POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 153, 28 June 1907, Page 5

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

THE HARDY ANNUALS.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Thursday. When the Speaker called upon hon. members to give notices of motion 'this afternoon, the whole House rose with the unanimity of a well-drilled army, and said, "Sir," the usual preliminary to business. It soon became evident that the crop of hardy annuals had not abated, for Sir. Win. Steward is again going to advocate his elective Legislative Council, and introduce, his Marriages Validation Act Amendment Bill, while Mr Hornsby, who raised considerable interest with a Quackery and Other Frauds Prevention Bill, is again essaying reform in this direction. Mr Major, of Hawera, will again produce his familiar Lights on Vehicles Bill and the Farriers Bill. Mr Witty (Riccarton) will make another attempt to force land agents to register themselves, and pay a license fee, and Mr Sidey (Caversham) has given notice to move what is termed a Musicians Bill. This is a new arrival of uncertain tendencies, but it may develop into another of the hon. members' crop of hardy annuals.

FORTHCOMING MINISTERIAL VACANCY. There is hardly any uncertainty that at the end of this session a new appointment will be made to the Executive. Leave of absence for the remainder of the session is to be given the Minister for Public Works and Railways, the Hon. William Hall-Jones, whose physical condition is su-ch that he cannot, witho.ut peril to his life, continue the heavy administrative work which he so cheerfully and capably took upon his shoulders. Mr. Hall-Jones has enjoyed nearly fourteen years of Ministerial rank, and he will probably be well satisfied to rest on his laurels and conserve his remaining stock of health. In Parliamentary circles, it is taken for granted, that he will only re-enter the House as a private member, and that as soon Qβ the session conclude?, an appointment of his successor •will be made. Of the probable men, only Canterbury names are put forward. Mr. Laurenson, the energetic member for Lyttelton, is most likely to secure the honour. The Premier, in giving- notice of motion that the Hon. Hall-Jones, be given leave of absence, told the House he was exceedingly sorry to have to do so, and members would, he was sure, join in his expression of regret at the state of his colleague's, health.

THE LATE MR. KIRKBRIDE.

Several members put on. record to-day, their sense of appreciation of the qualities possessed by the late Mr. Matthew Kirkbride, who represented' the *Manakau constituency. Sir. Joseph Ward said that those higri characteristics which always distinguished the deceased member, and made him so respected by all classes in his own neighbourhood, ■were brought by him to the House, and those who differed from him politically had the highest respect for him as a man. The Leader of the Opposition spoke very feelingly. He had been a neighbour of the late Mr. Kirkbride before they entered Parliament, and once his late colleague entered the House he became a success. His Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Act, and the Government Valuations Amendment Act would long be monuments to his We have lost one of the best country Teprfsentatives, one of Nature's noblemen, concluded Mr. Massey. Mr. Lang, who succeeded Mr. Kirkbride in the representation of Manakau, Mr. La-wry, an old friend, and political opponent of the deceased, and Messrs. Rutherford" (Hαrunui), and Okey (New Plymouth), also spoke to the motion of condolence and regret. THE DOMINION OF NEW ZEALAND.

The Premier's "plum" in the Governor's speech did not cause any particular flutter in the political dovecote. The Leader of the Opposition, with some humour, says that the only persons to benefit by the change will be the wife of the Governor and himself. In explanation, he says that the wife of the Governor of a dominion is entitled to be called Her Excellency, a. courtesy which has always been observed in the past, while the Leader of the Opposition in a dominion is always paid a. handsome salary. No doubt, he observes, the New Zealand Government will follow the principle adopted by other dominions. Following is the text of the motion referred to in the Governor's Speech, and which the Premier subsequently gave notice to move:—"That this House respectfully requests that His Majesty the King may be graciously pleased to take such steps a3 he may consider necessary in order that the designation of New Zealand be changed from the 'Colony of New Zealand,' to the "Dominion of New Zealand,' and that His Excellency the Governor be respectfully requested to transmit this resolution, for submission to Uis Majesty." MATT. SERVICES. Mr Aitken has put a question on the Order Paper asking- the PostmasterGeneral whether he intends to take steps to get the Union Steamship Company to connect their steamers at Sydney for Wellington to suit the arrival of the mails coming via the Suez Canal, and so save the time now invariably lost by the. mails having to remain at Sydney for days awaiting an opportunity "of" despatch,; also, whether he cannot arrangs for a weekly mail leaving Wellington on each Friday, instead of fortnightly, as at -present? EXHIBITION AWARDS. The Exhibition awards are early in the field as a subject of discussion, and Mr Aitken will ask the Government what steps they propose to take to place the awards on a proper basis, so as to Temove the feeling of annoyance and distrust now existing in the minds of many exhibitors. NORTH TRUNK RAILWAY. A Parliamentary party to go over the North Trunk railway line is being organised by Mr Remington, member for Rangitikei. It is proposed to start on Friday morning, and go to the Northern railhead that day, and on to Tauniarunui on the Saturday, thus enabling the members to inspect the route and the works now in progress. On Sunday it is intended to arrange for a train to run the party down to Onehunga, in order to catch the boat leaving on that day for New Plymouth; the members would thus reach Wellington on Monday evening, the trip involving only one day's absence from the Parliamentary sittings. JOTTINGS. Mr. A. Kidd is early in tEe field, with a local bill, the Auckland Hospital Ada Amendment Bill, which, is intended to vest property now held by the Public Trustee, under the authority of the Auckland Hospital Reserves, and the Anckland Hospital Board, for the same purposes as before. ■ .

', Members of the Press Gallery, at their annual meeting, had the pleasure of being able to congratulate one of the .oldest active' members of the gallery, the Hon. R. A. Loughnan, upon his elevation from behind the Speaker's chair to a. seat in the Upper Hcuse.

Owing to rough weather in Cook Straits, a party of Parliamentarians, including the Premier, who intended to journey to Christchurch, and attend Sir John Hall's funeral, found it impossible to do so, as the steamer could not have reached port in time.