HOOTING MR HUGHES

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 166, 16 July 1920, Page 3

HOOTING MR HUGHES

A PRIME MINISTER AND HIS PEOPLE.

-. SYDNEY, June 29. In no country in the world do they make such a business of politics as they do here in Australia; and one of the quaintest aspects of this condition is that those who are in are as cynical as those who are out. The man-in-the-street, bemoaning the condition of the country, curses the politicians, declares that politics is simply now a money-making profession, and hoots very heartily when his political leaders pass, whoever they may be. The man-in-P'arlia-ment, hearing the curses, merely grins, draws his salary, and goes comfortably on his way, confident that when the next election comes along "the fool public" will send him back to Parliament again. Both are right.

To some siich attitiide of mind one must ascribe the singularly unanimous hooting of "Billy" Hughes when' ho came with the Prince of Wales to Sydney the other dny. He had been hooted when he followed the Prince in the procession in Melbourne; and in Sydney the people turned from the Prince, with smiles on their faces and cheers on their Hps, and, .suddenly discovering Mr Hughes following right behind, broke forthwith in;fco groans and hoots. Tfc was most remarkable. But "Billy" did not .seem to mind, lie smiled, and he waved his hand as punctiliously as did the-? Prince. It was as if his deafness prevented him hearing the hooting—although it was loud enough. Some said the demonstration was an expression of public disapproval of the action of Federal politicians in increasing their salary

by £400 per annum. Perhaps it was. But the people are always very ready to hoot Mr Hughes—and just as ready to hoot him back to power at next election. The littlo man knows this—and the frequent demonstrations against him affect him not at all. He has deliberately studied Australian psychology, and will talk most interestingly about tho mcods of the mob. He has extraordinary power over a mob, whether it be angry wharfies in Sydney, or cold and critical aristocrats in England.

Apparently in his anxiety to do the right tiling, Mr Hughes made himself rather ridiculous in Sydney. When he met the Prince at the landing he wore a bell-topper; later, in tho procession, he wa,s noticed to have a felt hat on his head; and at the end he had still another kind of hat. How it happened no one knows, but the less serious papers made the most of it, and "Billy and tho three hats'" has had a deal of attention, all tending to throw ridicule on the Prime Minister.—Otago Daily Times correspondent.