THE CHANGING SCENE

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 134, 29 February 1908, Page 5

THE CHANGING SCENE

A BIRD'S EYE VIEW, . '.{BZ..X 'OABMJ#' CnEONIOLEB.J "Mr. Webb," remarks & contemporary. ■ "has. bxhibited skill and talent too: lie is no mere lump of brawn, but an intelligent man who uses his head as well as his loinf when ho takes his place on the sliding seat." ■ It should not be forgotten that. Mr. Weblf how and then used his hands and arms t» some extent as well. Ono is glad to observe that in Ireland there is no weakening of the spirit which prompted the famous declaration that they, will- "fight like divils for conciliation." A! ■ -cable message reports that tho Nationalist; -V M.Pi's are. "strenuously non-committal" inr ■respect to .. the : Education Bill. This,; it is understood,, is preliminary to an energetic, campaign of vehement inaction. i A Lethal Orator. ; ■■■. "After , referring to.,the death of prominent settlers since bis last speech, Mr< Mackenzie proceeded . . .."—Report of Mr<' ■ • T. 'Mackenzie's speech at' Waikouaiti.; ; | "If it .wants,to quote [from us]" says the olpcial. .of the. Kennol Club, "let ifrquote articles, and not sentences." That, of course;' would bo a real test of courage. Afc* 1 ■ the same time it is hard not to sympathise jvitli''any newspaper which prefers' til®'.' craven part of . giving its readers, something! readable. i

"iThis'iiriterestiiig manuscript has; just been, discovered :— ' - < According to my habit, I repaired iaboufc' moonriso, to ;tho- hillside, ' and there ' lying. down, I fell into a profound melancholy"Of all the afflictions that attend publick \ life," I exclaimed, "none pricks more woe- 1 1 fully. tlian this ingredient of instability or' incertitudo in the portioning out of elco-" *. torates. Thus it happens that 1 the. malig-i- 1 ; iiant spirit of fortune by plots and contrive ances. bewilders our calculations, and puts® on 'Us.Atho'. obligation'.-..0f '.seeking ,as new;. home at a conjuncture when; we should b»' A ' composing ourselves' 'to 'a •' period of .tran*'. ' quillity aiid ease." As I mused, lost ins' ■ sorrowful consideration of tho chart; in which*, the .familiar bounds of AVaikouaiti were ab^ sent-, I perceived ,a figure near by ing to mc.; 'Gazing compassionately upon 1 me, he-placed in iny hand a small pieco o£ glass,.that had.the curious virtue;of so dis-« \ ' t'ortiiig, .by.'. abbreviation : and - - whateyer ono observed through-' it .as to giv» Jt : a . new. .'and strange appearance. ■ : he said, "is tho glass of Desperate Invention ■ /or distressed politicians. J have heard thyj. ■ soliloquy. Look into the valley without thof glass,- and tell mo what : thou findest." i "J. see," said- I, "a great' multitudo of plat* i forins upon, which i-men." are ; engaged iif . haranguing- tlio , people. All but one weac badges, either; of bluo or of- red. Ho a badgo of striped hues. .As I gazo, hi< . platform disappears.'' "That," saidvthef spirit, "is the revision of tho r / Tell mo what further thou seest." :"I seen the solitary, wearer of the ■-. .badgo gazo longingly upon .the-platform in*.particular. Upon, it there speaks, lin et great noise of plaudits,' one with. a bluej badge, and afar there is' a Council, brave; with red badges, Which seems Ho bo casting about .for, some . They point to hint of -the stripes, and t-hey. say, 'His .blue rib*., bons arci the marks of his enmity and un« willingness.' : Let: another be chosen'.' Butt the , solitary, figure, ./bearing " them,. has; ;/•:>■ plucked forth his bljie ribbons,, crying, : V- : eyes' aro open.' The Council 1 him ta(-. them, .and he'kneels, in a reverent posturff 1 . • ■ before' them." . "Now," said • the spirit* ."take ..the glass, 'that you' may: interpret .• this strange thing by other ways." As ( ; looked' attentively through the glass.' I bo< 1 held (a-great multitude of men in the of harpies, beatingfirebrands, uttering --, harsh cries, and .intent on devouring/impart tially'' tho./.parties .Wearing .^the red and. the( ~ blue badges. Only, by/junction can-thesa!' rival factions withstand the grievous rapinct - and clamour." ;At , length I lowerbd tho/ , glass, andj : turning' to where thOj spirit^h'M^ l '" 5 /'', ,; beon, found him gone. . Turning my visions' onco moro to, the, valley, I beheld again thee ' earlier scene, and'having recited my :'/ . ; I descended from : the hil) and wrote down tho observations 1 1 had made' through; ;th< fjlass of Desperate Inventions. But .of tho".- v disagreeable scene that;.l .first witnessed. E. ' i'said-no -word. Here ends the first vision ofi ! . I Mackenzie: j. . ... , -j! : - 1 :. A -local tailor has been observing that 'W receivo an unknown mail. according to hi( dress. Other things being equal, tho welk dressed -.man prevails with his fellows.; ,: Uik /.:,,: abashedvby any outward inferiority," etc, • t -Whore-aro all tho- great successes- -,- . /'That they led mo to expect;? 'v."">!■ //"■.-VS Though I'vo kept.the maxims'moral,: .; ~ : /'j . Not with laurel ;/'/'; : '* v -■ : ; • Ain -I'decked. . ' •''■ ■"Not."-1 read, "in, flaunting dress;is < ; : J Human triumph to bo sought; . l i.J Homely, talent gets its' payment;,' ' -. .- . , / 1 .,/ ' Gaudy raiment - - . ~', • i . / ■ Counts for nought." - - ; / j

-/Title* but' tlie guinea stamp is,": y : < | /."Simple (faith, beats Norman: blood''— ■■, • ..<« So the poets lnred and beckoned, - ■;.?■! " 1 But I'vo ■ wakened ■ I ■; . . With a tkrnl. ' . .'.",1 Vain tiie grcch' and bulging gamp is; , . :;;:No oho any lbn&er'seos •'..- . .-,.Y Sterling- worth- nr-coats grown shaggy, -. Trousers baggy - ■ ,] At the knees. . - Though there glows a brilliant spirit s > In' my noble countenance, ; ~^l People pass mi with a flavour . -.'..v ' Of disfavour ■.■■:.', l in their glance; / j.- : .-..-.:j While the clod, devoid of merit, - - si . Gaily on to fairto ha'fe flashed —•■■■ .' .1 ■Ho, observant, of The Fashion,. . - - , : .. . Bakes the cash, in, . - ■. . ' iUnabashed. ..■■■•■ .-; ■ - '' "■.' ' ■ • -'.''a For redress from my distresses, - \ . ::l '■To'the poets can I- look P, • .<! For-tlio lies they made me swallow ; . i In the hollow , ;i ' Copy-book?. - ; ~, ,-i Viiin are inward noblenesses;-. ; : ( 1 ; j I. shall seek, tailor's art;, j ....--J Eraiso of "slops" thb bards may whino lfl-» ■..■■■.■; '' I ... I shall shine in : Something smart. • ' •'' -J "Jawn," said Mr. Dooley, "I've lately, ■.* been down-hearrted t 1 think that th 1 only, ; reminder iv tli' gr-reat ari' glorious days ir, > ! old, before civilisation spoiled th' fine ens- ; ..-j torn iv gnawin' shin-bones in th* corrnor an* ' brought in Ac's t'.. prevent obscene lanV : gunge, wuz tli' drunk fireman that hits th'- ; ! pavemoiit outsido th! divo at tin o'clock. { \ ■.wnss fearin' that wo wtiz growin' rayspictw : :! able, but I'ro hopes iv a, reversion t' t,h' ■ 5 good old times." ... i, . . V ,'v.' \ /'jj; "How's that?" asked Mr., Ek'imessy t i "Has some eminent oitizen been ninnm'' \ 1 ,: 'i simuck?" 1 I "No, 'tis th* orrgan iy th' Koniie!

['A whiloback th!-orrgan seemed. t' bo; gom' [• •• tli' nay iv th' rist iv thim. Actually, Jawn, ; ye cud r-rcad it week in week out an' fail |; - -- t' .find in'it nothm' but-what an. ordhinary f;. gentleman might say. .1 had about give it . up. -.-'Another illusion,'- I -says, ■ shattfcv ,>;• ihored. Th'lamp m.tli' dust ls'bruk, as r. ; : ; Hogan says. >. There's nawthin' lef' iv th' i • good-old days iv howl an' bito but th' firer r . man,' says L'. But I wuz wrong.- There's i. life mit yet. Tn' Dominion says, 'Our con- : ■ tomp!ry has :beea. challengm'-us't'-, show • 1 that . th' - Gov'mint is a Socialist Gov'mint.. |v lt says, in between callm' us a liar an' a ;forrgcr; an' ; a'horrse-thief, 'it' says"?that th' ■f . • man. that says th'..Guv'mint is a Socialist [:■;is a currsed - scoundhrel, dcad;t' all-th' dict :. ; : tates.lv honour, an' eager only t': waller in [v.-; ith' foul mud iv its own villainous criini- . nal'ty. To this,': says Tn' Dominion, 'we I:ouly quoto tho follenn' statemint ill which r.T* (th' orrgan. Kennel Club, itself ' a,s'Socialist t . Guv'-. <,njint.' Now'days;, Jawn, 1 th' average effete publication, ofi bein' bowled . out. : middle f. - : stump < like this, wud have said, 'Let's talk ... about th' weather. 'Tis a .dhry .season , • ne'ro bavin'.' But th' orrgan iv th' Kennel ■ Club is not eifeto. • It scorrns th' modheron f ; rules, iv p'liteness an' dignified submission j. t!. th' .penalties iv error. _ An' it's eager f.--..-.v..:.-.- annyway. t' show, th*• grumblin' vtwo-up spell iv - dignity without adjectivos wuz only a'passj in'.'"phaso. So' ifc. ~s'ailed-, into' tH' - hatedv rep-. f' ■* tile up th' sthreet. 'Tn' Dominion,' says j. th' ,oditor, 'is a filthy sheet, an' a disgrace •t' th'earrth. : It is 'a low,orrgan starried r '.: ' f'r;tli'purr'pcse iv robbin' th' widow}'an' - th'; . ! I orrphan.. Havm'-, thus - outlined,' :it says; ■ ....• "its despicable attack on us, we shall.'.prove f r -.; its. loathsomo'an': fraudulent habitliv mis-. <}uotin'.-.us.>: <We;said>(bere.it wint into ca.pital letthers/Jawn), we said this: -'Th''Guv':;\>inint>'is'a -Socialist;Guv'mint:.. commaan'; th' Attarrney-Gin'ral gavo .-a.'list iv its So- , cialist'Ac's.''- ■'That, : on th';orrgan, '.'is.' ; what wo says. A.nVwhat;' it- shrieks, 'did. ■fTfl®; ealumniator- do? It lef . out |tli'. 5 part >afthel th'o comma, which,' proves that if ,;it '^dh't;H'twud : be seen vi; . : .that;'th': .whole-thing'wijd be different.':; An'; ■ ■ it quotes its. arrticle. ; all over - again; an' l - winds 'out th'vdtherr; over-ripe •. V . adjectives.Th'- Dominion ican't''fight.'. -If

Xii ; itself with statin' a fac'. • But th' r-: orrgan, iv th' Kennel Club put up a grail'

|V; £ fight,:..an',; thramplin'' oivfac's/it onloaded ia batthery iv-. adjectives that reminded mo lv. th'.. scent- iv Ngahauranga* on' a day/ i ~,. Whin :yo!ve, got no fac's, Jawn, there's naw-

, capital letthers - an' a ' fine free

ly • : flow iv adjectivcs. Me frind Joe Warrd- savs, 'I hato abuse,'' says ho, 'an'. I never mac it, : - i'r,' says he, ,'fch.' thrusty orrgan.iv th':Kenv/ ,: jiel Club does it for me, 1 says he.\ There's

■1.. / hope -.f'r, jourrnalism yet, Jawn. - Instead -iv- , waitm' outside th' diye t' hear th'_ fireman, mayb;e on a wet night, I' can thransport me\ • self t'-th' merry ould days iv th' cave man • be.r-readin'. th,'- pa-aper." ■ • v

A :Southern Ministerial journal has com- . : plained that the Government has no pdhcy, • :. s . .- and . -Another, - Ministerial journal is mdigk:,' .; . nant..,,;:,,'The .Government, it ,explains with - v .'■■■■ , concentrated scorn, "is less concerned with -the struggles;,'of.-the Ins.and the Outs, and j-.the,manufacture of shibboleths in-.the guise ... of policies, than it, is with the attainment 'ol results. . . . That is what this mania A ■ , for policy-making .will lead us to if wo aro : not- very careful;",. ! As .Sir' Joseph - Ward -■ Bays, in. a song which he is. to snig 111; Kai- '• . ' kapakapa by "way of a chango fromj-statis-tics . Why-..this; roaring for a.rudder on- the iship? • Why i,this .' clamour.', forsa. compass - and : a chart? * .. Why,,tlus. mania; for'.explicit statesmanship— ; ' This'lust'for legislation a la. carte? • ' Is it Art .; To announce your destination when you start? , . - Let others .stick to policy and pledge, And mako their . ,motto "Faithful' unto : death." • ■ .' i -' ■■■ . -."V. . > : , .We know'our .rooted tendency'to' hedge,- ;".i So iV.'Jiy-'.upon an ,-idlo shibboleth •'•. .. ;; : Waste our breathY V-".. I'' s a-deuced inconvenience, keeping faith! . Once; we boasted of a. policy complete: ' Humanistic and -progressive—see .the ..file— 1 . it_ always tangles up our feet; ' . A: policy no longer, suits 'our. style. ..''l.'should smile! itVb'eafs. a 'blessed boomerang for . guile.' ; J .; ; Whither steering? Up and'onward .'to the sky!' ;'vo;: f ? * How, .'precisely ?By 'allowing 'folk to "know'' That::they;ve . just < to;; name/their Vfigure/' and .we'll 'buy! .•-7 > ■ ■:■- ■/ . ■ (As ,wo bought 'em in the days of long ago.) • -.' . "Float and Flow," ■ : ■ ;;';; I 'Just ; the game to dish the . . . foe. -i ~■;