Truth DOMINION DAY.

NZ Truth, Issue 118, 21 September 1907, Page 4

Truth

DOMINION DAY.

Published Every Saturday Morning at Luke's Lane (off Mannersstreet), Wellington, N.Z. Subscription (m advance), 13s. PER ANNUM. . SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1907.

On September 26 next something is going to happen which is supposed to make New Zealand lift her head above her neighbors. On that day New Zealand is to be proclaimed a "Domifnion," the • surprise packet which Sir Joseph Ward kept up his sleeve till the last moment, and like a conjuror produced it to a mob who failed at once to recognise anything startling m Sir Joseph's political legerdemain. Nobody got -a shock when the Governor's speech at the opening .of the present s.ession of Parliament was delivered, and when the country heard it was henceforth to be a Dominion. As "Truth" observed, nobody got a shock, nobody got drunk on the strength of the Dominion racket. Nobody felt, bigger across the chest, and nobody was any the wealthier or tho wiser, for the glad tidings. It was just? one' of Sir Joe's little pleasantries, no doubt, that induced him to he mysterious and murmur strange forebodings of things m store for the future. It was one of those happy litthe knacks of drawing momentarily attention to a little fly speck on the map known as New Zealand. Moreover, it was hoped that the great distinction of being designated a Dominion would help £o convince the world without that New Zealand was not part of the Australian Commonwealth, m a word it was sought, to show that New Zealand, with a population of less than a million, was an integral part of the British Empire that : could he counted upon m times of danger ; that m these piping times of peace was doing much to show the r world that . after New Zealand Great Britain was a good second, while poor old Australia was a rotten third, and, therefore, did not pay a dividend. Therefore it came to pass that New Zealand was to -become a Dominion, and that her patriotic politicians would reap whatever kudos there was out of the racket.

Now, Sir Joseph Ward is nothing if he is not a loyalist. Joe has worked the Imperial racket for all it is worth, and, politically speaking, lives on the loyal game. We're all loyal more or less, so long as loyalty does not efiect our pockets. Wnen it does, then the cry of halt is called and the question is calmly considered. Now, to be called a Dominion, and to have the fact loudly proclaimed by the Royal Critr m London that King Edward is graciously pleased to consent to New Zealand being henceforth known as a Dominion, is the surest recognition of New Zealand's deep and fervid loyalty to the British crown. Now, While all this fuss and flummery is being made m London, few m New Zealand, outside our patriotic, loyal politicians, take the Dominion dodge m any degree of seriousness. We are to have some sort of a sbivoo and a sham-fight at the Newtown Park on Sept. 26, which no doubt. will henceforth be regarded as New Zealand's Natal Day. We are, moreover, going to have a public, holiday. There are going to hie loyal and patriotic speeches and no doubt there will be much popping of champagne corks. To hell with all this nonsense, says "Truth," and the sensible part of the community will echo the- sentimentHave we not enough nuhlic holidays ? Do we not spend /enough m annual guzzles without this booze-up comma on top of it all ? It serves poltroon loyal, lick-spittle, politicians to work the racket for all it is worth. The people pay for it all the time, and . it is the people that will suffer m the lone-run- This Dominion Day raz-zle deserves a lot of cold water thrown on it. Can't we be a Dominion without flags flying, without the sound of cannon, without the dislocation of business, without the temporary unemployment of thousands who can | ill afford a public holiday. We have enough holidays as it is. This DoI minion day is ho-ii" 1 '! to be an annual [affair, perhaps without the champagne- The Dominion racket - suits a ; certain class of politicians, but * it does not suit the people who have lto stand the racket. ■