TOWN EDITION. The Ensign. GORE : SATURDAY, JULY 18, 1896. NEWS AND NOTES.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 164, 18 July 1896, Page 2

TOWN EDITION. The Ensign. GORE : SATURDAY, JULY 18, 1896 . NEWS AND NOTES.

This session's ' Hansard,' so far as its publication has extended, enjoys an unenviable distinction, in parliamentary that it is a record one language. for containing move solid abuse and questionable language than most of its predecessors. Its pages have been soiled with the violent utterances of Mr Ward on his retirement from tlie Ministry, several unseemly bickerings between contending members, aud lastly by tho choice epithet " baso liar," made use of by the Hon. J. McKeuzio in refcrenco to the editor of tlio 'Evening Post.' Tho Speaker, on this latter occasion, gave a ruling against tho lion. Mr McKenzie's little pleasantry, and subsequent events placed him (the Speaker) iv somewhat of a false position. Eeferring to tho matter tbo next day, Sir M. O'Korke was reported to have said that he hoped the Minister would forget and overlook the matter. This was construed into a prodigious cl : vnb down on his part, but this view, we are glad to note, turns out to be an erroneous ono. The Speaker had no intention of receding from the position ho took up, and made tho remarks quoted not in reference to his ruling but to tho wholo unpleasant circumstances attending the affair. It practically amounted to a desiro on the part of the Speaker that the Hon. John should forget that it should have been necessary to administer a rebuke, and to conduct himself better in tho faturo. Such expressions as the Minic tor for Lands is too prone to employ in his heated moinints may fall harmlessly enough at tho street corner or the tap-room, but in Parliament it is different. It is upon what transpires thero that the outsido world passes its opinions upon the whole communit3 T , and if Ministers of the Crown are found to ba bandying slang and worse in tho halls of legislature, what, the outside world wou'd most naturally ask, is the stato of things outside ? In all things, ow public men should endeavor to set an example to their fellows, and even though many of thorn are not gentlemen by cither birth or breeding, there is really not the slightest excuse for their conducting themselves as cads at every opportunity.

It is pleasing to observo that Mr Seddon has not become so utterly steepod and impregnated with the satisfactory, nauseating eflliivia attendant upon the blind obedience to the behests of party as to render him totally incapable of performing a just or graceful act of political I administration. In selecting Mr W. 13. Edwards as tho successor of tho luto Judgo Buckley, Mr Seddon has well merited the approbation freely expressed by all parties sinco tho appointment was mado. The personnel of the Electoral Boundaries Commission is another satisfactory piece of work, and it was with something liko honest pride, to which the Premier lias np r i pnrently long been a stranger, that he pointed to the fact of the selection being I being mado from a totally non-party I standpoint. The Premier, as wo havo [ ' said, lias come in for a good deal of , praise over theso two little achievements, j ' not that there is any striking merit dis- I played by eithor, but that in tho light of past events justice and fu*r play were , I things hardly to be expected, and now . i that they are fornd they receive a i welcome proportionate to lheir rarity ; ' and, so far as theso appointments are eon- ' cerned, Mr Seddon must be given credit for having boen actuated by a ! , desire to do what is hest for tho colony at , -large. - I

Mr Max Hirsch, in lecturing in Australia A the other day, put tho question, " But n how did protection affect a protection, tho farmer ?" and this was I his answer — " In the morn- * ing he got up, washed himself with taxed J soap and in a taxed basin, and put on his I taxed clothes. He then sat down on a taxed chair before a taxed table, and ate v his taxed breakfast, with taxed lea , sweetened with doubly-taxed sugar. Then j he put on his taxed hat, filled his taxed '. pipe with taxed tobacco, and lit it with a taxed match. Going out of his taxed door he put his taxed harness upon his taxed j horse, and yoked it to his taxed cart. [ Driving off to market, the produce whioh he j sold was taxed against him, owing to the j railway freights being increased through . l taxed material being used in railway con- ' j struction ; and whatever ho bought was : also taxed in this way, and in most cases taxed directly in addition. lleturning 1 ' home he ate another taxed meal, lit his ; taxed lamp, and read his taxed paper, or ! ', perhaps rocked his taxed cradle. Thon, ' , covering himself with his taxed blankets, ' he lay down upon his taxed bed, and ; might well thank tho Lord that his sleep ' at least was untaxed. Protection followed him from year's ond to year's end, j robbing him upon almost everything thnt i he used or produced." Of course none of | this is original, says the ' Australasian,' I as tho position was long ogo put in | almost similar words by Dr Hearn, who ' parodied Sydney Smith. Nevertheless, I it is opportune, and to many quite fresh, j