POLITICAL NOTES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3987, 2 May 1884, Page 4

POLITICAL NOTES.

(By "Quts.") Genial Tom Bracken has been addressing Ids constituents, and as sucK a straightforward, honest, well-meaning man deserved, had a capital reception. lam afraid Mr Bracken's politics are not tho cause of his popularity, though his poetry may be. He writes capital verse, and under the signature of Paddy Murphy he gives the public some nice squibs, which we wonder at all the more, when we consider how little their author really knows of politics, judging him by his politics. With a capital voice, and a good presence, one is puzzled to account for the shortness of wind to which Mr Bracken is subject when he addresses the House, he can seldom speak more than ten minutes on an end. To hear Mr Bracken read his own or somebody else's poetry is delicious, but to listen to his speechifying is quite another matter. 'Tis a pity that such should be the case, for New Zealand has no greater lover than the gentleman named. I suppose he has too much heart ever to be a politician; he wants the hardness and dryness of the Major, and then we might put up with him even if he were a little weak on the theories and facts.

That other boisterous and blustering Dunedin man, Mr Fish, has also been taking a preliminary. Different stun here altogether, hard as nails, condition perfect, can stand any amount of rough knocks, which is a good thing, as he generally gets them, though some of the knocks fall harmless, as the hide is too tough to show they went home. A7ith as much bounce as the Premier, Mr Fish would make an admirable politician if he only had tho break of discretion applied properly and frequently. That is the chief differencebetweenhe and the man between whom there is no lov o lost— our present Premier. Major Atkinson has a little more dash, but in all his boldness, and in all his sitting on those opposed to him when opportunity offers, ho does not lack discretion, he knows when to hit, and when to act quietly on the defensive, and let his adversary expend himself in the hope that said adversary may make a faux pas, or, as they say in the horsey regions, put his foot in it.

It is impossible in this column to keep up with all the addresses that are being delivered in all quarters, just as impossible as it is to notice the various political reports in circulation, or keep a correct list of those who threaten us with then - candidature at tho next general election, apparently there is going to be no lack of candidates. Should the bill to reform the cities into single electorates bo carried, those well-informed _ay that not only Mr AY. Green but Bracken and Fish will have to go, and that even Mr Dick will have to fight hard for his seat. The goody-goody young man has been such a pronounced failure that we could all spare him, seeing tho bore ho is. The last named is a harmless old gentleman whose intense earnestness in our own and our colony's reformation is at such a high pressure that one scarcely knows whether it is sublime or ridiculous. Fish, with that insinuating laugh of his, and loud voice, would be greatly missed, for at times ho takes the Premier's measure neatly, and forces that gentleman to pay attention to what he is saying about him. And if Mr Bracken were left out wo would miss him more than all the rest. Perhaps there is no more popular member among his fellows, and for asking a question about getting brown paper, whiskey, or tobacco manufactured in the colony—well, no man can beat his record as regards the asking of questions. Poesy and practicability combined. AVas such ever found before ?

New Zealand was horrified the other day to learn that Major Atkinson would not bo adverse, if he could only see it was popular, to give us a dose of protection. We pride ourselves on being freetraders, just as many a man has prided himself on being honest because he never had the opportunity of being anything else in a decent sized way. Think ye, that every honest man you meet is honest by choice ? Nothing of the sort; ho is honest because he cannot help himself. He abhors petty things, and the king has never come the cadger's way when that way has been big enough, and so he goes down to his grave, scorning the man who has yielded to temptation, a thing ho was never troubled with. Well, we are a freetrade community. Ask the newspapers and they will tell you that, and yet wo exact more out of the " little bit of tariff we have got than any of our neighbours, AVestern Aus - tralia, the poorest colony of all, alone excepted. Victoria is protectionist, on all hands that is admitted, and yet through the Customs her inhabitants pay a long way less per inhabitant than we do in New Zealand. Ho must have been in sore shifts, and had a bad time of it indeed down South, when he was willing to pipe protection if they would only danco to tho tune and keep his Ministry in. Let him boldly declare himself a protectionist ; it is not half the fad that some of his other ideas are, and sco where he would land himself. AVhy we borrow money on better terms in tho English market because wo are free trade than wo could otherwise do, but the moment we adopted protection openly—though secretly I believe we are to all intents and purposes protectionist—we would have to draw in our horns and pay higher interest. Lots of people arc bothering themselves as to the probability of two sessions this year. I cannot say that I see any ground for such a supposition, but then I don't imagine for a moment that when the House meets the Major is to get his walking ticket. O dear no ! that may be all very well under certain circumstances, but it is not coming off this time at tho opening of the last session of a Parliament. I fancy there are a few men who know too much for that, and they will have sufficient influence to get their views adopted. I don't say the thing>could not be done— I am thoroughly convinced in the present state of parties and feelings it could he—but I only say I don't think it is going to be done till near the close of what will prove a session very little shorter than last one. That some fear it may be done one can gather from the cautious state of Ministerial supporters, and nowhere was it more apparent to me than in the address of Colonel Trimble, who before I read that address would have been the last man in the world I would have considered likely to give utterance to such a view. There is going to be a lively session and a bitter one, but the Ministry aro not going out two days after tho House meets.