MEN AND MATTERS

Maoriland Worker, Volume 12, Issue 295, 25 October 1922, Page 5

MEN AND MATTERS

The Rev. He*ctor Maclean > Dun-edin Presbyterian Minister, parts of whose sermon on "My Country, Right of Wrong,' , appeared in The. Maorflaad Worker last week, has just been.elected the presidency of the Dunediu Returned Soldiers' Association.

A person called Barr who somehowor other got into the Upper House wanted a record kept of ttoa workers, in New Zealand mines "in order to get rid of the Bol3hevik3." Fortunately the time -is rapidly coming when we will be able to get rid of the Barrs. * * i> ' ».•

Mr. J. H. Price, president of the Canterbury Trades'and Labour Council, caught h*s hand in .a band-saw in Messrs. William Stephens' workshop recently and as a result of the injuries received has lost the -first joint of the middl-3 finger of his left hand.

At his first committee meeting, it lea reported in the press, George W-tty, Lib-Lab, Riccarton f said -that he was very sympathetic with Labour. Just like Isitt, in fjact. But he will vote Massey, so he promised, whenever Labour looks like taking office.

The sale of Mr, L. M. Isitt's soul to

Mr. Massey was after all an unprofit--9 able transaction. Tne immunity from Tory opposition b3 angled for, officially granted, is now to be denied unio him. Thus «are politicians rewarded when they take- their "principles" to jnarke*:. a- * * j> Socialists from Scotland will regret to hear of the death of ths w'fe of the well-known Scots' propagandist, Jimmie Maxton. Jimmie is one of the best-beloved of the Scots Socialist agitators, whose life has been one of sacrifice ,and devotion to the cause. It may be consoling for him to know that many in New Zealand sincerely sympathise. m * * * In order to prejudice Labour in Ashburton and elsewhere the Christchurch "Star" lately received a 'Special message' , from its Ashburlon rep. in which an L.R.C. that has no existence was invented to make it appear that tho workers in Nosworthy's constituency have no thxie for "extreme Labour." This fiction o£ aa L.R.C: was made to prefer a "£iber£iJL/ibour" candidate to one from the Labour Party. Another capitalist Swindle. * # • « ! ?\L Heriot the Mayor o£ Lyons whose' : mlogy of Lenin, Trotsky and other Soviet leaders, was cabled last week, a a French radical politician. He owns we think, ithe radical paper "Oeuvre," many of whose biting oartoons on the international situation liave been reprinted in the "Manchester Guardian. Weekly." When M. Heriot left for Russia it was cabled that he was carrying proposals for an agreement between ,the French and Soviet Government. * .* ■» * Jack McC'ullough cracked a good joke at one of his Riccarton meetings. Ho said he was talking to a Scots .woman in a certain part of the electorate, and remarked upon the number of Scots in the district —.the McTavishes, Wallaces, Stuarts, etc. "Aye, ,, she said, "but the real pests are the rabbits." * * * % Hjaniilton Fyfe. who lias stepped into George Lansbury's shoes as the editor of the Labour "Daily Herald," joined the staff of .the London "Times" ia ISS9 and afterwards became editor of the "Morning Advertiser" and "Daily Mirror." He is the author of several novels and pljays. During the war he served as correspondent tor the "Daily Mail" on many fronts, and Lor-] NortucHif-o said he had seen wore of the war than any man living. His war experiences effected a, radical change, fa his outlook. It was at his suggestion £&at Lord SSort'acliffe gave a column of the "Da-iiy Mail , ' to the Labour Party at tho 1918 general election", and ho largely assisted in the preparation of the material. He took over the "Daily Herald"-in September, and since Vns price lias been reduced to one and a campaign J s afuot to Incre&ae i£s circulation to half a million. * * « * In Canada since the war the Trade Pnioii movement has heavily declined lv membership. Tens of thousands of 'members have been lost sluA many of toe smaller unions bjaye- dissolved altogether. * * * * In an English town wliera 1/- was charged to hear Methodist ■ revivalist sermons the question was raised as I* whether they should he subject to &c amusement tax. We have no ob-: tetfion to a t|ax on -sermons <as a tox on the Intelligence but not as &n »ittusement.

* * * * A little group of wise heafts is b&tM' than a wilderttess flail of tools.—