POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1224, 5 September 1911, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

ANGLING FOR A SEAT. WHO WILL BITE? Accounts which reach Wellington bot& by visitors and from correspondents go to show' that in several districts Uio Gov. ornment supporters are being encouraged to promote requisitions cither to Sir John I'iticllay or the- Hon. Thas. Mackenzie. A recent visitor to Wellington lias stated that before leaving homo he raw a letter, from a very prominent member of tho Government party, in which the many advantages the district would gain by having a Minister to represent it wero painted in glowing colours. Tho 'writer went on to sny that in such a case tho district and its electors might bo quite certain of being well treated in the way of Parliamentary grants for roads and bridges. The visitor who brought these tidings stated that quite a number of men who had been previously inclined to support the Government considered that the proposal was almost an insult, and retused to have anything to do with it. A usually reliablo informant states that Sir John I'iirdlny will undoubtedly stand for Wantjanui at tho next general election, and that efforts arc .still ]>eing mnde to find a seat for tho Hon. T. Mackenzie. The fact that efforts are being made in a number of electorates to get up rcquisi- > tions of invitation to tho Ministers named docs not in itself supply nuy reliable indication respecting their choice of seals. .This indeed is obvious from the fact that invitations are being organised in more than ono placo. Efforts to arouso tho hospitality of electorate.,; which cannot hope to lie moved by Ministerial candidates aro evidently inspired by a desire, on the part of the Government, to show that tho services, as representatives, of these gqatleman aro in great demand. Our informant is in n position to penetrate beyond the talk of requisitions, nmd he is positive in declaring that Sir John Pindlay will stand for Wanganui. People are sometimes inclined to forget that there is nioro than a possibility that fho Government may bo defeated at the forthcoming election. Many southern visitors to Wellington have stated emphatically of late that if Sir Joseph Ward happens to bo returned it will bo by tho narrowest majority, and that, in any case, bo is in for the run of his life. Botli Sir John Findlay a.nd the Hon. T. Mackenzie, when seen last night, were unprepared to make any statement as to their choice of a seat to contest at the elections. ' THE BUDGET. It is not definitely known whether Sit Joseph Ward will deliver tlio Financial Statement to-day or not In his announcement to tho Houso last week, ho s:\id ho hoped to deliver it to-day "or thereabouts." When approached last night, ho declined to male, any further announcement on the point.