Who Is Kater Anyhow?

By Banjo Paterson (Andrew Barton)

Why, oh why was Kater lifted From the darkness, where he drifted All unknown, and raised to honour, Side by side with Dick O'connor, In the Council, free from row? Who is Kater, anyhow? Did he lend our armies rally, Like the recent Billy Dalley? Did he lend a Premier money, Like - (No libels here, my sonny. Ed. B.) Was he, like John Davies, found Very useful underground? Not at all! his claim to glory Rests on quite another story. All obscure he might have tarried, But he managed to get married And (to cut the matter shorter) Married William Forster's daughter. So, when Henry Edward Kater Goes to answer his creator, Will the angel at the wicket Say, on reading Kater's ticket "Enter! for you're no impostor, Son-in-law of Billy Foster!"