SCANDALOUS EXTRAVAGANCE

Otago Witness, Issue 2667, 26 April 1905, Page 16

SCANDALOUS EXTRAVAGANCE

in every department. The extravagance undoubtedly went on. though it was impossible for him to locate it. Last session the Premier stated in the House that in the Defence Department a sum of £750,000 had been -n ast-ed. He urged that he was not to blame that the officers of that department were to blame. But whatever the Premier might say, he was undoubtedly to Blame himself. It was a sum that might very well have gone towards building a railway in Otago. Then the colony paid £30,000 per annum by way of subsidy to a line of steamers that ran between the colony, South Africa, and the west ports of Britain. It was a line that was not worth 30,000 shillings to the colony. — {'" Hear, hear," and a voice on the stag-e "Rot.") There were other steamers trading- to the colony that carried cargo to Africa and England at lower rates than those of the subsidised steamers. He believed that many of the departments were costing the colony too much. Too much was being expended on the Health Department, the Tourist Department, md the Department of Agriculture. The last-named cost the colony £123,000 per annum, and he did not believe the colony got value for the money. The item "Telegiams beyond the colony" amounted to £3250 — (Captain Stewart : '"Shame"), — or £10 a day for every working day in the year. Some time ago the Government made an arrangement with Reuter's Company to send Home news to the papers for which Router actod as agents, but so much was sent that the Reuter papers refused to pay for the messages, and now the npws was sent to the Agent-general's Department at Is 8d per word, and by that official it was distributed to any papers in Great Britain that were willing to accept it. — (A Voice: "At whose expense?") At the expense of the taxpayers of the colony. The Government also advertised itself very largely in America. Two or three years ago an American journalist came to the colony and told the Premier that if he wanted to b9 written up in America there was only one man who" could do it, and that that man was C. W. M'Murran, of New York City. — (Laughter.) Accordingly, Mr M'Murran was given an office in Wellington, provided w ith two lady typists to assist him — (laughter), — and given a free railway pass, on which he travelled all over the colony and had a very good time. By

the way. when he wa* in Dunedin he was particularly struck with the shrewdness of the people. — (Laughter.) However, Mr M'Murran wrote a book on the colony. Ifc was intended, so the authorities in Wellington understood, for circulation in America. It was certainly not fit for circulation in the colony. — (Lavghter.) He would give a sample of some of the stuff for which the people of the colony had to pay. Speaking of the Bluff, Mr ir'Murran said: "It was in this town, among the boautiful hills that surround the poit, amid everything that Nature could do to ensure refinement and goo:l taote. in a home of beauty and happiness, that a little boy spent his early years. He was not only ' fortunate in his parents.' but good fortune endowed him with the be=t gifts of the Creator — a master-mind and a strong, healthy physique. The world at large has heard of that promising youth, now grown to manhood, who has won his way to a high and responsible position in the State. The name of Sir Joseph "Ward is suggestive of pluck, enterprise, energy, and rectitude." — (The reading of the extract was received with hearty laughter.) Then there was this paragraph relating to the colony : *" Woi kis * graft ' : salary or wage is ' screw ' : ' rubbers ' are named ' goloshes' ; a silk hat is a ' belltouper." ' Lollies ' is the colonial term for confectionery, etc.

" Coo-ee ' (prolonged) is used as a longdistanoe call instead of 'Hello.' In ringing up a telephone, instead of ' Hello, Central,' people ask 'Are you there?' or 'Is that Exchange?" — then you give the number required, as in London. ' Tucker ' is the name given to food ; policemen are called ' bobbies ' : hotels are termed ' pubs ' ; a ' shandy ' is ale and ginger ale or lemonade mixed ; ' shouting ' means treating. Being ' had ' is a term used here when a person feels he has been imposed upon or cheated." — (Loud laughter.) He honestly believed thai book cost the colony £1000. Another American then came along. He spoke of New Zealanders as the ' Zelanians," and, speaking of their tastes, he said : " But taste has much to do in guiding a people. The Zelan ; ans have a taste- for knowledge, hut tTtey have other ta^re?. The Christian Outeroo=> are thirsty, and the Zelanians are Outeroos. Strange. Uut in a single year there were over 7000 of those Zelanians arrested for their earne&t efforts to satisfy this peculiar fascination. This seems incredible, for while there are seveial persons in Zelania who are never known to be thirsty, there are about 7.000.000 gallons of bper used annually in fillinc: the ' alimentary canal' of the Zclar.iaJis." — (Hearty laughter.) This was a specimen of the author's poetry: They think they want a dink. When it's wet they want a dunk. When it's dry they want a drink. When it*^ wpnn, and when it's told: When they're young and when they'ie old— They think, and when they think. They want a drink. When they're sick an# they're well, Bound for heaven or for , Then they think they want a drink. But do they think when e'er tliej" dunk' Or does the dru.k confu-53 the think ? — (Uproarious laut>htn I People v\ ho had ■\ isitud the Exhibition at St. Loui-- told him that thc*e hook-* weie there in stack's, and wcic :>i\eu awuj to anyone «ho tame along.

and he was sure the audience would agree with him that the money could be used to better purpose. — (" Hear, hear," and applause.)