RHYMES FOR THE TIMES. [From the "Wellington Spectator."]

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 516, 26 March 1851, Page 4

RHYMES FOR THE TIMES. [From the " Wellington Spectator."]

CONSTITOOTIONAL LIBERTY I We hare brought our measure. — Dr. F's. Speech, February, 31. Air-." The Bpld Pragoon." The undersigned petitioner* are very much put out, By the horrible mismanagement you've heard so much about. So they modeitly embody in a string of resolutions Their brilliant ideas on the best of constitution!. Chorus. The long Constitution, fiddle faddle, twiddle twaddle ;, The long Constitution of Fiddlestone & Fogs ! ; *2. Self-Government, we say, is the unmoleited sway Of the caih that we can get from you or any other way; And. lest you'd interfere with us, which would be wrong we do think ; There must be no Instructions, and no Veto,* and no no think. In our long Constitution, &c, 3. For the money paid in taxes we'll be represented there, But thoughjyou find half the revenuf , no Nominees are fair : All officero who please us not we'll put upon the shelves, — Our uninstructed Gorernor, and uninstructed selves, By our long Constitution, &c. 4. So soon as we're delivered, in a legislative way, Our whims must be the law in spite of aught that you may say > 5. You may appoint the Governor and pay him without doubt, 6. But we reserve the modest right of kicking Govey out, In our long: Constitution, &c, %. The Judges too must only judge according as we please, For we reserve the Britiih right of ousting them with ease ; For a man who wrongly sticks to right, and wont from justice budge, Though sure to lose his place thereby 's a shockingly bad judge, Says our long Constitution, &c. 7. There are sundry little tiresome jobs we leave you, as a bore, Such as sending of ambassadors and making peace or war ; And marquiiates (not perquisites) and other odda and ends, But when you're gi»ing title* out, O ! don't forget your friends, Of the long Constitution, &c. §. It may happen the majority of members we elect May something do in Council grave to which you may object, Then let our Judges, sackable, decide the knotty case, Or your own Privy Council may suit you to an ace, Says our long Constitution, &c. 10. On the number of our Chambers we don't know what to do. The bachelors demand but one, the married men say two; 11. But when we get these, there we'll stick for yews and never fear, 12. Just meeting for delay of business once in every year, With our long Constitution, &c. 13. Now come we to the question which is a question yet, About the number of each race who should the franchise get ; Each white man should of course, but as to Maories we confess A little difficulty which compels us to digress, From our loDg Constitution, &c; " Tis distance," says the poet, " leeds enchantment to the view," And so enchants your twenty clerks, they don't know what to do : How to legislate for white men we on the spot know bast j— How to legislate for ,'natives let your twenty clerks suggest, ; To our long Constitution, &c. 14. All manageable beachcombers will for the Council do, 15. But our flocks increase so fast we're like the woman with the shoe ; So we'll do with the waste lands as may from time to time seem fit, Tha,t every jolly Councillor may get a jolly bit, By our long Constitution, &c. 16. The districts to elect us we'll fix after we're elected, 17. And we'll change these laws if they don't cause the gains which we expected ; So with compliments to Moles worth, and to Mr. Godley too, (For his sentiments agree with ours) we end this long to-do Of our long Constitution, fiddle faddle, twiddle twaddle; The long Constitution of Fiddubstone & Fogs ! And our Petitioners will ever pray, &c.

* The figures refer to the Resolutions seriatim, seriouily.