WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 27, 26 July 1911, Page 3

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

To the Editor. ', Sir,—Shakespeare implies- that then i | is not much in it; Mr. Fisher seems to think it may mean anything or nothing. 'Of course, really Mr. Fisher is right when he discourses on "Empire" and says we are not an Empire. True, we I are not, and never will be. Empire , implies Emperor, and our thoughts run back to Nero and the Roman Emperors .who covered the name with disgrace; or not so far back, to Napoleons I. and 111. . There are amongst us two men old enough to remember when Disraeli, or rather Beaconsiield, clapped the title of Empress on the head of our good Queen Victoria. He no doubt had in view the Imperialistic instincts of our Indian fellow-subjects; nevertheless many did not like the name, nor do they like jit now. It does not flavor of that which ,we boast of—democracy—any more than Sir J. (I. Ward, baronet. It is a queer kind of democracy we are in fol'—an Imperial democracy; a democracy that clings t(> the gce-gaws of the days they suffered, under those who claimed to be their superiors. Yes; Mr. Fisher is right; we are loyal to our fatherland with a loving pride and loyalty, but we are free to Btay or leave. If we wanted to leave England would not again attempt to retain a colony that was dissatisfied with the union. Then there is another name our queer democracy revels in—"Dominion." What's, in that name? Nothing! We are not under any lord; we rule ourselves, and. "colony" was, and is, a much more fitting name for our free, happy land. Wc have due and proper respect for those in authority, and out of courtesy style our various leaders as "Honorable," "His Excellency," "Lord Bishop," etc., but there is not much in it. "Honor to whom honor is due" is our motto, whether he be called a baronet or a plain "Mr.' After all, when we look at it round, that wise old' Shakespeare was right—"A rose —a dominion, an empire—by any other name would smell as sweet"; and be just as useful.—l am, etc., j ,; X.Y.Z.

j CRUELTY TP ANIMALS.

I To the' Editor. I Sir.—Mr. S. Oreen, the secretary of the , T.P.P. and C. Society, and all the" rest of it. is incorrect in what he asks your

readers to accept ns facts. I stated in. my letter that "to pen up two pretty little toy terriers in a box about twelve inches .by eight for a day or two, or to mete out the same treatment to a fine big pussy, appears to me to be the ■finesse of cruelty." .Don't you agree ; with me. Mr. Editor. Even Mr. Green doesn't, disagree, but he makes such a , tremendous splutter about it, without ] giving a denial that this took place, that i I am afraid be has convinced most people ' that this piece of inhumanity actually | occurred. If I erred at all, it was in lover-stating the size of the doggies' box. [Mr. Green infers that the terriers were placed in a proper pen by the time the ! show opened, and chooses to bo offensive in suggesting that I was there to a free peep in the morning. I was there,' sir, just when Mr. Browne was trying to moke .himself heard from the ibaleony, and I stayed till five o'clock. And T paid my "bob" for admission. Mr, Green grandiloquently asto*, Why didn't I make my complaint to the secretary? I had I thought of that, but a friend who was with me told me of the amount of civility his brother had managed to get, and I thought I wouldn't risk it.. The fact remains, and Mr. Green can't disprove it, that these two pretty little pet dog* were caged up in a box hardly , big' enough for a canary cage. No amount of bluster will remove that.— I am, etc., QUIZ.