PASSING NOTES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 22 November 1924, Page 7

PASSING NOTES.

(From Otago. Daily Times.) “Proceedings at the break-up of Parliament in Wellington recently were in the spirit of the unintended Biblical hexameter— Joseph fell upon Benjamin’s neck ancl Benjamin fell upon his neck.

In spirit Mr Alassey embraced Air Wilr ford; in spirit- Mr Speaker spread episcopal hands with a “Bless ye, ,my children! Let us depart in peace!” But their last corpo.ra.te act before departing in peace was an act that separated the sheep from the goats: “All rose, and, with the exception of the great majority of the Labour members, sang the National An them.” So the great majority of the Labour members didn’t rise, and didn’t sing. They sat glued to their seats. How silly they must have felt! How inexpressibly silly they must have felt! From the other side of the world better democrats than they point the finger .and laugh at them. Listen to one of Mr Ramsay MacDonald's .team, Air C. G. Ammon., writing in defeat:— “It would be no. exaggeration, to • say that the relations between His Majesty and Mi 1 Ramsay AfaoDohal'd were cordial. It is a matter almost for surprise to realise how stii dot-lily everything worked during the past nine months/ 1 There is not a member of the late Government who does not leave \vith .added respect for King George or greater appreciation of his value as the chief executive officer of the State.” [There was a. time when patriots sang: “Here’s a health to the King. . . And lie that will this health deny Down among the dead men let him be. Compared with this, our present National Anthem is a rhyme for board-ing-school misses.’’