AT THE TEA TABLE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11931, 30 October 1919, Page 5

AT THE TEA TABLE.

SOME TOPICAL TALKS. "What do you think of the voice less strike, the iateat device of Labour leading agitators to sham ignorance of the design of remaining inactive when called to work?" asked the Scribe.

"I think," replied the Sage, "that the strike is always a dangerous weapon to the user as well as to the attacked. It is bad enough when it occurs in a trade or some minor in- ' dustry, but there is a vast difference between that and a strike which paralyses public services and attacks the very basis of our social life. The public interests demands that such shall be repressed." % "I notice that Mr Payne told the House that someone said the mineowners looked on the miner as a piece of merchandise—something to be bought and sold," said the < i ild have been the meaning in-t-dded, though of course the miner's labour is a thing niaC he soils and the employer buys. '■'■ "I should like to know what the miner thinks of the employer," said the Cynic, "for it seems to me that he regards the employer a 3 something that Providence has created to be plundered, by giving him as little as possible i'qr the highest price the miner can extort."

"Whatever the cost of production may be to the employer," said the Sage, "it is the public who have to pay in the end." "Striking is surely being reduced to an absurdity," said the Scribe, "when the stableboys in England adopt it. I notice that women are now doing their work, and making a success of it."

"Why should they not," asked the Spinster. "I was amused by the cable message stating that they were 'even taking the horses over hurdles. * The sender of that cable should come here and see our ladies competing at the shows in far more difficult jumping than that on the racecourses." "Strangeways is an appropriate name for that prison from which the half dozen Sinn Feiners escaped," said the Critic, "for certainly the authorities adopted strange way: to ensure the confinement of sir charges. They seem to have im •■ od, them to hid farewell and prove ;jaS stone walls do not a prison make, in a different sense from that intended by the poet.'' "The escape was remarkably easy," said the Sage, "but it is singular that the vigilance of the keepers was so lax, seeing that two of the prisoners held an evidently well-deserved reputation for ability to flit from durance vile."/

"Is Prohibition effective in the States, or is it not?" asked the Landlady. "I am confused by the latest cable news."

"The position is," said the Crit . ' 'that the President has not vett • the prohibition law, only ti.o machinery for ito eniorcement, but Congress has rendered the Presidential veto of no effect, so that the machinery for enforcement may be used.''

.."Senator Poindexter is an enterprising man," said ° the Scribe. "He has not waited to be nominated in the usual manner, but has boldlyannounced himself as a candidate for the Presidency.'' "We have men here just as enterprising," said the Cynic. "Men who do not wai.t to be asked, but volunteer themselves for sacrifice in the service of their country, with both eyes on the reward for service. But his precedent may create a President, if only for its audacity and novelty, both of which are likely to be appreciated by the Yankees.''

"What are those 'black opals,' a field of which was reported to have been discovered in Australia?" asked the Spinster. " I know coal is sometimes called 'black diamonds,' but I did not know that some opals were black."

"They consist," said the Scribe, "of a matrix of dark brown ironstone penetrated in all directions by veins and spots of opal, forming, a mixture sometimes known .as "root of opal.' They were very popular half a century ago, and the Australian field ought to prove valuable." "I rather like that German scheme for creating millionaires by lottery," at the rate of ten a year," said the Sport. "It will give every German a ehauce. " "It is curious," said the Sage, "how the prospect of acquiring wealth by chance appeals to many people, but it is not wise to encourage dependence on it. It will, however, no doubt prove profitable to an impoverished Treasury, and if gambling must be practised it is better to have it done under State regulation." "I agree, though I never gamble," said the Cynic. "Our Government lost a very profitable Bource of revenue when it abolished sweeps. The money still finds its way to them, but it goes to Tasmania, which collects tax on the stakes of New Zealanders." "The only reason why we abolished sweeps," said the Historian," was because a sweep promoter in Wellington bolted with the whole of the stakes, juot as Parliament was in session. Tne anti-gambling people sewed their opportunity,, and as most of the legislators were among the stake losers, they passed the legislation in anger" "I wonder why the marriage rate in Australia last year was the lowest for twenty years," said the Landlady. "The causes are obscure," replied tho Sago. "The higher cost of living may be one, but it is interesting to reflect that in Britain in 1915 the rate was unprecedentedly high, while in 1916 it was almost unprecedently low." AJAYEPENNE.