WELLINGTON NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 36, 1 October 1896, Page 3

WELLINGTON NOTES.

[l'K'.ot on; owx cmiii->POXi>ENT|. ■\VIir.MNGTOX, September 21. NOT IN ORDEB OF REFERENCE. Mn Gkokgr Hutchison has expended much labour, patience and ingenuity in piecing together bis budget of enquiries regarding the Land Legislation only to be met at every turn with the Premier's stereotyped objection '' It is not iu the order of reference." But so long as the member for Patea got the question in he felt gratified to a limited extent, because the question would appear in the report of the Enquiry, and the refusal to answer would show that there was a disposition on the other side to hush things up. But on Saturday tlm fncties of ministers were altered and the chairman, who is obedient in all things, refused to have the objectionable questions recorded. To those who live in the country and have conceived the idea that this inquest has been sitting for I'2 weeks to find out about false balance sheets and what happened before the purchase of the Colonial Bank, it may appear strange that such questions as the following were ruled out of order. Mr Hutchison (oMr"Ward : "Wereyou Manager of the J. G. Ward Association in IS!)-]?" Whereupon Mr Ward asked the Chairman whether he would allow the Committee to inquire into the private affairs and the accommodating Mr Graham promptly said " No." The Premier then observed for the b'TSth time since the proceedings commenced " I object to the question as being outside the order of reference." To-day when Mr Vigors was under examination Mr Hutchison asked him "Did you swear an affidavit before the Supreme Court at, Dunedin there had been writings-oil: in respect of the Ward Association Account ? " The Premier blocked this by asking the Chairman in a suggestive tone if it was not out of order, and incidentally remarked that. Mr Hutchison was defying the Chair by putting such a question. The Chairman said Mr Hutchison could ask the witness whether he now swore that there were any wrilings-off, upon which Mr Hutchison said wdiat he wanted from Mr Vigors was what ho had sworn in the affitlavit not what he said now. Some compliments then passed in which the Honourable Jock McKenzie took a bund, remarking that it would be necessary to have the Judge and his notes to prove what Mr Hutchison asked to which that gentleman retorted that if the Judge were before the Committee that Mr McKonzie would insult him. This observation made in Patea's most cynical tone roused the anger of the Minister, who saiel he woulel like to hear him say that in the lobby, and if ho diel he would " make short work of him and give him a smack on the head." Mr Graham then ruled Mr Hutchison's question out of order. THE FIELD OF BATTLE. When the adjournment came Mr Hutchison was the last to leave, and on reaching the lobby he was five or fix yards behind his challenger, who was standing with other members. Mr Hutchison, with much deliberation, said : "Mr John McKenzic .' You dared me to repeat certain words in the ?obby ; T do so." The tone was so taunting that the short-tem-pered Minister felt the smart and was out of his coat in an instant, when Chairman Graham seized him, saying, " For God's s ike, don't disgrace us," and Mr Ward threw himself out as a support urging peace, but the irate Highland man shouted to " let me get at him," ami the Premier stood in front of Mr Hutchison trying to induce him to beat a retreat ; but Patea having graduated wiih honours in his rally days in the lislic arena, was quite preparer! to resist the brute force of his assailant and calmly awaited the itish. Meantime that, heavy weight was proving too much for his bottleholders (Ward and Graham), and the Premier went to their assistance, and partly by fjree of muscle and partly by persuasion the Minister of Lands was induced to resume his coat. A good deal of regret has been expressed at the incident, the chief sorrow being that the parties diel not light to a finish. THE ELECTIONS. The new mans, which finally fix the boundaries of the district?, were hung up in the lobby this afternoon. The district most affected is Wairau, which has Havelock and a part of the Sounds taken out of it and tacked en to Nelson. This effeetv.aliv disposes of anv chance Mr C. H. Mills had of re-elec-tion, which will be a great relief to the country, for his everlasting Chemis case has cost the colony many thousands of pounds dining his Parliamentary career, and that has been lis one idea, except that he has managed to have many miles of roads made in various parts of the Sounds, ■which no one ever uses or will use, as all the settlers have boats and water carriage is quicker and cheaper. Another candidate for tb.e City is announced to-day in Mr W. J. Williams, who is a leading light among the Freemasons and benefit societies ; he is also secretary for the Licensed Victuallers Association. He will run with the Keddon team, and Mr Hutchison will be. the Seddonian Labour Candidate, who courts the prohibition vote. The three Government candidates are quite a variety troupe—a dignifiel merchant, a. secretary for the publicans and a temperance advocate who has advanced socialistic views. There is an abundance of candidates in most of the electorates. Pahiatua having no less than 11, and there is the same number for the Western Maori, most of them hailing from the neighbourhood of Wanganui. For the Waihemo and Timaru seats, Messrs John McKenzic and Hall-Jones have no Opposition. There h«ve been paragraphs going the rounds of the papers concerning a gentleman rejoicing in the suggestive name of McSkimmings as an opponent of the redoubtable McKcnxie, but enquiry indicates that this ex-pupil of Sir Kobt. Stout's is an adherent of the sitting member and his candidature is a sort of warning to others to keep off the grass. There arc such a host of relatives, inspectors, co-operatives, and others in Waihemo provided lor that no opponent could hade for anything but lefeat in that land of the clan McKonzie. For "Wanganui there was a very fair crop of aspirants for the £2O per month up I ill lust week, but now the battle will be a duel between Messrs Willis and Carson. The latter will have belli the opposition and temperance people with him and ought to score an easy win. For Taranaki the star of E. M. Smith is on the wane. His ironsand company failed to flout. As a, matter of fact, if never reached the launching stage. "He llomi " trumpeted too loudly and the jauntiness be brought back from London is replaced by a limpness, his glossy lolllopper is brushed the wrong way and he has ceie.cel to write poetry.