NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1288, 17 November 1911, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

Tiie action of the Board of Control of the New Zealand Sports Protection League in respect of the decision of the League's Pamcll branch to recommend members to support Me. Dicksox in the Parnell contest is rather puzzling. The Parnell branch's decision was due to the fact that Mi:. Dicksox, alone of the Parnell candidates, had satisfactorily answered the test questions submitted by the branch. The Board of Control now censures the branch on the grounds (1) that "no member of tho League is under any obligation to make the League's objects his first consideration at the election," and (2) that "so far as the Board is aware neither Sir John' Fixdlay nor Mit. W. S. Dicksox is opposed to the objects to promote which the League was formed." There is an obvious inconsistency here. If League membership imposes no obligations arising out of the League's objects, what on earth could it matter whether Sin John Findlay or Mn. Dicksox were friendly or hostile to those objects ? The Board of Control, with the best intentions in the world, has made itself look rather ridiculous. We do not suppose that the resolution of the Parnell branch will have much effect one way or the other on the Parnell election; but if the Parnell members of the League chose to treat their membership practically, they would decide that no faith can be reposed in a Minister who has already had a run with both the hares and the hounds on the question of the totalisator as on almost every other question that one might mention.

Mr. Milmr's rather sensational confidences to his Duncdin audience respecting his prospects of becoming Prime Minister arc not altogether the solo concern of our sorely troubled "Liberal" friends. 'We shall doubtless bo told that Mr. Millar was merely unbaring his secret hopes in his plain blunt fashion, and that nothing more must be read into his statement. But although Mr.. Millar may be a plain blunt man, ho is at the same time an experienced politician, and does not make statements like those without some strong reason for doing so. One's thoughts turn at once to kiteflying: perhaps the Government wanted to know how the public would receive the idea, that Mb. 1 Millak should bo Prime Minister in the event of the Government returning to power ? But we fancy that such a hypothesis may be dismissed at once." The very last thing that the Government would care to do would be to admit the likelihood of Sir Joseph Ward's departure from New Zealand. As we said yesterday, ttiere is a very general suspicion that our baronet, his popularity gone and the political machine beyond his control, intends to leave the' country to get itself as best it may out of the difficulties he has made for it. It has served his turn; and like another plunging financier of a bygone day, the late Sir Julius Vogel, he may find London a congenial retreat. Of course he is not likely to admit any intention to abandon politics or to leave Now Zealand; the desperate case of his party requires that he must stand by it until tie elections are over. Mr. Millar, in his own rather desperate fight and his anxiety to play a big card, has let the cat out of the bag in a rash moment,

A candidate whose specclics arc far above the average and who is said to be making good progress with his campaigning is 51 it. F. Hockly, who a year or two back contested the byelection for Kangitikei with Mr. Smitjt. On that occasion Mil. Hockly put up a gallant fight but succumbed to the power of the purse wielded by the Ministry. The electors of Rangitikei were promised many things if they would only return Mr. Smith and not as many of these promises as the circumstances warranted have materialised. No dcubt the settlers along the Main Trunk line and vicinity have profited by their experience. The boundaries"of this progressive electorate have been considerably changed since the last election and the name altered to Waiinarino, but Mn. SIIITH and Mr. Hockly are again the contestants for the seat. Mr. Smith has proved rather a- disappointment. He professed himself a strong freeholder, but instcadof taking up an independent stand in Parliament he Ouickly succumbed to Ministerial influences and fed out of the hand of the Government in the most docile fashion. As a matter of fact though a very pleasant and amiable gentleman the member for Rangitikei would seem to bavc taken politics rather as a joke, and in consequence he has. not cut an imposing figure in Parliament. A member who can always be relied on to vote at the call of the Government Whip becomes "cheap" even with his own party, and although Mr. Smith is very we'll liked he carries as little weight* probably as any rarji in the House. Mr. ' Hockly has a distinct advantage in this respect as a man of sound judgment, a close student of public affairs, and possessed not only of a thorough knowledge of the need;; of his own district but of the requirements of the country generally in respect of_ developmental work and progressive laud settlement. He would make a very valuable addition to the ranks of Parliament and would occupy a foremost place amongst those qualified to speak in furtherance of the interests of the country districts.