The Passing Show.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18630, 7 May 1932, Page 11 (Supplement)

The Passing Show.

(By “Free MR LANG AND HIS COLLEAGUES are bent upon capsizing all things In the Mother State. They have eschewed all traditions and renounced all Britain’s old-fashioned ideas of honest dealing. Debts are things to be ignored and repudiation is an admirable thing. The mere mention of the name of the State Premier conjures up visions of a wild man at large; he knows no restraint, and he fancies his will is supreme. He has wrought much havoc, and the people are guessing as to what will happen next. At time of writing it would seem that his pinions have been effectively clipped and that his power for mischief has been curtailed, but it is not impossible that he will break out in a fresh place. There is widespread hope that the New South Wales Government’s appeal to the Privy Council on the vital question of the abolition of the Legislative Council will be dismissed, for there is no doubt that the Council' has been a most effective brake On nefarious and dangerous schemes. If it is removed Mr Lang and his gang will have nothing to prevent them putting all their schemes into pperation with the approval of the Constitution, and what the outcome would be can best be left to the imagination. The electors of New South Wales shied at the sight of the hard road which Mr Bavin tried to induce them to travel, and they chose the more inviting one recommended by Mr Lang. They now rue their choice for they realise that whereas the hard road terminated

in more pleasant pastures, the more Inviting path has led them into a morass and mire from which they cannot extricate themselves.

Mr De Valera, the President of the Irish Free State, is determined apparently to sever his connection with the British Commonwealth of Nations, but is desirous of maintaining the communications. He seeks the impossible; he is dropping the bone in an effort to materialise the shadow. FrSm order he aspires to chaos. The Free State has all the independence it is possible to get under any constitution. The throne is the only thing which binds the Empire, and allegiance to the King is the sole test. None but an Idealist would imagine that it is possible to sever the hawser connecting a craft to its anchor, and expect It to be saved from drifting. But that is precisely what De Valera land his colleagues declare is their intention. The oath to them may seem a matter of small concern but its removal must be fraught with mighty consequences—how mighty few recognise amt those •who do hesitate to frame phrases to express them. “Free Lance" earnestly hopes that the Free State Dail before going over the edge, will pause and ponder well the probable outcome of their action. It is comparalivcly easy to jump into space from the summit of a precipice. Once 'the leap has been made the consequences are irrevocable. The crash entails a wreck.

A correspondent In the Waikato.Times on Monday last voiced a sentiment which could well be borne In mind when the celebration of Anzac Day is again being considered. Tiie draping of the German, Austrian and Turkish flags with those of Britain, Belgium, France, Italy and Japan would be a graceful act and do much to quench the feebly smouldering ashes of animosity and resentment which are now encountered in isolated instances. We have travelled a long way since the bugles sang the final truce in the Great War, and our vision has widened. There is no reason why feelings of hatred should endure between us and those who were equally convinced that they were striving in a righteous cause. Tiie German soldier, as did the British, saw his duty through national spectacles, and in serving his Fatherland he imagined he was serving tiie cause of his God. We think lie was mistaken, but that is no reason why we should withhold recognition of traits in him which we esteem as admirable in ourselves. The draping of his flag with that of our own when we assemble to do

Comment and Criticism.

Lance.”) honour to the sacrifice of those noble souls who fought and fell in that titanic struggle would contribute greatly to the allaying of any antagonism between the two peoples, and do much in assisting the sentiment expressed by the phrase "Brothers All!" * # =* * Proceedings in the courts during the past few days should have a salutary effect, and do much to curb the itch for riot and mischief which has been long manifested in certain circles. The deplorable exhibition in Queen Street and Karangahape Road, Auckland, by a frenzied mob almost drove one to despair of the future. It was no doubt regrettable, but the sequel is reassuring and it is gratifying to know that the ring-leaders have been apportioned their* deserts even if some of the rank and file have escaped. One is inclined to persuade himself that participation in such an orgy of wantonness would escape notice in the crowd but the aftermath has shown that the mills of justice grind thoroughly, and no doubt some of those who were invited to an interview with the magistrate received the shock of their lives when the blue paper was presented, and a further shock awaited them when they heard the recital of their misdeeds in the court room. It is tolerably safe to predict that when next the riff-raff embark upon a campaign of mischief many of those who like to classify themselves as respectable will show a little more circumspection and refrain from touching the unclean thing. .

* # * * The drawers of income other than salary or wages received a shock when they found that in their case the one shilling in the £ levy for the Unemployment Fund was retrospective. The effect of this is that a person whose income last year was, say, £2ooj derived from sources other than salary or wages, must now pay £lO tax, but the tax on a person who received the same amount in wages during the same period was £2 10s only. It seems not quite just but it Is the law and will have to be honoured. It can well be understood that the severity of the levy will in some cases constitute a real hardship, as for example the woman who, earlier in the week declared that she had. kept her family going by the income of a few cows. She has spent all the proceeds and has no reserve from which to pay the tax. She probably will be one of many. The persons who can pay from their reserves will no doubt complain, but they should put their foot on the soft pedal when they consider the plight of their less fortunate neighbour who has to pay out of his poverty. * # $ * The Christchurch tramwaymen have been looking for sympathy and decided lif it were not forthcoming they would embark on a strike and hold up the city’s traffic. The trouble would have been avoided if the men had been a little more reasonable. The trams, which are not a payable proposition, have been overstaffed. The control board intimated that about a dozen men would have to be dismissed, but before issuing the necessary notices they informed the men that provided they were each prepared to forego one day in three or four weeks the whole of the staff wbuld be retained. The union executive turned the alternative down as did the men when a ballot xvas taken. Then the board issued the notices to the men whose services it had been decided to dispense with. The men declare that there was no need to dismiss any of the staff, and, further, that thos® who received intimation of the termination of their employment have been specially selected, and that victimisation was a factor In such selection. The board denied that It had a “set” upon the union, the president of which was one of those dismissed. It is regrettable that such a dispute should have arisen at this time, when it could hava been averted by a little tact and consideration for others. The suggestion to stand down one day at intervals may have entailed a little hardship. This would be as nothing, however, compared with the turmoil and suffering entailed by a strike.