TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13888, 12 November 1910, Page 8

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The British Government Payment would not be taking a of step in a new direction if Members, they decided to-morrow

that members of Parliament should bo paid. For somecenturies, probably from the earliest days of popular representation, members of the English Parliament were paid for their work, and the controversy now going on at Home has led to a disinterment of some interesting facts about Parliamentary service in those old days. In Edward ll.'s roign the wages of knights of the shire were lixed at four shillings a day, and those of burgesses at two shillings, payment being carefully calculated according to the number of days the House had been sitting. These payments— travelling expenses were alto allowed — were borne by the constituencies, and were often a great burden on communities, so much so that many places strove to escape the obligation, and often succeeded. In 1406 the aggregate wages paid to members was £5500, whilo the total grant to the Crown was only £6000. Richard 11. granted the people of Colchester an entire release for five years from sending burgesses to Parliament, because of the expense they had been put to in fortifying the town. The sheriffs were sometimes induced to leave a town or a district out of returns, and it was not unusual for borough members to bo sent to their homos earlier than tho county members, in order to save the towns a portion of their cost. Sometimes wages were not paid regularly. In thoso days there were such pcopto as "Parliamentary blacklegs"— men who agreed to serve constituencies at a rate lower than that specified in tho King's writs. One finds tho members for Cambridge in 1427 agreeing to serve for half the "union rate," and at an earlier time the people of Derbyshire comphuning that £20 was paid to the knights of the shire, when men could have been found to perform the duties for loss than half this sum. A world-wide search would fail to find such a blackleg to-day. It appears that Parliamentary service was not greatly relished in the old days, even when the full wage could be obtained, and that in some places tho right to elect a member was not highly valued. The practice of paying members probably ceased in most places about the middle of the sixteenth century. Tho '■'■Spectator" has advocated a return to the system of local liability as a good way out of the difficult situation of to-day.

The "Wide World's" Man nnd commissioner recently His Boasts, visited «i training es-

tablishment, not sixty miles from London, where pigs, ostriches, llamas, zebras, and other strange mounts aro systematically broken in for saddle purposes. A zebra needs necks and months of persuasion before it makes "a tractable and dependable mount." A llama, though soon warranted i: qui«t to ride or drive." has a nasty trick of throwing himself down to sulk when anything in his rider's conduct offends a sensitive soul. A well-grown, inelligent boar trains quite easily for the Kiddle, but he is not swift of foot, an<l a protracted series of most unmusical grunts accompanies your morning ainblo upon a pig. While the experiment seems to prove that almost any animal physically strong enough can grow accustomed to being ridden, it accentuates the fact tJiat our satellites in the animal world range themselves inevitably into classes, with a use for each not to be readily exchanged. Man's peculiar and special beasts give him clothes, food, or help, but only in rare cases can be expected to supply more than one of these things at a. time. The reindeer, perhaps is the groat example, of a "good all-round' creature, as friend, Least, of burden, food giver, mij finally a contributor of that northern j necessity, the coat, rug, or tent hanging of reindeer skin. But then the reindeer lives in a land of so few animals that he feels bound to combine many qualities in one. His right to existence, decidedly, may be> claimed on the ground that he is both pleasing I and profitable—though either would S have been quite sufficient cause for a:ii- ' mal preservation. If man has always been the killer, he has also shown a wonderful appreciation of different possibilities in his beasts. To be good to eat, useful to ride, big and wild enough to hunt, small and intelligent ! enough to pet, any such saving quality f v.-ill secure a place amongst the cherished quadrupeds, and very few indeed are condemned as vermin. But the great human triumph lies not ia set-

tiug animals to fulfil duties of which they have not been suspected to be capable, but in developing the known capacities to their highest, or in applying them to use in new directons. To rirle an v.nr.-i!ling zebra down an English country lane is less interesting. after all. than tho more natural experiment of bringing Eskimo dog and Manclmrian pony, each to help, after his kind, the English campaign against tho Antarctic Pole.

Mrs Robert Brough. Impressions who has long been a of an great favourite with Actress. X e w Zealand theatre-

goers, is at present in Thmcdin with the company that is playing '-The Passing of the Third Floor Back."' A few days ago she was interviewed by a representative of tho ■•'Otago Daily Times/ to whom she gave, in interesting fashion, the ; m----preseions she formed during Jier recent visit to London. Mrs Brough. who is, as she says, a cockney, was delighted to sco her native place again. Even in the brief epaco of five years she found surprising chanties. Tlje "tuho" is omnipresent, and in places throe lines deep. London positively hums with the sons of speed, and it is a perfect paradise for anyone who is- in lovo with rapid locomotion, taxis

whizzing one here, there, and everywhere in a bewildering manner. Mrs Biough is enthusiastic regarding tho new Globe Theatre, hut she thinks that some of the nowest theatres would be sadly deficient in exits in case of fire. The absence of a centre aisle is one of tho great drawbacks, thisbeiii;: due to tiie tremendous struggle for elbow-room. A novel idea has been exploited by Miss Gertrude Kingston, who has opened a ''little theatre." A liliputian restaurant was acquired, and turned into a miniature play-house, where are produced new plays by new authors, both forming subject matter for debate over tho theatre after tho performance, airs Brounh believes Miss Irene Vaubrugh to bo the most delightful actress in London. Speaking of the modern play. Mrs Brough said .she considered its tone unhealthy. "Very interesting, no doubt, but morbid.' . Strange to say, the public do not appear to want these plays that gloat over the seamy side of life. Recently, when another of these failed, tho financial situation was retrieved by a revival of "Trelawney of the Wells." and when a cleverly mournful piece had been a great failure, "Tho Importance of Being Earnest" was put en as a stopgap, and proved a gratifying gucccss. The play-going public are faithful to old friends. Mrs Brough considers "The Bluo Bird," as produced at the Haymarket, to be one of the most beautiful things she has ever seen.