Changing Signs

But there he was at the Conference as bold as a brass nose. It was a loverly Conference, with cups of tea and scones with jam and butter for morning tea. Joe Cote had seven. They do a lovely morning tea at the Labour Party. There had been some changes from last year though. In 1971 a cup of tea was fifteen cents and this year it was two bob, which just goes to show that Mr Muldoon hasn't been able to cope with inflation. Last year too, they had this big sign up the front which said It's time for a change. This year it said: It's time for a real change, which means they didn't really mean it last time I suppose, And everyone was there except Hamish Keith and Keith Sinclair - I wonder what happened to them). Brian Edwards was there sitting next to that well known northern carpetbagger Sue Kedgely and all the delegates had something to say including the man who introduced the Farming Report who was possibly an entrant for the most boring man in the world contest. It's unfair to the other competitors I say. Well loved mob agitator Dan Riddiford simply sparkles by comparison. David Shand said it wasn't very democratic, which is ridiculous because it's a well known fact that it is, as foppish John (Youse Maoris Got It Too Good) Wybrow quite rightly pointed out. The fact that the Policy Committee hasn't met for two years has got nothing to do with it. Well known democrat Bill Rowling told some young Wellington delegates that if they staged a demonstration against Frank Kitts and his unspeakable views on apartheid he'd expel the lot of them, which stilled their piping voices. And Mike Hirshfield got the push. Goodbye Mike. There was much weeping and wailing and wearing of sackcloth and ashes and playing upon the loud cymbals, (should that be symbols). There was throwing up of cloth caps and beating of hobnailed boots upon the floor, and on Friday everyone went home. The caretaker came out and put back all the seats, and caught a bus to the suburbs and said to his wife:Well I'm glad that's over, and that was that.