"HUMANITIES" IN POLITICS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 93, 17 October 1911, Page 6

"HUMANITIES" IN POLITICS.

" Man's inhumanity to man is nowliere more conspicuous than in the wind-swept field of parly politics. Tiiut is the season when the politicians wish peace and plenty to the constituents whoeo goodwill they eeok, ami to tlis voters they diecourae benevolently ot\ "the humanities," but among themselves tne Wardites and Maeeeyitc« rejoice to suspect and assail one fltiothcv about thoee "humanitiee.'' Each party claims to have the genuine brand, and profetue* to believe that the other article ia ait infenoi imitation. Pensioners may be mete pawn* in this political sport ot felechoneenng. Mr. Jamea Allen t wa* accused of voting last night aga-inat the principle of old age pensions jeaivs ago, and hifl defence was that he wished to see 1 wider and deeper measure. 'Mr. Ma«iey, was also mentioned among Op* positionists who, it wa6 inferred, were not the kind friends of aged men and women, but this session Mr. Malseey w introducing a. Family Home Protection Bill. Sir Joseph Ward quoted a "black list" last night, and his object was to try to prove that tho Opposition did not grow kind-hearted till comparatively recent timce. Thie category of divisions dating back to 1897 induced Mr. E. H. Taylor to exclaim, ■ Good gracious 1"' in tone* of piou* horror, biHthe judgment of the public will have to be reeerved till Mr. - M&ttey and his brethren hare thoroughly examined And checked that list. This explanation will, no doubt, be abundant, for * the hama-Jiifcies " are one of the political is sues, tn the meantime it can be eaid that with the amendment of the Old Age Penftions Act on the line* proposed by the Prime Minister,, and the echeme or pensions for widows (on a basis not to clash with the ordinary ,old age pension provision), New Zealand will be paying aa much as the country can afford. Sir Josepn Ward estimates the annual bill under the two schemes %t £465,000, and there are other large disbursements under exietmg statute*. It Mr ( Alien believe* that the Government should go further he ehould kindly outline tne ways and means. Sir Joseph hae a notion of going further himself some day, but he hoped to do »o by increasing the graduated land tax, which is a method distasteful to Mr. Allen. The party dust stirred up on the ground of "the humanities" last night will not settle this week Both sides of the House are, bn the whole, fn agreement about the improvement* projected in the Old Age Pensions Bill, but the second reading debate last night put much party dickering and squabbling into Hansard. Sir Joseph Ward, by suspending the Standing Orders, framed to protect the public against hasty legislation, hopes to finish his large programme this week, but he courted some delay* last night. The speech-making on both sides about old age pensioners used up three hours and a-half, and very little of the ta-lk was of any value to the public, It was party; politic* first, and public second.