The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1911.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10876, 20 September 1911, Page 3

The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1911.

The littleness of politics is shown when the personal equaThe Littleness of tion is pressed into Politics. the service, especially at inconvenient times. For example, during the Financial Debate Opposition speakers have quoted Mr Fowlds, confining their quotations, of course, to his speech of explanation on his retirement, and to subsequent explanations made to interviewers. By careful selection it was possible to make .out by this method a severe condemnation of the Government. The due care was found, and the result was pleasing to the Opposition intelligence, apparently. But not for long, because on the other side speakers lost no time in quoting extracts giving exactly the contrary impression. They pointed out also that if Mr Fowlds is an infallible judge of men political, there can be but small appeal from his many long and oft-repeated condemnations of the Opposition collectively and individually. Not to go farther back than the last recess, Mr Fowlds signalised that period by wiping the floor with Mr Massey, Mr Allen, and, other speakers who had thrown the usual dirt on the Government benches. But these very men have proclaimed the critical infallibility of Mr Fowlds. The reminder is a just punishment for the littleness of mind which tried to_ make capital out of the personal situation.