AT THE TEA TABLE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11906, 2 September 1919, Page 5

AT THE TEA TABLE.

SOME TOPICAL TALKS. “So Mr Massey has got his Bill in first,” said the Landlady, “and there will be a chance for women to assist in making the laws by which they, as wall us the other sex, are governed.” ‘ ‘That will not be much use to you, ” said the Critic, “unless the lawmakers then are guided by principles instead of being influenced by party considerations. Besides, I am somewhat sceptical of the value of woman’s wisdom.”

“You need not be, ’’ observed the Sage, “for though woman is said to be guided by instinct more than by reason, her instinct is generally right. The same cannot be said of man’s reason. There is one tiling certain and this is that if women have a direct share in legislation we shall have purer law's. We may have some foolish ones at first, but once women have a political career before them they will study true politi.es, which men representatives very seldom do. ” “They are too likely to be led to decision by the appearance of a speaker, or be beguiled by flattery, ” grumbled the Cynic. “Don’t you believe that nonsense,’’ said the Sage. “Woman is quick to understand and to see through deceivers. She may be misled for a time by those who will strive their utmost to win her support, but .she will arrive at the right decision in the end. ’’

“Besides,” remarked the Critic, “now she has sot the franchise how can you withhold from her all that the franchise implies? The poorest specimen of humanity in the shape of a man in all New Zealand has a perfect right to stand for a seat in Parliament. Why then should a woman of superior intellect be debarred? You cannot continue an injustice for long. Even if this Parliament refuses to grant women all privileges she will "assuredly obtain them sooner or later.”

“I see,” Youth, “that Sir Francis Bell lias a Bill called ‘The Public .Authorities (Party Walls). ’ Has that anything to do with the political party walls that have just been rebuilt by Sir Joseph Ward and his fellows?” “I suppose we must bear with you,” said the “but that Bill refers to divisions between buildings. The division of the Wards from the Masses is quite another matter. The party who abandoned their posts did not try to build. Their object was to break down. ” “Poor Mr Carnegie,” mourned the Spinster. “I see his estate 'is only valued at about six millions. I thought he would have left more.” “It doesn’t matter,” said the Cynic, “Be lias left it, just as other men of less wealth have to leave their estates. Naked came they into the world and naked they must return. ”

“Bat Carnegie was a lavish giver,’’ said the Sage. “He was not a miser, as so many other wealthy men are. In his life he grasped his opportunities and who can blame him? I have often wondered whether the man who accumulates millions or the man who scatters his cash couters the greater benefit on society. ” “It seems to me,” said the Critic, “that things have a tendency to equalise themselves. You will often see tlie sons of millionaires or rich men rapidly dissipating the fortunes their fathers toiled to build up. Besides which, though we may be astounded by the reckless extravagance of some men it does not follow that they are thereby injuring others. Indeed they benefit all those who handle their money for profit, and all “benefit by it being again put into circulation.’’ “What about the moral effect ou themselves?” asked the Sage. “Tney have to answer for that themselves,” said the Cynic. “In any case are they not at least as good as Banyan’s ‘man with the muck rake’ or the one the Yankee humorist referred to who ‘died orth half a million of money—less the Kingdom of Heaven?”

“So the Germans are going to have a new figurehead,” said the Traveller, ‘‘and it will he ‘Hoch’ for Hindeuburg instead of for the Kaiser. ’ ’

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” said,, the Cynic, ‘‘if the Kaiser scents a deep laid plot in the war on the part of Hindenburg, and he may regret having nourished a viper in his breast. I said some time ago that there were great opportunities for an adventurer. Crash goes a throne, and down goes a dynasty, and then the satraps who flourished and commanded the military forces find that they may become the founders of naw lines of monarchs. Look at history, and see how profitable Napoleon’s relatives and generals found their association with him, even after he had himself fallen as low as the Hohenzollern has done. ’ ’ A. JAYE PENNE.