The Otago Witness WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY. (TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1921.) THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3523, 20 September 1921, Page 36

The Otago Witness WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY. (TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1921.) THE WEEK.

"NunquaiD all.id natura, alluil sapientia dixit.** —Juvenal,. “Good nature and good sense must ever join.”— Pope. Parliament reopens this week in W ellington, and already, aided

The Ccening of Parliament.

by the attraction of the test football match, the

politi it:: o! th.'Dom hi ion are gravitating to the capital. It is, m a sense, a satire upon parliamentary methods that the third session, ordinarily held in the second year in the- life of any parliament, is termed the "working” session, leaving the nature of the rest of the sessions to the imagination of the man in the street. Owing to the absence of the Prime Minister in London, the “work” of the forthcoming session is beginning at a much later date than usual; clearly when the arrangement was made it was understood that Parliament would sit until the eve of the Christmas holidays, then adjourning until early in the new year, when the business of the country w*ould be attended to and completed. Already, however, rumours to the contrary are being circulated from Wellington. “The idea is gaining ground,” says the Otago Daily Times correspondent, “that the session will, after all, end on the eve of Christmas, or at least the New Year holidays. The great majority of members are not- at all anxious that it should be continued into the new year.” Much, of course, will depend upon the attitude of Mr Massey, who is expected in Auckland on the 30th inet., and who, therefore, cannot be in his place in Parliament until from ten days to a fortnight after the opening. If the Prime Minister follows his habitual course and insists upon all the important business being kept under his own hat, some little time must elapse ere he will be in a position to master the essential details, and this must involve considerable delay and consequent waste of time. If, on the other hand, Mr Massey is prepared to rely on his subordinate Ministers, who presumably have their departmental affairs well in hand, satisfactory progress may be made. Tiie Government have ail in their favour the fact that the Opposition in the present composition of the House is almost entirely negligible, and has, indeed, been rendered still more so by the action of Mr btatham and Mr Ivellett in forming themselves into yet another party. What - ever are Mr Stntham’s prospects of success at the nest general election—at present they are too nebulous to merit serious

discussion—his influence in the present Parliament will only increase the weight and strength of the Government. majority hv stall further disintegrating the forces oi the Opposition. It does not follow, however, that the absence of an efficient opposition will mean the more speedy transaction of business; human nature is such—and parliamentary nature partakes largely of the same nature—that the absence of resistance tends to lethargy. The measure upon which attention is likely to bo most closely focussed is the Toi iff Revision Bill, since it affects so wide a circle oi interests: and this, in its turn, will no influenced by financial considerations the Customs revenue is the main source of indirect taxation upon which the Government has to rely in making up its Budget, and there does not appear to be the slightest hope of aev remission of taxation this session. The aim of the Rev , l - , ’ n J’* 111 may be expected, they.fore, to be along the line of correcting many of the more glaring anomalies in the existing tariff without appreciably diminishing the revenue derived theretrom. ..ext to tariff revision, retrenehment is the ouestion likely to exercise attention, since, if rumour be correct it wd be rnoposed to begin with the salaries o, Die Ministers and extend to members of noth Houses of Parliament. One thine is certain: that some drastic scheme of retrenchment is essential if the financial leeway is to be made up and the public accounts are to be balanced. Gonseqnentlv it is virtually impossible for the. Government to embark upon any of the more nr less ambitions schemes which involve large expenditure of money • it >'s necessarily a case of cutting the coat aecoroing to the cloth. One amendment, urgently called for. R the removal of the restrictions and the elimination of Government- interference with trade, which, justifiable during war time, are highly objectionable and mischievous to dav. All tilings considered, the coming session of Parliament promi es nany points of extreme interest. “It is a cause of deep and sacred rolief ?

said his Majesty the King, replvin.r to an address from the Convocation of h oik, “for which we owe thanks to Ilod, that in answer to my appeal a new .-Vn of hope has arisen in Ireland. I pray that the promise of a new era which is held out may he realised, ana "that the Irish people may ho united one to another in peace and

King George anri Lloyd George.

goodwill.” This deeply pious Royal hope has had its partial fulfilment in the fact that at a moment when the horizon seemed darkness and when fears were entertained lest the negotiations might be broken off, the welcome news is to hand that Mr De Valera has accepted the conference between the Republican Party’s nominees and the representatives of the British Government upon the terms expressly laid down by Mr Idoyd George — viz., that in no sense can the meeting of the conference be regarded as constituting a formal recognition of Ireland’s severance from the King’s domain. His Majesty puts the case very clearly when he prays for a union in peace and gooclwill of the Irish people. However much Mr De Valera may seek to cloud the issue in a. mist of verbosity—-and his skill as an artist in words cannot be disregarded—the actual conflict is not between Britain and Ireland as such, but between the warring sections of the Irish people. Once the difference between Ulster and Southern Ireland is satisfactorily settled and the process of adjustment between a united Ireland and England becomes comparatively easy. The meeting of the conference, now agreed to, confirms the conviction which has been steadily growing as the period of negotiations has extended, that, whatever the ultimate issue, there will be no more fighting. In days to .come, if ever the secret history of the negotiations be divulged, it will be interesting to learn whether King George or Mr Lloyd George had the lion’s share in the making of peace. It is instructive, occasionally, to see ourselves as others see us, and an American view of the matter, contributed by Mr P. W. Wilson to the New York Times, is not without its significant inferences. Mr Wilson argues that the British Crown is to the British Empire what the flag is to the United States “an emblem of diverse yet converging loyalties which are at one over no other object.” Mr Wilson insists that the wider the British sovereignty the more important becomes the person of the sovereign, and his reasoning along this line is ingenious. “The idea,” lie writes, “that the King is a mere figure-head accepting the advice of his Ministers was never entirely true, and it is not true to-day. The King is a constitutional sovereign—granted:—but there are now in his empire many Constitutions and many nations, not one alone. Mr Lloyd George tendered advice, but the King may well answer that there are other Prime Ministers also tendering advice—that General Smuts has useful ideas about Ireland, and Mr Meighen, of Canada, important objections to the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. Mr Hughes, of Australia, is also one of the King's constitutional advisers, and the day has passed when the dominions could only approach the Throne through a subordinate Minister, the Colonial Secretary. In granting Constitutions to the dominions, Britain did not realise that she was providing pillars for the Throne with foundations laid far beyond her shores.”

rise deduction is that under modern developments a new importance attaches to the personality of the Bri-

The King and the Prime Minister.

tisli Sovereign. This American observer pictures Ring George restraining air Lloyd George’s comments on French policy, smoothing over "another of the Prime Minister’s indiscretions ’ which had disturbed the American Ambassador, and ‘‘initiating proposals for a truce in Ireland.” Mr Wilson declares that a, close friendship exists between the King and his Prime' Minister which began with the death of King bid ward. ‘‘Other ministers,” lie writes, “kissed hands with the new monarch and uttered j the usual protestations of loyal svmpathy. Mr Lloyd George, however, exclaimed: T want to tell you, sir, that in your father we had not only the king, but a personal friend.’ King George was moved, and replied : Mr Lloyd George, you arc the first man who has said to me a human word.’” Mr Wilson declares that riot a little of Mr Lloyd George’s remarkable political success has been duo to his activities in standing well with King George. Some of the American critic s comments are worth reproduction : Slice that day Mr Lloyd George has had to feci- many crises, and in more than one of thorn be has “played the King” as the r- -■ i ■ - ard in his hand. When Labour docs nol 'pure know how to retreat from an impossible position, trade union leaders are seen at Buckingham Palace. And so with the dominions, the Irish, the Indian Empire, the Ambassadors of foreign countries. This “playing the King” lias been of an immense assistance during the eh .ms. but it is a game that must, in the nature of things, work both ways. The King is also “playing Lloyd George.” When a Minister. logins to depend on the Crown in lua difficulties instead of depending wholly on ■ Parliament, ho endows the Crown w ith a discretion over his own future. There are many matters in which he will not wish to offend the Crown. And the King who has carried out the suggestions of his Minister may consider that he is entitled also to make suggestions. Why should not ihe Prince of Wales attend the Washington Conference as “spectator”?— and so on. The influence of George 111 over parties in Parliament was enormous Even William Pitt, the younger, only governed with the King at his back. Tilings are not thus at Westminster to-day but if Mr Lloyd George’s majority became less compact the Pine might easily come when the King could say that perhaps the people should bo consulted. The Sovereign would scarcely order a dissolution of Parliament, but be might advocate it. And if his advocacy were rejected and things went wrong afterward, be would bo able to lomind Ministers in these difficulties that his counsel had not been followed.

Those who were liable to subscribe to the soldiers’ settlement loan, and did not do so, were lia,ble under the cornpuCory clauses of the Act to take up bonds on which they would receive only 3 per cent, interest (wires our Wellington correspondent). Ready all those liable to subscribe did so within the prescribed period, or were able to show thgt they had good reasons for not doing so. There are now in existence some 3 per cent, as well as 5 per cent, bonds in connection with this lean, but it is said that there is no likelihood of confusion arising in consequence, as intending buyers will always get full particulars of the nature of the investment. Our Wellington correspondent wires that Mr Massey is likely to get into harness the moment ho reaches Wellington. fie will be-entertained at a luncheon by members- of both Houses of Parliament, and this is iikeiv to he (he only 'function at which he will speak regarding his mission until he speaks in Parliament. It is understood that members of the headquarters staff of the Union Steam Ship Company have received instructions to report themselves for duty in Wellington on January I next. It was recently reported from -Adelaide

that a steward on the steamer Koovong known as “ Bill Bailey ” was taken ill at sen. On arrival of the vessel at Port Adelaide a doctor was sent for. To the medical man “ Bill ” acknowledged that she was a woman. Sloe was ordered to the Adelaide Hospital, where she is now an inmate suffering from acute rheumatism. Bailey is chagrined at the discovery of her secret. She is 33 years of age, and Ijas spent the greater part of the last 15 years at sea as a steward on various steamers. She has also worked on farms in different States. For the last 11 years her home has been a boarding-house at Port Adelaide, where she was always regarded as a well-conducted young- man. She has auburn hair cut short, and is well groomed, with a clear complexion. It is announced from "Washington that German importations of cutlery through the Port of Philadelphia far exceed British importations. Prejudice against- German goods evidently no longer exists, for t-ho dealers say that the brand “Made in Germany,” does not prevent sales if the quality and price are satisfactory. At the Wellington Magistrate’s Court on Friday, Henry James Williams was fined £2 for being in possession of seven cartridges belonging to an automatic pistol which (says a Press Association telegram) he had picked up in Germany and handed to the police when the Arms Act was enforced. Information, which alleged acts of vandalism by two ladies at the Esplanade on Sunday, was conveyed to the Borough Council by a visitor to Palmerst-on North, who wished to remain anonymous. In a letter he stated that he had seen these laches remove plants and shrubs and place them in a basket, afterwards driving away in a motor car, the number of which was given. “ They were evidently well-to-do people,” said the council’s informant. “ They wore fur coats and were otherwise elaborately dressed.” It was decided to ask the owner of the car for an explana- I tion of the alleged offence. An example of live business methods was given to the members of the Auckland Rotary dub by Mr Robert Laidlaw at a club luncheon. In the course of his address on trade depression Air Laidlaw said he often told his department managers that the Hindu with his banana stand on the corner of Wyndham and Queen streets was the finest merchant in New Zealand. This Hindu, said Mr Laidlaw, bought 30s worth of fruit each morning, and had sold it for 45s by night. Deducting from this the hawkers wage of 10s- per day, bad stock, and depreciation 2s per day. and he has left a net profit- of 3s per day on an investment of 30s, or IQ per cent-, per day for 300 working days in the year, equal

to 3000 per cent, per annum cm his capita]. An interesting* illustration of the fall in the price of steel was giver: by the engineer at a meeting of the Masrerton County Council. Tie stated that steel was now quoted at £l2 per ton in London, with Belgian at £8 10 s. The English steel when landed at Wellington would cost approximately £l6. The last the council had purchased from London was £2O, and landed in New Zealand it cost £25. Previous to that it had been quoted at £ol. He went on to say that no steel was yet available from Australia, and only small quantities of Canadian were offering, A Press Association message from Christchurch says that Air George Witty, AI.P., has received a letter from the Director of Repatriation stinting that owing to the steady decrease in the Treasury figures on tlio Government experimental farms for discharged soldiers, it may be found necessary to close down the farm at Avonhead, as the expense incurred is too great for the amount of work done. The men at Avonhead would be given an opportunity to finish their course, but future applicants would have to take their training at Kuakura. Fifty-three years ago the Lower Harbour School was established. The present school buildings are situated on the hillside almost directly above Pulling Poult, and unfortunately not yet connected by roadway either with the main road along the hilltop above, or with tire other main road along the foreshore below. Pupils still continue to scramble through barb wire fences and attend the school. They attended on Friday evening for a school concert, and tne juvenile enthusiasm then displayed was pleasing to witness, dhe big feature of tne concert was a visit from some of the oikcials of the Port Chalmers Old Identities’ Association. The object of the visit was to present (he school with a framed portrait of Mr /Andrew Fleming, its first master. Two of those actually making the presentation Air J. AL Lachlan and Air F. Knewst übb were ex-pupils of the very early days of llie whool. Air James Long, chairman of ilie committee, formally accepted the picture, stating in terms of appreciation that it would be accorded a. place of honour in the school.

A General Headquarters instruction issued on Wednesday states: —“ln selecting officers and other ranks for retirement from the New Zealand Permanent Forces, due to the need for economy, the following order of selection will, as far as possible, be followed:—(X) Those who by length of service or age are eligible for a retiring allowance under the P.S.C. and S. Act. (2) Single temporary men, not returned soldiers. (3) Single temporary men. returned soldiers. (4) Married temporary men, not returned soldiers. (5) Married temporary men, returned soldiers. In cases where married men are to be retired, the Dumber of those dependent upon them must bo taken into consideration. Exceptions may be allowed in the case of highly trained and efficient men, but non-efficient men will be retired regardless of their status.