WELLINGTON NOTES.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9321, 23 January 1896, Page 5

WELLINGTON NOTES.

[By Wblusgtonian.] The disastrous effects which a trip home have on a democratic politician's character for consistency, modesty and veracity are epidemic. Republican Dibbs came back a K.C.M.G. Troasurer Ward did not get that far, bub he brought; back an odour of aristocracy, unveraciousuess, £2500-a-year-cooks and London tailors about him which fairly brought down the house at the great welcome, when champagne and mutual admiration gushed forth iv torrents. Now Mr Reeves makes his modest effort before ho had left his native shores a week behind him, and like another Childo Harold "Then loathed he iv his native laud to dwell, Which seemed to him more lone than Eremite's sad cell." His exultation at severing the ligaments which held him aud hie ill-assorted col* leagues together broke out) in a similar direction to Mr Ward's when he went forth to swap treaties, conquer capitalists, and advertise the colony—and himself. But tho Treasurer's deeds and gasconade were as rushlights to an arc lamp when compared to Mr Reeves's firut attempt at romance in Sydney on the condition of this colony. Of course the readers of the Pkess have seen it; bub probably some of them have not eeen a recent) copy of a State publication called "Tho Journal of the Department 01 Labour, issued under the direction of the Hou. \V. V. Reeves," and dated December 21st, 1895. Being official it is necessarily truthful, and iv the statemeut of the condition of the labour market we read :— '• Aucklaud—Unskilled labour : There are a few :ncn on the books. " Wellington—Tiiere are still a number of applicants for employment, who have been idle for some time past. "Christchnrch—A large number attended the public meeting last week to consider the • unemployed quoation.' "Ashburton—Besides shearing there iH very little work going on. •• Dunediu—Tho uumber of men seeking employment seems to iucrease. •• luvercargill—A number of men are idle, but it is expected that Government works, which are to be put in hand shortly, will absorb the majority of them." Thus tho Minister of Labour ou December 21ec. On January 15th, at Sydney, as Agent-General, he tells a reporter, with a view of acquainting the Australian out-o'-works with the advantages this colony offers to swaggers, auudowuers, and spielers, that "the unemployed difficulty had practically disappeared," also that " the financial position was good and sound, the colony was in a prosperous and hopeful .state, and the people more chesriul aud confident than for years past." There is a leak or a lie somewhere here. It may be that the great sou serpent is on the apree and hus twisted hia tail arouud the cable and riisorginiaed the message, or it may be that tho interviewer got held of Hobeu, the minister for football, who went over in the same boat, and that Hoben played a low down game on the Sydney scribe; but it is plain that if the cablegramer sent hia message right and the wire did not Ho, that Mr Reeves has a great future before him as a creator of caslles in tho air. If in five days after bidding farewell to Wellington he could give reius to iiis imagination to this extent, what is to hinder him writing a gorgeous Homeric ode relating how Socialism under his guidance had now developed into Communism, how New Zealand was altogether free of debt and had ample room for a few millions of choice anarchists, and how any mau might walk into the best hotel, eat, drink and be merry at the cost of tho State. Aβ a very old colonist, it has frequently struck mc that Iho Maoris are descendants of the Ancient Egyptians, 'and that the emigration took pluue about the period of Cheops, 3733 8.C., wliou civilisation was at its highest stage in Egypt, far higher, in fact, than we have yet reached. This is tolerably clear from the fact that no more perfect condition of communism ever existed in the world's history than among the Maoris, for all possessions, including land, were held in common by them. We, Anglo-Saxons, have only reached Socialism as yet, and Communism is a state or condition of life on a far higher plane than Socialism. We may hope, after a few years under the present regime to arrive at Communism— aud then ? Well, the conclusion is obvious. We shall then degenerate and got to the level of the denizens of" Parihaka, where Natives, doga and vermin divide the wealth of tho tribs coutontedly among themselves uuder the benign guidance of the victor in the great humbugging match last year, when tho valiant Seddon waa bluffed by the diplomatist, To Whiti, who responded to the Premier's command that the Prophet should come to Weiliugtou.

•• A weak man goes from home; A stroug man stays at home, Aud is sought for." Did not the result prove which of the two was the stroug man, and that the Maori, with his ancient Egyptian lore, was the better jockey of the two.