NOTES AND COMMENTS

Patea Mail, Volume XLIX, 7 October 1927, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS

By O.S.

Bince the lust General Election there have. been, two by-eleetious. Each seat nuas hold by a Minister of the Grown and eaeli was a Beform ‘ stronghold. To-day both seats are held by representatives of Labour on a huge minority vote. Common-sense, practical people will very naturally ask. themselves this question: If Labour cun, with case, win seats that previously returned members opposed to Labour Oy large majorities what cannot they ao with the' scats that returned candidates with small majorities'! The answer, of course, is that the electors who do not ;wish to see a Lab-mu Government in power must unite and put country first and party last, otherwise the reins of Government will he in the hands of the party pledged i. the ‘ 1 nationalisation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange. ” What this means to the farmers few can realise, otherwise they would do their utmost to prevent the vote-splitting that has occurred. 1 blame the disgruntled farmers in the Raglan electorate—particularly the members of the so-called “Country Party. ’ ’ These cheerful optimists in 1920 polled exactly 222 votes out of 7271, and yet thought they would stand a chance of winning the scat this year when they polled 032 out of bull. The ■‘lndependent” Reform candidate, who came to light after the official Reform candidate had been chodon, polled 19S votes and Labour -won the scat,.by 170 votes. The morn?, therefore, •is put your private grievances aside and stand shoulder to shoulder ■with those opposed to Socialist rule and all will be well. # * •* * Im order to gain their ends the Labour leaders will, unless I miss my guess, keep their ultra-ttocialistic views carefully in the background from now tib 'election time. However, people cannot forget what ttic Labour leaders have said in the past, and so far we have heard of no recantation. M. Holland, for example, speaking in Wei liugton on Sunday’, February 8, 1920, concluded his speech in these words: ‘‘Through the blood red way of revo iution, rendered inevitable by the policies of the enemies of the people ana the historic processes which belong to the exploitation, oppression, and absolutism, Russia has attained to the highest altitude in the records of humaj. progression (as her achievements snowed), and the light of these achievements was destined to illumine the world and to leave Russia flaming like a star of the first magnitude in the constellation of nations.” And this is the man who will be Prime Minister of New Zealand if votes arc split at next year’s General Election and Labour gains the day. Personally 1 like Mr. Holland, but 1 do not like his political views.

This reminds mu of tv, story which has the merit of being quite true. It was at a veterans’ parade in Auckland many years ago, on the occasion of the visit-of the Imperial troops to New Zealand. An old warrior, wearing the Crimean, Turkish, and New Zealand medals, was introduced to the late Mr. Sodden, who was Prime Minister at the- time. After shaking hand, tnc old warrior, who was an outskopen Yorkshire iimn ; sain: "As a man I like you, .Mr. .Sodden, but d your polities. ’’ "Put it there, old man," said Mr. Seddon. "Put it there. I admire a man who speaks his mind." The two were groat friends ever after.

The Domain Boanr deserve the thanks of town ami country residents for the strenuous efforts they 1; put forward in the direction of improving the Domain of late. That their efforts have borne fruit is .shown by the state of both the playing area and the rest of the Domain. - 1 have never seen things looking ncttor. The paths have been cleared up, all the hedges trimmed, and flowers and shrubs planted in addition. Now I understand tile board arc concentrating on making the Domain additioniailiy attractive for tourists, who, they hope, will help to advertise the town. Tho Domain can not only be used ns a. parking place fu„- the tourists cars, but tho shed can be used for a camping- place if the weather is wet. There is a kitchen and caretaker and shower baths and dressing rooms, so the tourists, will be well cared for. As a result, Patca should be well advertised throughout tbe Domiuiou. O 4* • * lu connection with the Domain 1 would like to clear up at least two misconceptions that have come to m\ notice, i'irst of all, it has .boon asserted' that an application for the use of the Domnin shed by some countrv settlers was refused on one occasion by tlie board. 1 have made inquirii and find that no such refusal was

rr given. The only time a request \ius turned down was- ■when :i Wangaami skating rink proprietor applied for. the use of the shod as a skating rink. The board very rightly declared they were not going to allow the people's? property to lie knocked about, and declined the offer unanimously. Another infiaconcoption I hiearcl about was a suggestion, that the iboa-rd had made a. huge blunder in spending £I6OO on the shed. This is quite contrary to fact. The tender for the erection of the shed was accepted by a icommittoo of citizens, who raised the funds, and not a single member of the board 'was on the commit tec. The hoard took over the shed when it was completed, as it became the property of the King, being erected on Crown land, am! that is all the board had to do with it. The plans, of course, had to he submitted to the board for ap-

proval, and to protect the public it insisted on the erection being carried oat under the supervision of an officer of the Public Works Department. To suggest that the board was responsible for the erection of the shed is a bit wide of the mark. Still misconceptions will arise.