Political Notes.

Manawatu Herald, 9 March 1899, Page 2

Political Notes.

« One of Premier Seddon's J.'sP., has just left in a bit of a hurry for fresh woods and pastures new (says an Auckland contemporary). At any rate, he hadn't time to go through the formality of saying " Good-bye " to his lamenting creditors, and it is said his haste was so great that he only left his wife £1 to carry on with. Meanwhile the creditors are about to meet to mingle their tears. The West Coast times says that the so-called Liberal Government is anything but liberal to the gold miners whose fees are considerably increased whilst their actions have been hampered and restricted in many ways. The new regulations impose many hardships on the miners, and gives them no compensation advantages." Mr Scobie Mackenzie, interviewed, was asked : " But don't you think that Mr Seddon's activity will tell ?" " Activity," he replied. " It's mighty cheap activity for him — and that's particularly dear for the colony. He starts on a prolonged tour with his salary, his travelling expenses, and his travelling allowances all running on, and the same for his two secretaries, with special trains, steamers, and wires impressed into the service. Meanwhile, as the result of these continual tours, 'not a bill is ready when Parliament meets, nor anything thought out. No his activity isn't in the least wonderful ; but if the public could only see behind the scenes, there are aspects of it that would seem very wonderful indeed in the light of their own simple credulity." The Post says " Rumor is busy with the alleged new developments in the Marine Department scandal affair. These are now calculated to allay the virtuous indignation of the Premier at the suggestion by some of the newspapers of the colony, that he and his Marine colleague had connived at, if not actually authorised the irregularity that resulted in the recent abortive prosecutions. Amid the more or Jess confused and contradictory reports : that reach us, two things seem to stand | out with clearness. One of the prin- j cipal defendants has, it is said, officially reported the facts within his knowledge to the Government, and these are of a kind that in the interests of public morality should have been disclosed in the witness bo* of the Supreme Court, while the Minister of Marine should have bsen made to swe ir to their truth or otherwise. The second point of present interest is that the Premier seems to have got twixt the davil and the deep sen, since if there is a dismissal there must bs a discovery, and if there be not a scapegoat after all, Parliament and the c >untrv will conclude that the Premier and his colleague have not profited by the 'lisioric legend of the immortal Washington and the cherry tree.