THE CHANGING SCENE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1139, 29 May 1911, Page 6

THE CHANGING SCENE.

IMPERIALISM. .(By Ii.C.K.) Contemplate the Empire! It, too, lias shnred in the immense growth of civilisation and progress. To this age, whose very babies lisp of the need for consolidation, it is almost inconceivable that there was a time when grown men passed their lives without ever knowing that the Empire was tottering, when oven the most enlightened pcoplo sank into the grave without hearing of tho urgent necessity for closer union.

I am not speaking of the age of Drake —a crude fellow, but not, J suspect, without the capacity for feeling alarm and concern had ho lived to-day—nor of the (lays of Nelson—a truly great man, whose apparent confidence and pig-headed belief in tho soundness of England was due, not to a. defective understanding of the Empire, but to the darkness of the age ha lived in. One has not to go so far back as that to realise tho magnificent progress that has been-made in tho science of Imperialism. There are living to-day many elderly people who remember a time when tho public would have thought tho Empire sound if they had thought about it at all.

"Well do I remember," said a well-pre-served nonagenarian the other day—"well do I remember never attending a meeting to consider the best means, of drawing closer tho bonds that unite us." It was just the samo with medicine. If a man suffered from appendicitis, he was put on a low diet and treated with cold packs, and got better. To-day it is our proud boast that-nobody is permitted to die without a scientific operation having been performed upon him first. And so with the Empire. Threatened by Prance or Russia, the Englishmen of the early nineteenth century resorted to the rough and barbarous weapon of war, and won the victory -without ever dreaming of the perilous condition of affairs. How our hearts must glow with pride to lealise that to-day we are in a state of profound alarm. The only bonds they knew in that dark era were the bonds they placed upon the enemy. And in a short century, what a change! Reliable, historians report that tho sun, swinging around the globe, was annoyed by tho continuous chain of martial airs as he shone, one by one, upon tho outposts of the Empire. To-day he is gratified with the continuous vision, through the windows he shines on round tho world, of haggard faces—tho faces of men who have lain awake all night thinking miserably of the tottering condition of the Empire, and of other men who have spent tho night composing the next day's Imperialistic addresses, To-day one never hears of. stamp collections or home-mado wash-stands or poems or ping-pong. That is tho proud measure of the intense Imperialism of today. You never see a ping-pong tourney or a sampler. Colouring meerschaum pipes is a forgotten occupation. Tho vegetarian restaurants are all vanished, and in their place are shops in which are sold Mr. Chamberlain's speeches and pictures of Sir Joseph Ward. And what does this mean? Perhaps you think vaguely, it is progress, like, motor-car .accidents and Camera sittings of the Supremo Court. In a sense it is; but to say that is not to say all. Tho reason is that the men who used to collect stamps,'and the elder brothers who used to make wash-stands in the lumber room whilo Sis sang "Dolly Grey" in tho parlour, and tho ladies who wroto poetry, and tho athletes who invented new pingpong strokes, and tho elderly gentlemen who cultivated an appetite for walnut curry and carrot steaks aro now giving all their time to a profound etudy of the Empire. Occasionally, it is true, you will meet a man who, in responso to your greeting, will say, "Oh, she's all right. I love the old Empire. I don't know much about it, but I'm in favour of keeping it in the front." "But -—" you will begin.. "No 'but' about it," he will reply. "I'm for the Empire, and that's the long and short of it." Ho is an anachronism. He belongs in spirit to tho days of Drake. He has no knowledge of the" Empire. Fortunately, he is rare. But his existence should stimulate you to intenser thought still upon the need for consolidation and closer union lest tho Empire fall into /ruin. But, you will say, you knew all this before. Doubtless you do know it, but I wish to impress it again on every man, woman and child, on every bearer of the burden of Empire, becauso a.new and unsuspected peril is added to those wo know of. That peril is—schism and unbelief. With what pride and hope did we see Sir Joseph Ward rush on board t;he steamer and beg the captain to usekerosene as the case was an urgent one. Our hearts followed him: love and anxiety gave us imagination and clear vision. In fancy we saw him drafting a Constitution. Wo saw him take tho population of the Empire. Lighting a cigar, he thought of a number. Ho divided the population' by the , number, ■ and found that it gave a million surplus. Which was absurd. It was the force of habit. With the aid of an arithmetic he tried again, and, difficult and unfamiliar as he found tho' processes recommended there, new and confusing as he found tho multiplication table, he was too zealous for the Empire to mind a littlo labour. He worked out tho sum correctly, and found that New Zealand would have half-a-represcntative in the new Parliament he had roughly modelled. He lit another cigat; and multiplied by two. Wo wcro proud of him. "Now, as to finance," ho said. One moment of concentrated thought sufficed. "Wo shall borrow," he said. Of course. And then came the shock from which I am slowly recovering. I shall not comment upon the scene at the Conference. I shall merely set it forth in its naked horror.

Sir J. G. Ward (loudly): Eureka! The others (coldly): Proceed.

Sir J. G. Ward (warmly): In order to secure that consolidation necessary lo draw tighter the bonds of Empire and promote, as I have said, that, better development of our heritage, and I say so without hesitation, then if we are to do so it is necessary that we have a duo re-, gard to the necessities, and I ani sure wo are all agreed that tho time is critical mid the burden of Empire great. Briefly, I propose a Parliament of 300 members, with representatives from everywhere, to carry out the policy.

Mr. Ascjuith (icily): 1 am not sure Sir J. G. Ward (hotly): Let mo recall t& you closer union, the great growth of the" navy, tho complexity of things in general, the wetness and depth of the sundering ocean, the cntiro nbsenco of adequate means of foothold in the atmosphere, and the difficulty of constructing pneumatic tubes on . a comprehensive scale between Birmingham and Banncvirke, between Pretoria and Skagway, 'Let mo recall

Mr. Asquith (freozingly): One moment. When did these awful things happen? I havo no official advice of them.

Sir J. G. Ward (passionately): I have just said that there will be 208 representatives, and tho policy of consolidation, for which T ask a trial- —•

Sir Wilfrid Lauricr (malevolently) Pardon my interrupting. But how?

'Sir J. G. Ward (with emotion): The system works splendidly in New Zetland. Tho Empire, 1 repeat, must be riveted together. Of course, iron or even brass rivets will bo lifeless, the Empire not being a destructor boiler, but legislative rivets

Mr. Fisher (frigidly): May I speak? This will mean a written constitution, .which is unnecessary and dangerous,

Sir J. G. Ward (ardently): Pardon me, it will not. But if so, so much tho better. And 1 therefore move my motion, the fruit of many years of prolonged thought, the necessary means of securing that consolidation of the heritage that is now tottering on the verge. I move. Mr. AsquHh (firmly): I am against. Do you favour the motion, gentlemen? Mr. Fisher (pus-illaniinouslv): No. Sir Wilfrid Laurior (meanly): No. General Botha (nastily): No. Mr. Asquith (joyfully): Motion lost. That in this age there should be found such a reactionary spirit as Mr. Asquith and . But I promised I would make no comment. I would only say to you friends of the Empire that there are men who have so little, faith in it as to believe it is sound. But we shall not be dismayed. Buoyed up by our manly fear that things am in a. fearful state, we shall yet succeed in passing an Act to hold up that glorious heritage that is tottering on the brink of smash. ENTERTAINMENTS. "THE WHIP." Few better aids to a night of untroubled enjoyment could be prescribed than a to "The Whip," which is at the present time in tho full tido of a prosperous run ut tho Opera House. On Saturday evening the popular spectacular melodrama again attracted a crowded audience, and ran its extended course to the accompaniment of constant demonstrations of approval. There was a slight hitch in the "collision scene. Explosions slightly preceded tho collapse of the battered rolling-stock, but the little trouble, was quickly remedied and the effectiveness of tho scene was very little reduced if at all. A welcome feature of the evening was the comedy work of Trainer Lambert and his inamorata, Mrs. Beamish. They often had the house in a roar. The last nights of "The Whip"- are announced. THEATRE ROYAL. "Self-defence- for ladies" is the business which Gardener and Le Mar, jiu-jitsu experts, are teaching at the Theatre Royal in their interesting turn. They show a ■ good many trick holts that are not by any means of a loving character, and the display all round is full of interest. Daly and O'Brien, the wonderful dancers from America, still shake nimble feet in pleasing rythm. The Two Rosebuds bloom gaily, and Jim Marion and Bob Lloyd supply a fair sample of musichall comedy. A change of. programme will be presented this evening. HIS MAJESTY'S. The excellent series of moving pictures presented at His Majesty's by Messrs. John Fuller and Sons attracted large attendances on Saturday afternoon arid evening—at night there being only standing room in tlie gallery. A representation of "The Fall of Troy" was the principal item on the programme, and was received with much approval. A novelty in the shape of a fine series of local pictures, entitled "Greater Wellington Day by Day," will l>3 shown this evening. The pictures include views of various parts of tho city and suburbs, the harbour, the zoo, and tho busy streets. This will no doubt prove an attractive feature of the entertainment. THE KING'S.THEATRE. Both Saturday's performances by West's and Royal Pictures were largely attended. To-night the.usual Mondays' change of programme will tako place, and includes kincmatographic novelties rcwived direct from Mr. T. J. West, London. An interesting picture to be screened is a tale of tho early days of California, entitled "The Broken Trail." This picture was taken amid the mountains of Lower California, and, besides being a thrilling story, shows some marvellous. Western riding. There will also bo pictures to puzzle, pictures to educate, interest, and amuse. The King's Theatre orchestra will render suitable- accompaniments. Td-tuorrow evening a special performance will be given in aid of the Port Nicholson Yacht Club's Building Fund, when the first of West's and Royal local views, "Yachting in Wellington Harbour" will be shown. Tickets may be obtained from any member of the committee, and seats may be reserved at Abel's. ROLLER SKATING. Holler skating; practised by so large a number at Fullers' Skating Rink, remains one of the most popular of indoor sports. At each of the various sessions a. large assembly ,of patrons of tho fascinating art are to be seen enjoying the pleasant pastime, The management leaves nothing undone that can add to the enjoyment of patrons. ENGLISH PIERROTS., The English Pierrots, that talented company of artists appearing nightly at the Exhibition, entertained a large audience on Saturday evening. Tho programme submitted by tho company is a generous one, with plenty of variety, and the whole character of the entertain-' ment is delightfully unconventional.. The company's repertoire-is an extensive one, of a high. , quality; and changes of programme are. made frequently. MUNICIPAL -ORCHESTRA. Tho 'programme for the Municipal Orchestra's concert to-morrow night is a specially attractive one, including "Finlandia," the celebrated tone poem by Sibelius. This, number will have its first orchestral performance in Wellington on this occasion. The three movements of Grieg's suite, "P«er Gynt," performed at last concert, will be repeated. The Prelude to Act 111, "Lohengrin," and works by Hadyn, Berlioz, and Gillet will be well worth hearing. Mr. Barnett will play several organ numbers. "HENRY OF NAVARRE." The box plans for tho last six nights of tho season at the Opera House, including "Henry of Navarre" and "Via Wireless," will be opened at the Dresden this morning at 9 o"clock. "The Whip" will be played till Wednesday next. • On Thursday will be staged a new romantJc play by William Devereux, entitled "Henry of Navarre," a drama that has been singularly successful both in England and Australia. Tho period is an extremely interesting one, dealing as it does with French history at- one of its most flamboyant times. Tho story of the debonnair Henry of Navarre; the intrigues, love episodes, and .tragedies, including the massacre of St. Bartholomew, it is said, is finely told. Tho action is brisk, the incident stirring, and tho interpretations by the persent company said to leave nothing to be desired. The play made rhe fortunes of both Fred Terry and Miss Ncilseu, who were the originals of Henry and Marguerite de Valois respectively. A special feature in tho present production is promised in the unusually handsome dressing and environment, for which the period so admirably lends itself. On Monday, June 5, "VTrt Wireless" will be staged, and will be played for the last three nights of tho season.

THE ROYAL HAWAIIAN'S. On Saturday next music lovers are promised something quite new in musical entertainments —the Royal- Hawaiians, singers, instrumental specialists, and hula ilanccvs. There is a wealth of music in the combination, and, with it, novelty of presentation. Tho ability of the natives of Hawaii to stimulate an audience to enthusiasm is well-known, while tho exquisite Hawaiian music has established itself in many American, English, and Australian cities. The instrumental selections are said lo be irresistibly catchy, especially the medleys, which liavo a distinct two-step atmosphere about them. When played by the Hawaiian mandolin and guitar band they cause even staid persons to beat, time in unison with eacii air. The programmes are arranged so that Hawaiian melodies, English concert successes, and instrumental numbers receive a share in the evening's pleasure. Included in 'the organisation is the Hawaiian Gleo Club, which has been heralded throughout America and Australia as a very" Tine male doublet quartet. In addition to. being splendid part-singers, each member is a solo singer of high repute. The prices of admission are fixed at 35., 25,, and Is.