RANDOM SHOTS

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 149, 24 June 1911, Page 15

RANDOM SHOTS

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tome write—vain thought—for needful cash, Bonie write to please mc country clasn, And raise a div. Borne write n neighbour's name to lasn, For mc, an aim I never rash — I write for fun.

tVell, what do you think of Sir Joseph now? He goes forth from these hospitable chores the leader of a party that is nothing if not democratic, and he comes tiack a real live Baronet, the founder of a hereditary aristocracy. I don't know what the popular impression may be, but my own conviction is that Sir J. Ward, Bart., has made the great mistake of his life. Honours and titles are all very well, but the person who accepts them ought to make sure that they will fit in with his circumstances and surroundings, otherwise they may prove expensive luxuries. What do we want with hereditary titles in this country ? Haven't we seen enough of the evils they have brought in their train in the Old Land? And how can we call ourselves democrats if we are prepared to recognise here the special kinds of aristocratic privilege and social distinction that we are always denouncing when they happen to come to the front at Home? Perhaps Sir J. Ward, Bart., will be prepared to discourse on these questions when he returns. But perhaps that yas a slip—will be come back ? I have my doubts. We have heard rumours before now about the High Commissionership— are they to be justified after all ? Well, I think he will be wise to stay at Home, if his grateful country is prepared to retain his services there. But what a change has come o'er the spirit of our dream! 1 can fancy poor Dick Seddon turning uneasily in his grave.

4±£4£444i£ What a shocking muddle things were in over the Coronation holidays. It doesn't seem to be anybody's fault in particular; but it certainly didn't improve our chance of making a public display worthy of Auckland when some of the shops kept open and some of the men and women who ought to celebrate were working rather harder than usual for a change. lam not very clear about the law on the point; but in this respect I do. not stand alone. Considering that the Arbitration Court, which is a law unto itself, says one thing and the Shops and Offices Act says another, and there are all sorts of separate little arrangements recognised by the State in regard to individual trades, I don't wonder that matters were rather tangled up. However, 1 don't mind committing myself to the opinion that when men work on holidays they ought to.be paid nt overtime rates; which irresponsible view may be attributed to the fact that I have no one in my employ at present. And I also timfcthnt everybody ought to close on Coronation Day. And if the law doesn't provide clearly and distinctly for both these requisites, then I think the law is wrong. What nonsense it is to say we have too many laws in this country! Here is a case in which we clearly hayen't got enough.

4444444444 The Coronation celebration naturally makes one think of the ' Throne and the Crown and the Flag, and. the other types and symbols of Royalty that we are all supposed to reverence. On this subject I don't think I am intolerant; I mean I can quite understand other peopm >vhen they say they don't attach so much importance to such things as I do myself. But I don't understand Mr. Parry, President of the Waihi Miners' Union. This person is apparently very anxious to explain to everybody who cares to listen that he is not abject and servile; in fact that he is an entirely free and independent individual who doesn't go "on the knee" to anything or anybody in the heavens above or the earth beneath. And so he has recently assured the -world at large through the medium of the Waihi "Daily Telegraph," that le "neither fears God, honours the King, Dor salutes the piratical flag." This last epithet, I gather, is his picturesque way of describing the Union Jack. I suppose that a man who has such a ridiculous idea of his own importance can hardly be troubled with modesty of any sort; but if I were a friend of Mr. Parry's I would certainly advise him to conceal his opinions on these points as carefully as le can. He really seems to have no "idea Mw absurd, a figure he cuts when you put him in the same line as the Flag or the King— not to mention God. Of course you can't argue with a man like that; but it seems wonderful to mc that le can't feel ashamed of himself.

i am not a Socialist—it would take far too long to explain why—but I always envy the Socialists. You see. they are s ° absolutely certain that if only they

could get their way everybody would do remarkably and permanently happy. Here is an extract from a speech on Socialism, delivered some 'time ago in Auckland, by a well-known exponent of the new gospel. It happened to catch my eye this week just after I had Been turning over some gruesome de•enptions of slum life in Sydney and Melbourne. "Poverty will be wiped out "nder true Socialism," runs this new evangel. "The woman will be the reaper Of the greatest benefit. There will be j>° more slaving in the kitchen. Ko . F>°re poking over poky ovens, and leaden a hum-drum existence. Your cookln g will be done by the very best of Machinery. Long hours over" the wash- ™» will be done away with, and strong ™en will be made to do it. with the ' a Mst machinery. The housewife will c afforded the requisite privacy for real ' Renl houses, built on approved architectural designs, will be provided. a«J er again will the wife be harassed "tt worried because her husband is ill na away from work; and the whole motherhood will be healthier and hapJ" under the true system of co-oper-«non. What a time we will all have feoli T s ' But " thou S h one can>t heI P ., elln 6 the absurdity of it, what a pity alWw e true? If on] y X coul d believe to mo ia -y> I would be a Socialist