THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8223, 29 August 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1906.

Tbe -Pastoralists' Review has been pleased to approve of Sir Joseph Ward's cabinetmaking. Sir Joseph should feel profoundly grateful for this approbation, says a contemporary, the Review being notoriously difficult to please upon any subject where New Zealaud is concerned. The latest number was apparently written in a spirit of quite unoommon optimism, and the editor, speaking of the prospects of a wool exhibit from Australia at the Exhibition, actually admits that there "is merino wool still grown in New Zealand, and Rood,wool too." But it is on the subject of the new Cabinet that the Review is most interesting. It admits that Sir Joseph's effort has beon "strengthening," and comments upon it as being in striking contrast to Mr Seddon's system, whioh was "that of the strong man who likes to manage everything nimself, and wants in his Ministers, before every other quality, obedience." Mr Seddon, it says, like Lord Salisbury, preferred an absence of capacity in hib colleagues, as making them more amenable. Sir Joseph will be glad to hear on such authority that "no one would call him a weak man,"

but he will be equally depressed to know that "he has not the exceptional strength of a Seddon, though be has the brains and taot to know how to take advantage of the ability of those with him." There is a warning Btill left for him, too, if be is in search of snakes in the grass, for the Review bids him beware of Mr J. A. Millar. Mr Millar is described as "oue of the ablest Labour members in Australasia, and no man is more likely to step into Mr Seddon's shoes eventually, and the new Premier will probably find him p troublesome colleague." The Premier can, however, breathe again at the prophecy that "the Ward Uoverument should bo safe enough for the duration of tbe present Parliament, another couple of years." Another bit of foresight suggests that Australian prosperity will bring down tbe prioe of meat and wool before the next eleotio/ss, and that the Government will then miss the splendid audacity of Mr Seddon. The summary of the situation is concluded by the statement that "a cleverer man than Sir Joseph Ward is not to be found in Australasian politics, and it will be interesting to see how he gets on." Doubtless the Premier will acoept this patronage quite philosophically. He has received abundance of advice during the past few weeks, good, bad and indifferent, and a little more or less will bo of small consequence.