AT THE TEA TABLE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11928, 23 October 1919, Page 5

AT THE TEA TABLE.

SOME TOPICAL TALKS. *'T am disgusted with that weakkneed Australian Government!”' exclaimed the Landlady. ‘ ‘They are actually inventing excuses for the action of the turbulent people who expelled their officials, while bleating about sending a warship. What does it matter whether Gilruth and the others are or are not connected with a Meat Trust? There are legitimate methods of dealing with such matters without defying the officers of the State. Why does the Federal Government hesitate to punish these rebels?” “You evidently don’t understand politics,” said the Politician, “or you would know that the first thought of a Ministry—especially one held in power by Labour—is; how any action it may take will affect votes. Even if the Port Darwin affair develops serious treble you will find that the F. j ral Ministers will be very ready to condone any offence against the law, just as they are now winking at rebellion against properly -constituted authority.” “The verdict of the Ministry will be,” said the Cynic, “Not guilty this time—but please don’t do it again. ”

“The failure of the recent great strike does not seem to have knocked sense into some of the British misleaders, ” said the Critic. “I see they still claim the right to use the double-edged weapon, and are boasting of the aid they will be able to obtain from co-operative institutions. ” “The labour misleader must maintain his position, ” said the Scribe, “and the knowledge that he can organise a strike is useful to him. But some are deficient in ability to reason logically, or they would understand thateven co-operation by its very meaning signifies labour, not idleness, and that without a constant accession of capital from labour these co-operative societies themselves must collapse. At best they could only* give temporary assistance till they collapsed from lack of funds. ’ ’ “Talking of these co-operative societies,” remarked the Sage, “I very much question whether servants or primary producers j wise in establishing such thii So far as the public servants .re concerned they seem to forget that they are paid by the State by means of money collected from the taxpayers, and that all the trading community pay taxes. So that it seems only fair that theii means of livelihood should remain undisturbed. Then, so far as the farmers are concerned it should be remembered that the traders are also consumers who use their produce,” “There is a bigger consideration still,” said the Cynic. “The primary producers should not arous < the antagonism of the commerci ( class, for they may need their a; sistance politically to defend their interests. If the trader is faced with opposition by any combination he is not likely to regard it with friendly* eyes. It is worth while considering whether it is better to save a penny on your groceries or risk haviing to pay a pound more taxes.” “But what about profiteering?” asked the Landlady. “Ail that talk is the veriest bun kum, ” replied the Cynic. “If there is any it is effected long before the article reaches the retailer. At the same time I know some peopl e have curious ideas on this subjec.. For instance, I heard a person the other day denouncing a retailer because he added to stock he had on hand a price equivalent to a recent increase in the wholesale price,” “Well, how was he justified in doing that?” asked the Landlady. “Madam, please consider all the circumstances,” replied the Cynic. “Of course he would make additional profit on that stock, but he had to consider two things. First, if he sold it at the old price he would have to replace it with stock bought at the higher price. Secondly, would he be acting fairly to his class if he undersold those who had no stock on hand and had to buy at the higher price. The accident of holding stock that increases in value's for any reason is only a sort of good luck. You would he very indignant if he tried to work things the other way, if a fall In wholesale prices occurred and he demanded the old prices for his goods. ” “The ‘harmless necessary cat,’ as Shakespeare calls it, seems to be in trouble in England,” said the Spinster. ‘ ‘The cable message tells us that cats are dying in thousands from some mysterious disease.” “No mystery at all,” said the Cynic. “Can’t you connect cause and effect? Didn’t you notice that they are starting a crusade against rata? If humans blackleg the felines and undertake their work what is left for the cats but to strike, and to show their determination by sacrificing all their nine lives? I suspect, however, that we may hear more about that disease, for in all probability it will be communicated to humans, just as the loathsome rat carried the bubonic.” “Talking of cats, ” remarked the Historian, ‘‘l think that they have almost as much fidelity as the dog, except that it is fidelity to place rather than to person. The old Egyptians worshipped the cat, or rather what the cat personified. Their Goddess Pasht was cat-headed, and at the annual festival in her temple in the great city of Bubastis as many as seven thousand people were present. Possibly the cat was reverenced by the worshippers of the celestial bodies becasue the iris of its eye waxes and wanes under the influence of light, as the moon appears to do, and Pasht was the Egyptian Diana. ’ ’ “1 don’t quite like the news that is coming from the East,” remarked ths Critic. “Japan, in spite of Peace Treaty talk, is already snarling about Kaiochau, and refuses to loose her grip on that place. Then, again, the Chinese are setting to work to create a great air fleet. These are not healthy signs so far as preservation of peace is concerned.” “China,” said the Scribe, “has a population of 400 millions while we have little over a million. Japan, which is very little more than twice the size of New Zealand, has 77 times more people. Do you wonder that they are beginning to feel crowded?” 3 A JAYE PENNE.