THE CHANGING SCENE

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 122, 15 February 1908, Page 5

THE CHANGING SCENE

f A BIRD'S EYE VIEW.

(Br a Oasual Chronicler.)

Lord Kitchener is preparing an expedition to punish the Afridis. The expedition, Baya a cablo message, will test Lord Kitchener'a new organisation. The public spirit of tba Afridis, and tlieir practical interest in" the efficiency of- t-lio . Indian Army,, are much, appreciated. . >

"Baby's Welfare" is tho titlo -of a publication which is to be distributed by Regis* trars of Births. Forthcoming r volumes in; this series of Government publications ara understood to be tho following "Tha Crimes of Capital,"' by E.T., issued from tho. Labour Department's office; "The Ten Commandments, or Tips for the Faithful," • by J.G.W., issued- from the Premier's offico "Hints to, Liblab Orators," by : J.G.F. issued by the Minister for Internal Affairs ;, v 1 '.Why GambloP or' Straight Tips on Crooked) Issues, by GJ., issued by the Department' of Education; "How to Suck Eggs: A Guide to Grandmothers," issued by the Govern- j ment j "Ministerial Mortality, a History, tr by R. M'N., issued by tho Lands Depart-', ment; "The Art of Agitation," by issued by the Labour Department. :

•Mr. T. Mackenzie, M.P., will address his constituents at Waikouaiti on the 26th, and will explain why ho intends to support the! Ward; Administration. By a. singular coincidence a mail whose house was. recently, blown away lias chosen the same date to explain - why he so devotedly admires tho philanthropist who intends to build a new residence for. him.

There seems to us to be something peculiarly uncandid about" the following opening sentences from a contemporary's . leading articlo, headed, curiously enough, "A Splon-' did Idea":

\ . ■ i i - "Europeans won't grow vegetables. Yet thtf' white ' man. is constantly complaitaing of the Chinese monopoly. .The Chinaman is a. mopo-' list, and'yet by an anomaly inseparable froitf the situation he is also a public benefactor. There is something to bo said, too, for tho despised Mongolian. He has never in reality*' abused his monoply." • '

That may appear convincing, but tho public' would like; to know what the position is with ' respect to tho Chinese mopoly. Morcovor, / our ' contempoiary, completely* evades 1 the' important issue of tho inonply. "

Tlie Minister. remarked that no doubd! • : some of his hearers had heard of him as it terrible creature. Ho was held up by liiijti opponents ,as a kind of "bogey man" of thai Ministry, particularly to frighten farmers, ij ■: He was consequently always glad to meet ai 1 community of farmers, because it was' well l to meet them'face, to-face.Then they, : . might see that he was just a plain, man witli convictions, prepared to fight for tho uplifts ing of humanity.—Mr. Fowlds at Baunoi .virke. ! ■ . "Politics we bar. . They are not'our bent." , But oiir features are . ' Prim, and innocent. On my pleasant face Your attention fix—' • ! Can snch winsome 'grace .v : , . Mean bad politics? ; Opposition may. l . It. M'Nab traduce i pr Sir Joe portray ■.■■■■; • , In the blnckcst hues; . . Yet Sir. Joe is'meek ■ -i , - .As a maiden aunt, j Robert's blushing cheek ! / Shames the debutante. Chin and nose and eye— ' i Every feature scan; '. ;v . . . - ; . Gaze—and say if I > . :] Am a bogey man. j ' Who that shakes our hand ■ . • (Honest flesh and blood!) , i i Fails to understand. '< .j That we're plain and good? •; In the coming fight . With the slanderous foe, • . .1 We shall guard tho right, ■ . i.. < Standing in a row; ■■■■, | . Opposition shouting, ' ? Talking, writing hard— , ! : : V '• . -Suro to ease your doubting ; . ' Comes our strongest card: < 1 Ratiocination . ■ Quite superfluous is, . • Here-is our oration— ■ .../■ Physiognomies!

"Well, I dinnaw what brand iv pollytici mo frind Joo Ward indulges in, but 'tis plain that lie's tli' man t' folly," said Mr. Dooley. "In th' pfioto past a Frimcer. wild talk an hour,-t-ellin' th' aujicncc what Bills! he wud bring down, but he always evaded! th' ralo point," , ' , .yj ' • I . "What is th 1 ralo point?'/' asked: MrJ. Hennessy. , ■ -i. ■■■ "Th' iralo, point is th' gen'ral attitude iv?

th' Guv'mint, towards th' tin Cbmmau'minta* What a Guv'mint does is iv'loss imporrtanca

thin its Af-re ye Lib'ral or Conservative? we used t' ask. Now'days, as mo frind Joo knows' fr'm liis" r-feadih' ivj

; public opinion, 1 now'days tli' only qiiistioa shud be, Are yo a hon - se-thief or ar-ro yo a' ; gran' uprigut patiirito? 'I'm not an anarrchist,' he says, 'an' I'm not a Tory,.' ha sayS., ' .'Thin what ar-ro ye?'. says tli 1 rmji- . eiicp: - 'I'm'glad y' asked mo that,' ho says, 'f'r 'tia an imporrtan' auistion, tin' wan that might aisy bo overlooked in th' heat iv th' . 'fray, m What am I?" ho says, 'I'm hot a' burrglar,. an' yet I'm not an advocate iv. slavery,'• says he. 'Havin' tlius,' he saysi .'made claro what I am, I will now onfold' me policy. Mo policy is no new wau, an' though tli' reptiles iv th' Opp'sition PresJ 1 • says I go in f'r now-fangled oxper'mints, mo policy has been familiar t' generations iv childhren. Yo will 'find its main' planks,'' '• says ho, 'in tli' copy book,' says ho. 'Put briefly,' ho says, 'mo poUoy is t' do rigliU (Tremenjous applause.) . I onhesitatingly, affirm that I am agin all pol'cies intinded t' 'do wrong. A stitch in tinic saves', nine,' Iha says. 'A rollin' stono gathers ,no moss* .Pinny wise; poun' foolish!. lloiiosty;i3 tltf lies' policy. Do right an'.i yo ' can't go* wrong. -Those,! ■ says, he,, 'is th ); fightin' planks iv liio "platforrm. With prudence an* caution, misjed with courago, wo intind t'convorrt tlioso glorious principles into pracv tice,' ho says. 'Mat. about tli' Artythration Ac'?' says a voice.. 'I'm glad y' asked jug that,' says Joo, 'f'r 'tis an imporrtanfc' , quistion, an' with rospec' to it I havo ni hesitation in sayin', Fear God an' honour' th' King,' ho says, amid deafonin' applause* 'Tis a blessin', Jawn, that we have a ]'ri-< meer who. is candid and fearless .Homipht aisy havo outlined th'. tex' iv th' new Bills, but ho wud havo lof' us in th' darrk as t' whether ho was in favour of doin' right an' obsorrvin' th' tin comman'mints." - > "But what is his policy?" asked Mr-' Honnessy.

"Well, Jnwn, lio's botuno and botwixt, j nayther here nor. there, midway, naythcr a ' ruffeen or a Tory. That's his attitude, an» ' his. policy is th' Tin Comman'mints,' pru- ' dently. adminisfchered. What more does' . i anrgrwaa want,'* '