The N.Z. Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY). WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1906. AFTER US, THE DELUGE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5805, 24 January 1906, Page 4

The N.Z. Times.

(PUBLISHED DAILY). WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1906. AFTER US, THE DELUGE.

urn wmeu if ijrconpifaeTre r:ir. H «nsj.Lw»ryii uo/jcrzs-xit;.-?.** iiJiS.

-Mr Joseph Chamberlain ami his srm have fallen bade upon imagery in their commento on the results cf'the elections at Home. Tho former, mine a v.’arliko metaphor, urged ihoso cmitstitneneief. where (he polling had not taken place when ho spoke to “tight a good rearguard action, collect their scattered forces, and prevent the defeat becoming a rout.” The latter drew upon Bible histoiy, and depicted Birmingham its the Ararat upon which tho Unionist ark would rest until the flood subsided. Tho cx-Sccretury for the Colonicr, must by this time bo convinced that the Unionist forces are so utterly demoralised that the “ rout ” which ho desiree to avert will become a veritable stampede. The proportion of Liberal victories shows an increasing rather than n diminishing tendency. There have been 502 elections decided: and as there are f1(37 Liberals returned, tho Government at present has a clear majority of thirty-two votes over all the other parties combined. This majority is likely to be increased, for the British voter is an eminently practical pereon, and as ho desires to seo the Liberal Government sufficiently strong to be independent of tiie Home Rulers and not too amenable to Labour pressure, he will doubtless continue to return a preponderance of supporters of the Jlaunorman Ministry.

Mr Austen Chamberlain's reference to 1 ho Birmingham Ararat, if it is not an example of “muddled metaphor,” is a rather unkind cut at Mr IJalfour. The Liberal-Labour flood is compared to tho Deluge, which, according to tho account in the Book of Genesis, destroyed tho wicked denizens of the ancient world, while tho righteous remnant—Xoah and his family—were saved in tho Ark, which rested on Mount Ararat. It would thus seem that Mr Balfour and his followers are identified with tho ainful scoffers who were on rwJielmcd in their wickedness, while tho Fiscal Missionary is Xoah. ‘ the preacher of righteousness,” who has; been preserved to pocph> the world afresh. No other interpretation of Urn speech would be coherent; yet it is hard to believe that Mr Austen Chamberlain would be so carried away by filial admiration that he would deliberately insult bis former colleagues by telling them (no matter with what truth) that they were being punished for their sins, and that when an Opposition party j« formed in tho new Parliament it will be under the leadership of that just man Noah, whose mission it is to “people tho country” with

hi- rani. mir peliwcd team V\V. :iit'U'fori’. con rind? tfint ho employe.! the Dflur;*' nntunhcr in haste ami without tally cmi'm'e.iu-; it in all ii.-* Le.U'injV., i l:\ ; JS mi* et her nthe compare •r»! is very .. A tmod oj Liberalism h... nr-dr ahie.ilv the I ninnist pally t:> (I. *at!-'. in!!. mol only a no.e r.',;,,,:)!.- ).... hi .-ii ,-.»■<> I. Like lUe inhmutanl,- e|' \ a li'C-mu v, odd. th.u party. poluicaily * peaking. revelled in iniquity. and dorah J dir-e \\]u> warned them oi the com oqtu ace.'. Militarism, thm-me mi-idem in tho Tr.uisva.il, cmie.« to the liquor trade, iam>iie, to Nonc-mue; a;:-;.- in the mailer m education. til' li gard t 1 the in.-l chums cl l;.h them ami other sins it yioried, ; mi it domrvco the into that has ove: taken it. “Ailer n*>, the Ihluge.” iuh rp.p ticniiy the cry of the I Minuiem and their supporters the,* auiild Juice their day, ami cm cry cut their dcdgn.s tor the henetii <>t the privileged chino matter what tie* consequences might he. 'i'hc dclng* has come, and they are practically anaiin’a uL it u'Uie also clear that, a> the <x Id .■ mier K no longer in t h-* lion e. .Ur Jo-. ( hamberlain will ho ilie leader of 'Jin Lppoiibn. ami that hi.-, rail., inj? crus will he tmilt ivlonn and maty i| Lmpire. in his campaign on imm, ii:um we v. id» him cveiy success; but that c.m only ii'-.v conic niter tiie Transvaal lias been purged ol the Chinee iniquity, the Weldi ( iniroli dim -rahlMa il. the iri-li question mich J. e.nd a long programme of domestic r: forms rcalmed. 'The 1).- Inge metaphor lads mo-: can-pit u-cu-dy when v.e ivmcmlmr imit- -Mi ( n.uuherla.n am! hi- cup-porter.*. are not ieh. .-done to people the country with idea-. Ihe iubmal ami La hour partio-> wiil, lo all appearance, dominate Toili".i pci:tie> ter .a hv.--t a decade tt> come; they have aheuiy jv»:-pl t {j toe cimntiy ai:!i pre/;re.-sive politieai ;lc.cU'iites: tiin “J?o. d" v. hidi they roptesent rrd! m»t suh-hie, )e;t will grow in volume, . :> t!uu- tno I‘nionisi rcmtimil will has e no oppen unity ct <!?*■-rending troio ti-.eir Ararat to cclohralo duur owTipe. aa Noah did, in copious drangiits of wine.