THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.

Motueka Star, Volume III, Issue 122, 14 October 1902, Page 4

THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.

Among the newspapers of the colony there has been a very general discus- ! "Sion of the prospects of Cabinet recon- ) Struction, and most of them agree with the deductions stated in a “New Zealand Times” article a week ago, that several Ministers will be superseded before next /session. The “Lyttelton Times,” although combating the notion that Mr Seddon means to leave this couutry, holds that “Cabinet reconstruction will engage attention next year.” It expresses the opinion that Mr Seddon, Sir Joseph Ward, Messrs Hall-Jones and Carroll will remain, but the others, who “are freely classed together as incompetent,” it hints, will have to go. “It is suggested,” adds our contemporary, “that seats will be fouud in the Legislative Council for both Mr Mills and Mr Duncan, and that Mr Walker will be provided for as Speaker of the Council. We do not know why the future of these gentleman should be mapped out thus early, because as yet there has been no definite promise ol a change. There is little doubt, however, that Mr Seddon will yield to the pressure of public opinion, and that when the new Parliament meets Mr Duncan will not be Minister of Lands, and the Minister of Education will be a member of the Lower House.” Mr Hardy, M.H.R. for Selwyn, in the course of an inter- ! view reported in the Christchurch “Press,” said that “probably a change in the political head of the Department of Education will be one of the first changes made in the Ministrv after the elections, and that a,member of the House, probably a North Island member, will be appointed.” This points to Mr Hogg, who is in some other quarters mentioned as the coming Minister ,of Lands. Mr Hardy does not appear to think that the Premier is retiring from politics, for he says that “usually well-informed circles in Wellington anticipate that sooner or liter there will be a .struggle between Mr Seddon and Sir Joseph Ward for the leadership of the House. Mr Seddon’s ‘inana’ amongst members is not now so great as it once was, and though his great ability in leading his party and the House is recognised on all sides, Sir Joseph’s greater business qualities and his tact and urbanity have made him more acceptable as a leader.”

Being on a visit to Christchurch on private business, Sir William Russel] was interviewed on behalf of both daily papers, and spoke freely on the political outlook. Referring to Mr Seddon’s intentions, he said he could not help the conviction that the Premier did not intend to remain long in the colony. “I cannot give you chapter or verse,” he said, “and you must take it for what it is worth, but 1 am convinced that Mr Seddon does not intend to remain long in New Zealand after his return this month.” On the subject of party prospects, Sir William said :—“I don’t expect to see any great change in the relative strength of parties in the House next November, or whenever the elections may be held. The Opposition may win two or three seats ; I think it will ; and there will probably be a larger number of members on the other side of the House who will refuse to bow down on all occasions before an autocratic leader. But perhaps I am mistaken. There have been more signs of independence during the present session, but they may have been due to the absence of Mr Seddon.” As to the influence oj the Farmers’ Union at the general election, Sir William said he did not expect a great deal from it. “ Indeed,” he added, “ I do not wish to see the Union turned into a party organisation. There is plenty of good work for the members to do, and I be-

lieve they intend to do it, but I hope they will meddle with politics as little as possible. Their policy ought to be their platform, irrespective of party. | If their platform is opposed to any particular party, so much the worse for the party. The right of Crown tenants to obtain the : freehold of their holdings will be a burning question in the north, as I daiesay it will be down here, but it can’t be fairly said tbat the demand of the union makes it a Conservative institution. I know plenty of good Liberals, of Mr Seddon’s own approved brand, who are in entire sympathy with the attitude of the union.” In all this there may not be much that is new or startling, but as straws showing the direction the current is taking, the sbatementsand opinions have undoubted value.

An elderly man named James Stanley met with a horrible death in the Caines district, Queensland, the other day. He was seriously injured by falling from a tree. When discovered, 24 hours after the accident, his body was literally covered.with bee stings. Bees, nests of which inhabited the tree, swarmed all over the body, and the poor fellow died soon after admission to the hospital. In the opinion of Mr A. W. Hogg, the establishment of High schools in the various centres will eventually lead to doing away with scholarships, thus enabling Boards to dispose of money usually devoted to such purposes in providing maintenance for the children in scattered country districts who desired to attend High Schools. No one has amassed millions so rapidly as Mr Alfred Beit, the South African millionaire, who is reputed to be the wealthiest man in the world. His fortune is said to exceed .£200,000,000 and he has an income sufficient to make ten new millionaires every year The whole of this colossal fortune was made within a period of twenty-five years.

Barber: “How’s the razor, sir ?” Customer : “Didn’t know I was being shaved.” Barber (flattered): “Very glad, I’m sure, sir.” Customer: “I thought I was being sandpapered.” A a party one evening a lady was entertaining het friends with an account of her first matrimonial quarrel. After making it up with one another* she said, her husband had planted a tree in remembrance of it. “If we had only done that,” whispered another lady to her husband, “what a splendid avenue we might have had !” “Yes, my dear,” said the sarcastic husband, “ ycu may have made that cake all alone, as you say, gbut who i helped you to lift Jt out of the oven ?” A Scottish clergyman, catechising his young parishioner 4 ® before the congregation, when he put the usual first question to a stout girl whose father kept a publichouse. “ What is your name ?” The question, having been repeated, the girl replied, “ Nane o’ your fun, Mr Minister; ve ken my name weel eneuch. D’yt no’ say, when ye come to oor house the nicht, Bet, bring me some ale ?” Casey: Hit’s the foine toime Oi had on th’ Fooith. Divel a thing kin Oi remimber afther noine o’clock in th’ marning. Farrell : Thin how d’ye know ye had a good toime ? Casev : Sure, didn’t Oi hear th’ cop tellin’ th’ Jedge all about it th’ nixt marning. “Are you the defendant ?” asked a man in a Mississippi Courtroom, speaking to an old negro. “No, boss,” was the reply ; “I ain’t done nothing to be called names like that. I’se got & lawyer here who does the defensing.” “Then who aie you ?” “I’se the gentleman wat stole the chickens.” WADE'S WORM FlGS—the Wonderful Worm Worriers—are always effective, rs boxes everyTvieere. *** JOB PRINTING of every description executed, with neatness and despatch at the Motueka Star Office