compare New Zealand's with Australia's action m the matter. As we know, the Premier and his friends have resolved that the safety of the solar system depends upon the Premier attending the Defence Conference m person, and that his holiday m that connection is more important to things m general and New Zealand m particular than the immediate and business-like transaction of New Zealand's own public business. Poor, paltry New Zealand, and princely, paramount Premier! Theiij how differently they manage these things m Canada, ami ; nls« m Australia: possibly they have m tnose countries what we have not m New Zealand—constitutional Government, and men, not manikins, m charge of public affairs —representative statesmen, not parochial Ccesars; and the people generally must be too manly and too public-spirited to allow their representatives —far less any.individual representative—to violate with impunity the vital principles of representative government. And why should Caesar be a tyrant, then? Poor man, I know he would not be a wolf, But that he sees the Romans are but sheep: He wero no lion, were not Romans hinds. And .to sfee, as m limelight, .the farce of the course that is being followed m New Zealand, look at the action of the Australian Commonwealth, and consider In that connection the latest development with respect to Australia's offer of a Dreadnought. New Zealand's folly starts, so, to speak, frqm'her halfhysterical , offer .of a hypothetical Dreadnought; and now, as to Australia's offer, it is reported from Melbourne that, "though" no definite statement has yet been made, it ih understood that the Imperial authorities have expressed an opinion that the cause of defence will be best served, not by providing a Dreadno.ught, but m some other way." Then instead of the Australian Premier breathlessly and tearfully pleading with his supporters to let him go m person to the Defence Conference, and to shut' up Parliament all the time he is away, what' is. it that is done over the water ? In.a quiet, business-like way,, and without any fuss or humbug of any kind, it is merely an honorary member of the Cabinet that is appointed to represent the Commonwealth at the Defence Conference. In the light of the comparison thus established, New Zealand cuts a sorry figure—a figure at once pitiful and preposterous; and no doubt the people will long remain duly grateful for the undignified and unconstitutional action of the Premier, and of those of their faithful representatives who support him. Gratitude m such a matter is what is becoming— m slaves.