WANDERINGS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 260, 2 November 1908, Page 5

WANDERINGS.

(By Weary Willie.)

"Ho that sparett the rod hateth his own son; but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." "The woman with the specs" sometimes writes a very readable article, but I think that she is hardly lair m her criticism of tho individual who took exception to the sale or workin i aid of Dr. Barnard©'s Homes. Ine grounds for exception were based on an all too apparent fact: "We have plenty of poor people m New Zealand needing help." The English Homes are doing a good work, but there are plenty of rich (over-rich,_ some o* them) people in England to draw on for funds for their upkeep. We don't need to look away from our own little cornet of the eartn to find distress in sore need of relief. Charity, my dear Mrs (or is it Miss?) Specs, of a verity beginneth at home. * * * * * * * Good old "Renwick" has risen again, phoenix-like,- from the ashes of the dead past, to take a hand in the coming election. What side'is he ion tnis time, I wonder? His nrst shot in ' [Saturday's issue is quite a modest little pop-gun. Evidently a sprat .to catch the proverbial mackerel. Will the { fish rise to the bait? I think not, although I would be glad to be found mistaken. ;■ "Weary" dearly loves a fight—when ! other people are fighting. "Renwick's'* little conundrum, however, is quite apropos. Here we have the j spectacle of a staunch supporter of the jjiheral Government, and a pledged' 1 adherent of the Government candi- ; date, openly traversing the said candidate's platform utterances. Of course, no one takes him seriously, but Mr McArtney may well exclaim, as did a greater than he: "Save me from my friends!" * * * ''* * * * The Opposition have been metaphorically weeping over those "dastardly" slanders which had been circulated (at the last election, mind you) against Mr Duncan. Never mind, they are getting even in this fight. Mr McArtney is having his nil of innuendo and folse report castat him. His opponents, if they cannot win by fair means, hope to do so, by slander. A littl3 word dropped here, a little hint there, and the Koison begins to work. What is this ideous thing they say he has done? Whisner it low, let not the very microbes hear it: "Mr McArtney is an Orangeman, and one of its prominent -members."... , "Wmry's".. troubles I whether the popular Mao. were th> ; Cfyef - Goat Rider of the Yellow(oolpi^ol:Order 'or not, but lies are ilies/ and truth is truth, and the truth; of the matter is that Mr McArtney is not and never lias been an Orangeman. He is not even a Freemason. I believe he is* a disciple of Robin Hood, a good old'£English Order; Next please! • , : \ . ;'■ , «. * ■ *•■:•■ * «. •.-.■■■ I w<>uld like to, give an open warning to wo men I heard wagering on , the election on ' Saturday morning. I was not eavesdropping. They were talking loud enough for a policeman to hear them. A. was talking McArtney, and B. _ Duncan, and the argument was waxing strong. B.: "McArtney hasn't a hope in tho world; Duncan must go in."'Look here, now A.: "Hold on; I have a, fiver\which says McArtney will win; and, as you're so cock-sure or Duncan, I will give you 200 votes in." ,

B.: "Yes, but- Well, give me 400 in and I'll think of it. 3/ A.: "Gam! That's the way all you Oppositionists talk. Now, stuff up or shut up." B. decided to shut up, thereby doing that which saved him from infringin or on the laws against gambling. No person may lay a wager upon the result of an. election. The punishment for an offence, although nothing with boiling oil in it, is yet sufficiently severe to make you careful.

The official body of the No-License League has wisely left the Leaguers to do. what they will for any candidate they choose to support.., In other words, Mr Duncan has not the support of the temperance party as an organisation. This may be read to mean that in the eyes of the temperance, party it is a case of six of one and half-a-dozen of the other. . The working mail and his wife are best friends of the temperance party at the polls', and possibly this will be kept in view as between the Opposition and the working man's candidate.