WELLINGTON NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 26, 8 September 1896, Page 3

WELLINGTON NOTES.

[i'KOM OUII OWN coin:’SI’OXDE.VTj. Wellington-, August 31. THE SEDDONIAN LEAGUES. The word Liberal as applied to politics has gone out of fashion. It is obsolete, and candidates in the coming elections will range themselves under four heads —Seddonitcs, Opposition, Independent, and Prohibitionists. The Leagues adopt other distinctive titles such as social, democratic, electoral, and such-like vague high-sounding names, which not one of its members could define the moaning of, but not one of them will stand the test of ridicule. At the first attack they crumple up and shriek. The most demonstrative and best-beloved of the Premier has been the women's social and democratic organisation. It is essentially a Seddoniau stronghold. Mrs Seddon is President; Mrs Kennedy Macdonald, the real leader, vice; Mrs Schoeh, who with her busband have both found billets, is Secretary, and there is a Council which is composed of the above-named three, a Mrs Weiss who lias recently been gran led a wine license in Wellington and bad a sou made a messenger, a Government printer’s wife, a publican’s bettor half, amt two others. The rank and tile are ebb-fly Civil servants and hotel people's wives, and their mission is to vote as directed by the Council on any business brought before the Tuesday evening meetings. These gatherings are for the elect only, and a female Cerberus sits at the door of No. 7 to keep intruders out. Yet for all the watchful care and fearful retribution threatened to traitors the proceedings are not kept secret, for a National Association scribe either attends the meetings or is in alliance with some sprite or Mahatma, and manages to make known the doings of the shrieking sisterhood. The ridiculous proceed iugs of a recent meeting were reported in the Christchurch Press, and so great was the consternation that the attendance fell in one week from the usual average of 03 to 22, and the three leading officials were absent, being presumably prostrated by the unexpected prominence given to their fooling. The chair was taken by a publican’s wife, and her first proceeding was to read the Press report of their urevious meeting to the assembly and comment on the paiagraphs us she read, remarking at. flic finish that the “ Christchurch people must he very jealous at our success.” Then the letters of excuse for non-attend-auco were read, and must of the absentees excused themselves on the grounds that they had the baby to mind, that her domestic duties were of more inportanec than listening to twaddle, or that she didn’t want to be made a fool of in the papers. The candidate for Parliament who had been selected by the League withdrew from the contest at once, and even the Premier made a reference to the matter in toe House, when the privilege question was raised by Mr G. J. Smith as to a scurrilous article in the Premier’s paper, which Mr Smith hinted had been inspired by Ministers. Mr Seddon replied that he knew nothing of it, and it was a mystery to him where the papers got their information. He had seen a report of a meet ing that week which simply astounded him, and ho looked up at an Opposition journalist, then in the gallery, who replied with a wink of acknowledgement. for the compliment. THE CITY CANDIDATES. Then the four candidates who have been nominated by the Leagues, were put through their preliminary facings on Friday night before a largo audience. They are a sorry lot. There was not an original idea among the four. A saddler, named Bussell, was the least fulsome in Ins adoration of Mr Seddon, and ho had evidently drunk der-plv at the fountains of Socialism. lie wants a State Bank, State coal mines, tiro insurance, and for everybody to have employment under the State. lake most social reformers of this breed he did not condescend to explain where the money was to come from, except by some hazy idea that a paper currency might work out our salvation. Then Mr D. P. Fisher, a printer, and brother to “Our George ” spoke Ins little piece. “ Our George ”is also a candidate, who is running this time on his own hoek. Not so D. P. lie is a Seddonite, pure and undiluted. “ Nothing ’’said he, “ was ever on the face of this earth equal to the Seddon Government.” Everything, pastoral agricultural, commercial, and especially the working man had been improved by this marvellous Government. So much good had been done by it in the past that we must ask for more. The reputation our mutton had in Britain was a standing proof of the wisdom of the Seddon Government ; for himself ho always went with public opinion who tin r it agreed with his own or not. Mr Hutchinson, a sail maker, who was lately nominated to a scat on the Harbour Board by the Ministry, was (lie next. Very glib of tongue and able to say many words fluently without much meaning in them, he would he a loyal supporter of the present Ministry, hut not a dumb dog. This is a popular saying among all Seddonitcs just now, hut to those who remember the conduct of the last elections, the procedure then was for any candidate who wanted the Government’s assistance to he compelled to sign the document. Those gentlemen who talk of their freedom and independence will all he on the chain long before the polling day comes round This candidate, like all the others, professed a fervid belief in the power of women in politics. He owned up, however, to having opposed their getting the franchise, and for this he candidly acknowledged that lie had been an “ nngallnnt brute.” The last of the four, a Mr North, who is understood to be a tailor in private life, calls himself an “ absolute Socialist.” He wants an elective Governor, no Upper House, all going concerns to he run by Government, more legislation and all these reforms to he carried out by paper money. These four aspirants for political honours are the products of months of labour by the various leagues. Their ideas arc those of Louis Blanc and the Socialists in Frace in IMS. They took into their hands all the instruments of production—foundries, workshops, con tracts for army clothing, and abolished the middle man —for about four months. The triumphant socialists found ther. that they not only had no middlemen’s profit to divide, hut the Gov -rnmeiit discovered that it was on the verge of bankruptcy and closed the woiksliops, with the result that the Heciulisls at once became Anarchists and street fighting and barricades wire the order of the day, and more men lost their lives than wore killed at the battle of Waterloo. The Eug-li-h Socialists of to-day know these things and do not advocate the harragsing of capital cr the issue of paper

money, and the people who pay attention to what is going on outside thenarrow fringe of iSeddonism. recognise that a leader of men like John Burns does not preach such arrant rubbish as these Wellington gas pipes hungering for the i‘2o per laonth which is the sole reason of their ottering to sacrifice themselves, a duty they allege they owe the working man. POOR WORKING MAN. Some of the idols he worshipped and voted for and elected are queer specimens. There are two of the most servile of the Premier’s followers who will vole at his bidding for any extravagance their task master may propose. Additions to the salaries of highly paid officials. Contingency votes of £,;()()() in one place and ToOOO in another. For a loan of a million without a single stipulation of how or where the money is to be spent. These matters give them no concern, although they have such a deep meaning to the taxpayers. But when it comes to their own personal expenditure it is amazing how careful these economists can be. One legislator, who is noted for his dog-like fawning on the Premier, and who usually leads the “ Hear, hoars” when the great man speaks, hoards at a hash shop at Ills per week. Another, whoso trip Home was '' arranged for ” to float companies on concessions of great magnitude unknown to Parliament, pays the prinjely sum of iHs per week, including washing. Thus do these patriots display their lofty contempt for the pomps and vanities of this wicked world. FOOLING THE WOMEN.

Any stick does to beat a dog with, and anybody with a vote is worth Mr Scddou's while playing his seductive music to. Tho women number nearly as many votes as the men, and ho is doing all he can just now to catch them. Put women have memories and a very keen perception of wdiat is genuine and what is rank humbug. Now briefly what tho women owe to Mr Seddon is this. Sir John Hall tried long and against great odds to confer the suffrage on women. The party in power stood in its way. But in 1S;)3 Government saw it was inevitable and would be carried whether they opposed it or not. Tho Bill passed iln Lower Honso, and i\lr Sjddou was certain it, would be do« feated in tho Upper House. Messrs Walker and Feldwick, tho whips there, worked hard to get a majority against it, and when it was uu-

expeeicdly carried there was no more disappointed or chagriined a man in tho colony than Mr Seddon, for his well laid plots and persistent lobbying with tho lords had failed, when be felt sure of victory. The CD. Act, that so much has been made of by the Women's Leagues of late, and which the Premier has denounced so loudly, has been a dead letter for at least lo years, and could not be brought into operation anywhere without the consent of Ministers. Therefore no more need be said about the niittcr. Tho raising of the age of consent is another measure be has played fast and loose with. In l'6D:> his Ministry fixed the age at 11. A proposal to raise it then to l(i was oppo-ed by him. A compromiso of 15 was proposed and he objected to that, and as the women of the country weie aroused, lie gave way next year and voted for 1(3 years. This year he introluoccl a Juvenile Depravity Bill, giving power to policemen to arrest any girl " apparency'' under l(i years after 10 \> in. This tremendous power would be a fearful one, even with a staid well-conducted force such as we had to guard the streets of Wellington up till two or three years ago; but now, when tlic force is composed of raw Kumara levies of doubtful moral training, Ihe coiiscpioiiees to respect-,-:b'e girls would be far more farreaching than the power given under the C.I). Act regarding women of abandoned character. Lastly, lie proposes to alter our Constitution Act to enable him to nominate women to tho Upper House. These, no doubt, would be selected from the class which he is putting into the Civil Service and the members of the League described abovi. Truly, the mothers and sisters of the men of New Zealand have little to thank Mr Seddon for! lint he and his followers will claim endless benefits conferred on the sex in this colony by tlv: Seddon Goverrinent, and a few nity believe what is told them; but the history of everything connected with the mailer, so far us these time-serving politicians is concerned, is summed up in the words: " Pooling the Women."