POLITICAL AMENITIES

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14658, 23 May 1921, Page 4

POLITICAL AMENITIES

“I do not suppose there are any two people in this country who have at one time or another said harder things of one another than I of Mr Bonar Law or Mr Bonar Law of me. But what of that?” Mr Asquith has great qualities as well as some hampering ineptitudes, and he showed at his best in paying a tribute of “respect, goodwill, friendship, and even affection” to his old opponent, the retiring Unionist leader. It is true that some folk, born with the temperament of uncompromising partisanship, are disposed to distrust those occasional amenities of public life. The question, “But what of that?” leaves them with a perturbed sense of unreality or insincerity. They prefer the frank animosity, personal and political, of Pitt and Fox, or the definite, if less pronounced, antipathy of Gladstone and Disraeli. They share the resentment displayed by the defendant in the suit of Bardell versus Pickwick when “Mr Serjeant rfuzfuz, who was counsel for/ the opposite parly, dared to presume to tell Mr Serjeant Snubbln, who was counsel for him, that it was a fine morning.” That keen controversialist and engaging humorist, Mr Scobie Mackenzie, used to enjoy relating how an earnest-minded constituent of his was not a little scandalised on finding him exchanging liquid hospitalities with Mr W. P. Reeves just after an exceptionally vigorous political duel on the floor of the House of Representatives. Seriously, however, there is no reason why the personal respect or friendship uniting public men of opposite parties should not be as sincere as the differences which divide them in opinion: and Mr Asquith’s remarks were all the more convincing because he did not affect to minimise the political antagonism between Mr Bonar Law and himself. It Is true that at a season of great national emergency they sat together in Cabinet for a year and a-half; but "that was an interlude, and,” observed the ex-Premicr, “as a whole, from first to last we have held honestly, professed emphatically, and struggled strenuously for opposing political ideals.” It may not be quite paradoxical (says a contemporary) to suggest that if the period of co-operation had been longer the present mutual friendliness might be of a cooler quality. One scarcely feels confident that Mr Asquith and Mr Lloyd George are presonally united to-day by “mutual respect, goodwill, friendship, and even affection.” Mr Asquith took occasion to express his firm belief in the ultimately good effects of "the clash of controversy,” and his distrust of facile*compromising tendencies. He dislikes what he terms the “slippy blurred edge" of much of present-day politics. “But none the less,” he pleaded, “let us preserve as long as we can, for it is one of the most precious British traditions of British public life, and It prevails in no other country—l will not say to the same degree, but in any degree—let us always preserve the firm, unshaken belief that it is out of the clash of controversy. strenuously but sincerely pursued, that in the long run we have, attained in the past, and shall continue, so long as the temper and spirit prevails, to attain in the future those great successive advances along the road, not only of political freedom, but of social emancipation and ; egress which have marked our history.” Probably this doctrine is sound enough, if not noticeably original: but it cannot be said that Mr Asquith is very happily situated just now for taking effective part in the clash. We quoted in a reqtnt issue the judgment of one of the foremost weekly papers in England that “the plight of Liberalism never was so sombre and starless,” and this judgment seems to be essentially sound.

The reconstruction of prices at the big store of Hooker and Kingston, Ltd., shows values back to the pre-war days during this month —the month of May. You can purchase double white herringbone sheeting, last year's price 3s fid yard, hut now 3s 3d: ladies’ allwool Llama and Wolscy black cashmere hose, last year’s price 10s 6d, but now 6s ltd pair; children's threequarter all-wool knitted hose, N.Z. made, in size 7,8, 9, 10, last year’s price 4s 9d, but now 3s 6d pair; large size seag ass mats with bound edges, last, year's price 13s fid, hut now 6s lid. This is the store where prices are the lowest. Hooker and Kingston, Ltd., famous for best value. When you go to the Theatre intiale Nazol occasionally—it will protect you against Colds, Sore Throats and Influenza germs. (5j