CURRENT TOPICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7028, 17 January 1910, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS

C ANDID OPINION ON THE LORDS. This is how the London Liberal newspaper, the "Nation,", describes the revolutionaries, otherwise the peers, who are now on trial for attempting to rob the people of Britain of their political existen.ee: —"We know who they are. The Lords are unfit as a body either to pass or to reject any Bill, let alone a Budget. , They represent, in the main, one class in >.,the State.\ They have neither the men nor the machinery suited to supply competent Parliamentary criticism. , They are made up, as to a small part of their membership, of able leaders, or cx-leadere of society; as to another small part, of its sou in; as to a third and the largest part, of a dense mass of ignorant, untrained, and mediocre intelligences, • soaked with class passion and prejudice, and spoiled for Berious public work by pride, luxury, and a narrow environment. They are not accountable to anybody for their legislative acts; and when such a bedy assumes, ae it has assumed, first, an equal power to the House of Commons, and then a vastly superior power,, it is clear that, first the veto, and secondly the hereditary, principle, are ripe fo» destruction."'..'...,;

NEW PAINT DELAYS A STEAMER. The smell of fresh paint was responsible for considerable delay to' th» Union Company's collier Poherua at Wellington on Saturday. The .vessel had just completed an extensive overhaul and cleaning, and was to bsvo got away early in the afternoon 'or Gieymouth, but the smell of the new paintwork in the forecastle was too pungent for the delicate olfactory organs of the seamen. The paintwork was nuito dry, but there was a smell which tho men; contended was obnoxious. The vessel had to get away as soon as possible for Greymouth to load a full cargo cf Etato coal for Wellington. Tho vrgency of the ship's mission counted for naught, and as a deadlock was imminent it was finally decided, as a concession, to keep , tho vessel in port till after 11 o clock on Saturday night. It was pointed out to the men that onoo the Poherua | was under way, steaming at about tea knots, tho current of air forced by the ventilators through tho forecastle would i soon removt tho smell, but this oontenI tion carried no weight. It may be menI tioned that tho captain found his own I quarters, which had also been newly painted, very agreeably habitable during the long hours tho vessel had to wait. at the pleasure of the men for ard. AEDENT BOWLERS. Bowlers are ardent followers of their i game, but even tho most eager of theou, will probably admit that they had plenty, of entertainment during the big tourrftiment which occupied the whole of last week, and even yet is not quite finished. In the nine qualifying rounds of flu rinlc competition, which occupied three full days, 405 matches were played. This, was followed on Thursday by tho fourrounds of the pairs competition, which, accounted for 252 games, making the total to Thursday evening, 657. . The sectional ties and semi-finals in both competitions, which were played on Friduy and Saturday, numbered 4A altogether, aud brought tho grand total of) games for the week up to 701, whil» there is still one left to carry the tournament on into to-day. THE GAME OP POLITICS. Speaking at Hastings on Thursday; night, Mr D. McLaren, M.P., said ho, was going through the country to meet tho people face too face, in order to impress upon them tho imperativeness of organisation to advance the cause of democracy. Ho urged th 6 youth i»f th» country to take an. active interest in' politics as well as football, cricket and 1 racing. Polities was a scientific, game,' ■ and, he was sorry to say, a trick one,' and until_-a spirit of sincerity was inI troduced no material advance could bo made.' The people did not UppTeciato their political privileges, and liberties for which' their fathers struggled in tho Old Land were thrown aside as trash. Politics was not tho business of members of Parliament merely; it was the business of tho people. There was an Acb' for oompulsory military training, tand' ho was sorry there was not a Bill for training in citizenship, but organisation! would be a stop in that direction. Politics had reached a stage when economic* was a prominent factor, and it becamei necessary for them to decide on U. definite' course by forming a Democratic League,' or some such organisation, to lay down definite principles to which their representatives would be pledged. Ho hoped to see these organisations through, the country combined under such a title aa the New Zealand Hadical and Labour Federation. OTJR LEGISLATION. __ Writing to ta friend in Ashburton, Dr John Rot>s, chairman of the Carnegie Hero Pund, and also, of the Dunfermline Carnegie Trust, sayß; —"I assur* yt/u I am thoroughly interested in th» manner in which the destinies of your country are being guided amid tho conflicting views which prevail amongst you. The materia] questions are of great importance, but your legislation is 6eekJ ing to have such a moral basis, and tci pursue social ends so pre-eminently, that one is compelled to take an in it, and to consider what is to be the

outcome. It must bo, in some respects, exceedingly interesting to live ma young country just trying its strength as yours is, and Wiving such hopetul visions for tho future. Xo doubt it will uhow the faints of youtli, awl be made to endure tho strokes which come from experience, but all tho same it will grow und expand, Uud Ue must be an unhappy man who does not see the possi'ii'ities for good in the future, as well as the blunders of tho present. From the literature you send to me bearing on the relations between employers and employed, I gather that there are blunders being eommittcxl which ru'ust bo deplored, but. these are creating replies to pressing questions oil capital and feibour which will bo invaluable, not only to yourselves, but to tho world."