THE KORERO COLUMN.

Evening Post, Volume LIV, Issue 147, 18 December 1897, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE KORERO COLUMN.

[By Katipo.] So that puny weakling, the Old Age Pensions Bill, has been laid to rest in its ' little grave in the Legislative Council, in the sure hope of a glorious resurrection next session. It was Burely the kindest thing to do. It waa the ugly duckling of the Premier's brood, but an ugly duckling that could never be anything but an unbeautif ul, diminutive duck. Had the Upper House been able to trim its little wings with the scissors of amendment, and fatten it up on the stimulating food of sound finance, it is quite possible that the duckling, despite its unpropitioua start in life, might have been transmogrified into a presentable swan. But the experiment tried by that premier Henwife, in hatching his little bills in the overheated inoubator of the House of Representatives instead of in the cosy nest of the Gabnet-room, produced only a stunted, dishevelled, dyspeptic little duckling, whose miserable life waa limited at any rate by the arrival of a deficit ; and it was a meroiful release for the little thing when its tribulation! were over. It might truly be said of the Legislative Council, ' They came to bury the Old Age Pensions Bill, not to praise it.' For suoh a chorus of disapproval of any policy measure has not been heard for many a session. It might be the Council's superior way of deprecating the efforts at legislation made by the members of the Lower House — for be it remembered that it was by the representatives of the people, and not by the Premier, that the Bill was framed.. Even those representatives of Labour who leaven the Conservatism of the Lords felt constrained to join in the chorus of disapprobation , but bo peculiarly constituted are \ the Labour members, so susceptible to a pretty | phrase or a taking cry, that after roundly and in detail condemning the Bill, they voted for the measure. Not because they believed in the Bill, but because it had the magic label 'Old Age Pensions.' That up-to-date apothecary, Dr. Seddon, puts up his political nostrums in fancy bottles, and the Labour member, attracted by the gaudy nature of the label, eagerly swallows the stuff. My remarks on the double-banking of the ' Messiah ' by the two choral sooieties in the city has aroused Mr. Thos. Pringle, Hon. Secretary of the Festival Choral Society, to write to the Editor in Order to remove what he calls a false impression which my remarks might possibly cause. The Editor has handed Mr. Pringle's letter to me. ' The Festival Choral Sooiety,' says Mr. Pringle, • has neither thrown down a friendly challenge nor accepted one ; indeed, the two performances stand on quite a different footing. Mr. Barnett's appeals to a body of subscribers, to whom this performance is due as part of their subscriptions; while our own has to depend wholly upon the support of the public The Christmas-night performance of the " Messiah " has come to oe regarded as part and parcel of the year's programme, and we have tried all through the year to make the fact as widely known as possible. ... I am exceedingly anxious that the" public should acquit our society of any intention to injure or take the wind out of the sails of any rival organisation. Our attitude towards them has during I the past year been one of perfectly friendly rivalry, and I know they will acquit me of i the slightest intention of either harassing or unfairly competing with them. "Whilst agreeing with Katipo "that two renderings of the " Messiah " are almost too much of a good thing ior one Christmas, I must be allowed to repudiate the implied suggestion that we are at all blameworthy. 1 I am pleased to get such a cordial note of approval from so experienced a musioian as Mr. Pringle ; for, in my note of last week, I' expressly stated that I did not blame either society, and did not believe either was to blame. The fact that the two rival | societies are both performing the same j work within such a short period will be accepted as a friendly challenge as to their capabilities by the public, whether the societies mean it so or not. In return for Mr. Pringle's cordial approval of my remarks, I will agree with him that his attitude to the other sooiety has been one of perfect amical rivalry. All of which is beaide the question. Why should we have two 'Messiahs' when one society could perform another work, or both unite in giving a combined performance, which would be exceptionally meritorious ? Is it that musical societies, like individuals, are sometimes lazy, and repeat the work they know off by heart, instead of essaying something new ? Will he go? Will there be a vacant chair in the Cabinet-room ? Will he give up politics and take to the gentler sport of syndicating ? Mr. Seddon was never meant to sit in Parliament and be baited by a worrying Opposition or decried by a Tory press. His bent was ever towards the guile of a syndicator, and his tentative dallyingwith the Anglo-Continental Syndicate ha? ! sealed his fate. Parliament was wise to protest against the Premier's connection 1 with the fatal thing, for ii; his seized him i in its toils, and is drawing him into the vortex 1 of London. Soon we shall see a sign like this in the most populous street of the world's capital : — The Right Honourable RICHARD JOHN SEDDON, LL D . P. 0., &c, &o. Ex-Premier of N.Z. Ex -Leader of the Great Liberal Party. Ex-M.H.R. for Kumara. J!x- Minister for Mines. Ex-Miniater for Everything Else. Director of Anglo-Continental Mining Syndicate. Ex>.Broker of Banking Bills. Mining Expert. Information given on all N.Z. Mines, and Directorships Accepted, &o. The Honourable John M'Kenzie— l had almost written the Horowhenua John M'Kenzie— once had a combat with the Speaker, in which the latter was worsted, and, perhaps it was a desire to ' get even ' with him of the Highland hospitality that prompted Sir Maurice to rule out of order a little amendment which Mr. Wason, out of the kindness of his heart, proposed to make in the Horowhenua Block Act Amendment Bill. Mr. Wason's goodnatured assistance^to his political enemy should have met with a better fate, as it puts pithily all that the heart of the Horowhenua Jock could desire. I should not be surprised if Mr. Wason, skocked at the Speaker's ingratitude, should now vote against the Bill. The amendment given notice of was to strike out the preamble, and in lieu to insert the following preamble: — Whebeab Meiha Keepa te Rangihlwinui, otherwise' known as 'Major Kemp,' ohief Of the Muaupoko Tribe, is a distinguished soldier, whose services during the last New Zealand Wars were of incalculable value to the Crown and to the Colony, and in recognition of snch cervices he has been decorated with the New Zealand Cross by His Excellency the Governor, and has received 'a distinguished mark of Her Majesty's favour, being presented by Her Majesty, in further recognition of suoh services, with a beautiful and valuable sword bearing the following inscription: 1 Given by Queen Victoria to the Chief Keepa for his unfailing loyalty and devotion:' Whereas the said Meiha Keepa te Rangihiwinui has for divers add unknown reasons incnrred the displeasure of the present New Zealand Administration, and should be suitably punished in conlequenoe of »uoh displeasure: Bs it

therefore enacted by the present New Zealand Parliament, in accordance with the instructions given by the said present Administration, that the said Meiha Keepa te Rangihiwinui be declared (contrary to various decisions of the Native Land Court and of the Supreme Court) " a fraudulent trustee " ; that he has, in conjunction with one known as Sir Walter Buller, conspired to defraud his tribe, although the evidence before the Court and the decision of the Court disproved the charge ; that the said Sir Walter Buller haß also aided and abetted the said Meiha Keepa te Rangihiwinui, and for doing so has incurred the displeasure of the present Administration, and for such action on his part shall be deprived of land which he has acquired in compliance with the law of the land, and (according to the Supreme Court) honourably aud fairly ; and shall also be deprived of the costs to which he is legally entitled by the decision of the Baid Supreme Court.'