Have the Tooley Street "Bigshots" got Mr. Nash on the run? That is the question being asked at present by devotees to the political game. It would appear that Sir Harry Batter bee has been having quite a number of "informal" little talks lately with our wizard of finance, What does It all mean? Surely they are not all in the nature of business calls. Our Minister is far too busy a man for that we are told and if he isn't, well, to put it politely, he's been fooling us. No, I don't think it is because Sir Harry particularly enjoys the Minister's company or his charming personality. The Minister for Mines is the man he should go to for entertainment. "Paddy" and his mares are nearly as well known as Paddy and his pig. Besides, West Coasters are known all over the country for their hospitality while their "long handles" have become legendary. Of course. Sir Harry might not like this type of entertainment. Very well then surely it is up to Members of the Opposition to do their share in entertaining our guest. The solitude of the Wallace district embracing as it does the Wonderful Rounds country pictures of which we see plastered over railway walling sheds, would be no ideal spot for entertainment for long periods of say six months to a year.

Grand Nashonal.

Then too, there is the sudden departure recently of Mr. Nash tor the "Old Country." Purely this is not just for the purpose of seeing the "Derby" or "The Grand National?" No, Mr. Nash would hardly have needed a private secretary for that, nor indeed had he intended making merry with the "boys" over on the "other side" would he have taken his wife, a restraining influence, along with him. Now, having satisfactorily disposed of any ulterior motives the minister may have had, let us return to the question of politics.

It appears that by 1940, our big year, there is a debt of roughly £10,000,000 falling due which is owed to the aforementioned "Big Shots" of Tooley Street. Now it is possible that these English gentlemen may become peeved if we do not meet these payments on due date. This is the point that is giving some people such concern and others such satisfaction, although I cannot see why either should be the case. Surely if our little country is in need of money badly then it should be the concern of everybody to co-operate and find means of raising the necessary cash. But the outlook is not hopeless, far from it. We have several remedies and I am going to attempt to explain them as they appear to me. Firstly, we could impose another small levy or say 3d per person per week till the debt is due. By this method we might have collected sufficient money if there hadn't been a civil war or revolution in the meantime.

What Offers?

The next method suggested would [unclear: be] to put little N.Z. lock, stock and barrel on the World's market. Surely, with what we have spent on Public Works in improvements and with what we possess in the way of sheep and horseflesh we could demand a good price. In fact it seems an ideal time to transact such a deal. Most or our best material and talent goes abroad in any case so we might as well sell the lot at a fair profit pay off our debts, and at the same time have a little pocket money of our own. It is either a question of doing the soiling ourselves or of being "sold" and it is up to every one of us to decide which it is going to be.

R.W.R.

Readers of "Salient" might be interested to re-read the interview with Sir Harry Batter bee published on March 29th last in the light of the above article.

•

Lord Clive.

What I like about Clive
Is that he is no lunger alive.
There is a great deal to be said
For being dead.

—Edmund Clerihew Bently.