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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9087, 22 June 1888, Page 4

Every colonist must deplore the occasional outbreaks of larrikinism and even blackguardism in the Legislature of New South Wales. Wβ should all be glad to look up to that colony—the mother colony of the Australasian group—as our pattern and exemplar, as a model of dignity and calm statesmanship in the conduct of its political business. But unhappily, for some reason, New South Wales' is the worst of all our Assemblies, and the world is frequently offended by the sorry spectacle of a fisticuff fight on the floor of the Chamber. These scenes have become famous in England, and must in some degree injure the colony. Perhaps it is only what is to be looked for that in this Parliament there should have been an amendment proposed to the address of condolence to the Dowager Empress of Germany, our own Princess lloyal, on the death of her husband. Mr. Buchanan, who proposed the amendment, said that the Emperor Frederick was a despot, and allied with despots, and therefore he could not concur with the-words in the address which expressed the sentiment that his death was a loss to the cause of freedom

and human progress. Now, it might be rightly contended that Prussia is not a despotism, and never has been. The House of Hohenzollern had a bard task. The Princes of that line had to construct a kingdom of Prussia, and to maintain the autonomy of the people and the nation, in the midst of warlike enemies on every side. It is very well for English people to contrast the individual freedom enjoyed in England with the compulsory military service and the strict organisation that has prevailed in Prussia for many years. But while England was guarded by the silver streak of sea, on which her navy was supreme, the Prussian frontiers were exposed on every side to hostile invaders. Her position was shown when after Jena and Auerstadt her capital was occupied, and her royal family driven to the limits of the kingdom. Prussia had to make herself secure against the repetition of such a calamity, and one of the measures to achieve that end was to give the people an interest in the soil. Then also she perceived that she had a mission to consolidate the Germanic race, and to give it the position which it ought to hold in Europe, and which it had long been prevented from reaching by the contending interests of princes who frequently made themselves the tools of foreign countries. Austria had shown herself incapable of the task. Year by year was the end kept in view by Prussia, until it was achieved by the Emperor Wilhelm. But if any man of the whole Prussian Royal lamily, or even of the entire nation, was guiltless of sympathy with despotism, and desirous of softening the harsh features of the military system which has dominated Prussia, it was the amiable Prince who has lately passed away. It was known that he yearned to increase the individual freedom that could be allowed in Prussia, and it was quite well known that both he and his wife were out of sympathy with Bismarck through their aversion to his somewhat aggressive and warlike foreign policy, which makes it imperative to subordinate everything in Prussia to the interests of the army and of military organisation. The amendment to the address proposed in the New South Wales Parliament was negatived by 60 to 3, so that the amount of sympathy Mr. Buchanan met with was but small. But it is wonderful that, even in a Legislature where the members occasionally fight like drunken ruffians, there should be three men so ignorant and ungenerous.