RANDOM SHOTS

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 15, 17 January 1914, Page 16

RANDOM SHOTS

Zamil

aome write a nelshbour's name to laat Some write—vain thought—for needfnl cash Some write to please the country clash And raise a din; For mc, an aim I never fash. 1 write for fuu.

On the 13th of this month it was announced that the Huntly miners' strike 'had been declared "off," after lasting thirteen weeks. It hardly required this conjunction of "unlucky thirteens" to impress the lesson that the latest Huntly strike was wrongly conceived, and was foredoomed to failure. The chief regret is that the men did not recognise this sooner. Every credit must be given to them for their splendid behaviour throughout these thirteen weeks. The struggle was conducted in strict accordance with the rules of industrial war, and, though there may have been traces Of Syndicalism, there was no sign of Anarchy. I fervently hope that no ill-feeling will remain to rankle on either side. Let Old King Coal be a merry old soul while Tiis reign lasts, for very soon he will be ousted by Emperor Electricity, and coal-owners and miners alike will find that their occupation is gone.

_.-£_______ i The ending of industrial strife in New Zealand does not mean the termination of the world's unrest, or the close of \ the "distress of nations, with perplex- / ity." The centre of disturbance has merely shifted. South Africa has for some weeks been in the throes of a much more dangerous agitation than any that has ever visited our shores. ' The critical rising of Indians in Natal has been followed by a general strike of the white workers throughout Cape Colony, Orangia, and the Transvaal. Things wear an ugly aspect, for there is talk of revenge for the merciless suppression of •the Johannesburg strike of last year. So martial law has been proclaimed, and the burghers are armed and have orders to use ball cartridge in the event of rioting. Once that takes place, we may find a racial war, Boer versus Briton, raging all over the country, while the natives, set free from the mine compounds, may incline to take a hand in the fighting. *±_*-___r___ Drastic suppression of popular risings and riots is not always wise policy, since it arouses a desire for revenge. The measures taken in New Zealand were, happily, mainly of a preventive character, and there is no excuse for the workers harbouring revengeful feelings against anyone. It is a happy incident of democratic rule that the public wrath can be turned against the Government, and find happy and harmless vent at the ballot-box. It was different in the rude old times. About four centuries ago, when the people around Norwich, in England, objected to their common lands being enclosed,- they took the field in revolt, to, the f number of 20,000. The authorities led'against them an army, largely composed of German and Italian mercenaries, who slew some 3,000 of the rebels. The leaders of the rebellion and about 360 others were executed. In fact, wholesale slaughter was only checked by the Earl of Warwick pointing out that they must not kill all the workers, otherwise the landowners i would have to "labour the. ground with 1 their own hands." In the final resort, of course, disorder must -always be put j down drastically; but the employers of to-day, were they as cynically selfish .•* the Earl of Warwick, would recognise I the unwisdom of killing large numbers lof workers, since the survivors would be able to command much netter wages for I their labour, and the profits of the eniI ployers would disappear. ____*_____ The recently-cabled message stating that the sun's heat will be "exhausted iv five millions of years does not seem to have caused much perturbation in this hemisphere, though the statement doubt- | less produced excitement in the . Old I World. Not many years ago the late Sir Robert Ball calculated that in seventy million years our earth" would be a dead planet,, unable to sustain life. When the great astronomer made this statement in the course of a public lecture, a man in the audience rose in great agitation. "Excuse mc," he cried, "but how many years did you j say it would be before this awful catastrophe?" "Seventy millions," replied Sir Robert. "Thank heaven!" gasped the man, mopping his forehead. "What a fright I got! 1 thought he said only seven millions!" If that gentleman is alive now, he probubly had a fit and a premonition* of untimely death when he heard the latest estimate of five million years. __________ During the week the town has resounded with the skirl of the bagpipe — I wonder is that a correct expression— and the spirit of the Scot has mounted in fervent ecstasy. But on one occasion at least there nearly was trouble. The gallant pipers had settled down on one corner, and a brass band occupied that transverely over the road. For some time the strains of the double perform an*3e ascended discordantly towards the unoffending sky. The public had wisely and smartly retreated. The pipere were the first to feel the strain, and their leader crossed over to the band. Addressing the bandmaster,"he said: "By special request, would ye no mind stopping yer — row, so that we may have a wee bit museec?" It was just as well that the braw hielan laddie had a band of healthy looking kilted followers to fall back upon. ____*____* I It was at dinner at the Grand Hotel' during the week. The bird of passage was placed at the same table as a party of local residents. He had just completed a tour of New Zealand, and discoursed affably on the country's attractions and drawbacks. The burly figure l of the Premier passed down the room, and by the table paused a moment to. receive congratulations on his return to heailth. As he moved on the tourist asked as to his identity. He was informed that the gentleman was the Dominion's Prime Minister. "Oh, yes," said he, "of course, I've heard of him; Sir Joseph Reid, isn't it?" No doubt vague visions and memories of the Commonwealth's imposing High Commissioner, and of the giver of the New Zealand- Dreadnought seething in his brain prompted the quaint confusion of name. Poor Mr. Massey! Poor Sir Joseph Ward! Even poor Sir George Reid! CM each is lame and Imperial Te-CMk