POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1229, 11 September 1911, Page 4

POLITICAL NOTES.

RETIRING MEMBERS. However widely the personnel o.' Hit next Parliament may differ from tho profit one, it is already certain that a few familiar faces will lie missed. Sir William Steward, tho "Falher of tlm House," Mr. Frank La wry, member for Poniell, Mr. Dillon, member for llawke's Bav, ami Mr. L. li. Phillipps, member for \Vaitomata, have already announced that they will not seek re-election, and now conie'g a .similar declaration from Mr. C. Hall, member lor Waipawa. Mr. Hall wis swornin an June 21, 18114, and has attended 17 sessions. Three other members have admitlod (hat (hoy are considering tho question of retiring from politics. These aro the Hon. T. T. Duncan (Oam.v rn). Mr. .1. Graham (Nelson), and Mr. J. 'J'. Hogan (Wanßunoi). It happens that all, or nearly nil, the electorates represented by the eight members mentioned in this paragraph have been connected by rumour with (ho intended candidature of Sir John Findlay. CABINET GUESSES. Speculation as to the Cabinet; rccon» strucfion which must be undertaken by Kir Joseph Ward, if lie is returned (o power at the general election, is engaging ranio attention among members, but tdo general feeling seems to be that ilia future holds so much uncertainty that guessing and prophesying would bo useless. The opinion is expressed in some quarters that thero would be almost open r<> bellion within the Government parlv if Sir' Joseph. Ward appointed another Ministerial leader of the Upper House from outside Parliament. Rome members aro said to be ready to insist that the successor to Sio John Findlny's present position must bo one who has had considerable and recent experience in tho Lower House. WHEN DID HE LEARN IT? A curious inaccuracy has been noticed in the Financial Statement. Sir Joseph Ward says under the heading "Tho Five Million Loan": "I learned upon my return to the Dominion that thero bad been much criticism by those opposed to tho Government' concerning the flotation of tho five-million loan." Now, every politician remembers that the loan was floated late in 1910, that the criticism appeared early in the present year, and that tho Primo Minister himself replied on tho platform in different parts of New Zea» land trceks before be sailed for Homo.. CABINET DISSENSIONS, Tho Christchurch "Press" of Saturday prints the following from "a correspondent" •.—"Rumour is going around the lobbies of a serious difference of opinion among members of the Cabinet. It is said that a. complaint was made regarding one Minister in' charge of a largo and popular Department that there was too much of tho 'personal' in-his administration; that lie was not' sufficiently alive to the necessity of accepting the expert views of the trained responsible heads, and that the resultant complaints hail becomo so acute that it was necessary that the Minister should, to use a colloquialism, bo 'told about it.' Rumour goes on to say that there was a lively time in tho Cabinet room, and that it was quite a while before harmony .was restored." THE LATEST EX-MINISTER. Mr. Fowlds, after sonio hesitation, has finally adopted as his new placo in (ho House, the corner scat formerly occupied by Jlr. Colvin, ou (ho same bench with Mr. L'aurenson and Mr. Russell. Ho stales that no political signifiennco is to bo attached to this choice. Yesterday afternoon ho gave notice of tho Proportional Representation Bill. Mr. Fowids has repeatedly declared himself in favour of such a measure ol electoral reform. It happens that proportional representation, in connection.with tho Legislative Council is also a feature of tho Opposition, programme.