THE WEEK, THE WORLD, AND WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9165, 13 August 1908, Page 6

THE WEEK, THE WORLD, AND WELLINGTON.

(By Frank Morton.) Cheerful Wellington.—Mb Herdman's Candidature.—Moods and Manukrs. __ Sir Joseph Ward, His Strength. We are having somewhat better weather, and the city (despite the tightness of money and the cost of Hv'ng and all the rest of it) has _ returned to its customary aspect of indomitable cheerfulness. lam not at all fond of Wellington; but the metropolis must have due credit for ita undoubted virtues. The great majority of the people live hand-to-mouth, and do not live very liberally at that. The outlook is at best uncertain. Food is costly, clothing dear. Salaries and wages, proportionally to the cost of living, are by no means high. But, with al! this, the people are plucky and optimistic. It is a people easily gulled, and not at all easily offended. Things that would cause serious trouble and revolt in other cities, in Wellington scarcely raise a flutter. This is a comfortauie, out not always a good thing; and when serious trouble comes, this i? the thing that will change first. In any city danger lies in a too inveterate meeKness. Wellington is meek enough to inherit the universe. The citizens get less than they give, all the time. Submission to that sort of thing, is bad economy and sense.

There are few new rumours anaaspersions with which I need bother you this week. The extraordinary position with regard to the Corporation, Mr Kenr.edy Macdonald, and certain land in Woodward street, is under consideration of a Committee of Parliament, and so may not be openly discussed yet. It is announced that Mr A. L. Herdman will contest the seat of Wellington , North at the coming election. It does not seem very likely that Mr Herdman will be returned; and in a sense I am sorry for that. Mr Herdman is a straight politician, and (I believe) a good man; but he lacks the qualities that are unfortunately lacking in his party. He is a heavy and unpleasing speaker. He is not by any means what you call an easy man to get on with. He has, next to none of the magnetism that compels crowds and the charm that holds them. I have a lively and little remembrance of my own first introduction to Mr Herdman. I had crawled in a dismal train across an arctic land, and afterwards driven into the teeth of a blizzard in an open trap. All in order that I might hear Mr Herdman speak, and thereafter tell the people, of Otago what he said. I got to a 'cheerless hall. Mr Herdman spoke. He wa3 sensible and shrewd, but he seemed less human than the blizzard. The

harsh coldness of him got into my

bones, and I limped with rheumatism (they called it gout) for six months afterwards. It is bad enough to be cold when you set out to woo the suffrages of an electorate; but it is worse to he uninteresting. Mr Herdman was very uninteresting. He gave one the idea that the whole business bored him, and that he was in haste to have done with it. I

wns not at all surprised, though I tried hard to be sorry, when I heard later on that Mr Herdman had been defeated. If you cultivate an atmos phere, for poor humanity's sake let the atmosphere be genial and inviting. Don't lay yourself open to any suspicion of empty conceit. Or, if I may express it vulgarly, don't put on side. I never yet knew a man of really exceptional gifts that did. But there are many members of the Opposition that do; and in chat foolishness lies their killing weakness. Take a mani like Mr James Allen—a just man, a precise man, a conscientious man, a man of principle to compensate for his lack of originality and force. Mr Allen is inveterately dull, and he is for ever fenced about with a chilling acerbity of manner that effectually antagonises scores of people who might otherwise support him. He has—how shall I phrase it?—no effective personal policy; and for that reason he does not get anything like the value of the gifts he has. It is a very curious thing, if you come to think of it, that all the most genial and attractive men in Parliament sit with the Government. There is Sir Joseph Ward, first of all. You will have noticed by this time that I am no frantic Wardophile; but Sir Joseph's surface-qualities no man in the country will more heartily admit. To travel with him is to enjoy a delightful time. A certain cordial kindness, a very winning radiance of mood and manner, is instinctive with the man. There is no beastly condescension about him, no abominably laborious affable intention. He is a delightfully good fellow, and within the sphere of his influence they are all good fellows. He has the happy knack of bringing every man's best qualities to the surface. He makes everybody about him comfortable and glad probably because the comfortable gladness of his own prevailing mood he is never at any pains to repress. This may seem all very easy to you; but if it does, it is because you do not understand in the least the infinite worry and discomfort that attends prominence in polities. Unfailing courtesy and kindness is always excellent; but in a politician it is a most valuable asset. There is not a member of the Opposition party who would not greatly increase his chances of success if he imitated Sir Joseph Ward in this one matter. It seems to be the one lesson that the Opposition finds it most difficult to learn from the Government.