POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 334, 30 August 1898, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(BY TBLKGKAViI

Wellington, Lust Mi;;hfc ILLUSTRATING HANSARD.

TniiKK is every likelihood now that ihe Minister for Lands will carry his prr.poa terous proposal to put a plan of Sir John Hall's estate into Hansard. The th'iat of the irate Minister was at first regarded merely as a joke on Mr McIvenz e's part, and scarcely a single member of the House thought for a moment that he really intended to curry out such an absurd proposal. lie has already succeeded so far as to induce the Reporting Debates Committee to recommend the Speaker to allow the imp to appear in Hansard, which in itself creates a most dangerous precedent, as there would, in that e.ise. I.e. nothing to prevent all sorts of caricatures from appealing in the puUieitiou. The Committee will report to the House to-morrow afternoon, and their recommendation is almost ceituin to create a stormy debate.

MINTXTKRIAL GENSURE

The Post to-night has a particularly sultry article on Mr MeKenzie's conduct rffeiring to his threat to il ustrate Hansard in such an objsctionahle manner. It says : "It is simply an attempt to exalt as a land admiuistrator the Hon. J. MeKcnzie at the expense of a some time political opponent. During the debate on the Budget, in defending his land policy, the Minister told of the manner in which Sir John Hall acquired his estate in Canterbury. It need hardly be said that the laud was honourably acquired and in strict accordance with the. statute law, but Mr Mc Kensie wanted to contrast the evil) of the system of that time (1879) with its possibilities of monopoly, with his own more modern and democratic methods of conditional purchase and limitation of area." The Post gee: o:i to say that Mr McKenzie wi 1 enforce his will by the " tyranny of the ticket " upon a purely party vote, regardless of the rights of Parliament. He further remarks, " The Minister for Lands has said it shall be so, and to-day his nil tutored and savage will is as dominant in the Cabinet, and therefore in the House as was aforetime that, of the Premier, for the times have changed since the chosen of Kumara held the so-eal ecl Liberal party in the hollow of his brawny hand, and to-<<ay the hero of Bushy Park can compel any demand of the Premier he may choose or divide the Ministerial folio wing in twain. There is a line of cleavage in the Ministerial party and the Minister for Lands is master of the wedge that eau drive it. asunder. How can such a tyrannous and rudely courageous nature as his be expected to brook denial of any demand, however barbarous? Mr McKenzie has but to brandish the maul of his savage self-will before his affrighted chief and he becomes absolute master of the situation. He can order the party to vote, dominate Parliament, and illustrate Hansard." MR ALLEN'S ARRIVAL.

The member for Bruce, who has been unexpectedly detained in Rome by his daughter's serious illness, will, after 8.11, be able to take his seat in the House shortly. I understand that letters have been received from Mr Allen, dated Rome, July 15th, in which he states that his daughter had so far rccovi red as to permit of her removal ttotvi Rome, and Mr Allen and family were to leave for London on the 10th July. Mr Allen intended to sail for New Zealand by direct steamer as soon as possible after his arrival in Loudon. THW ESTIMATES.

Everybody appears to expect that the passage of the Estimates this session will be accompanied by some .stormy scenes in the House. If report is to be trusted, thcie were a few wordy encounters in the lobbies on Saturday morning after the House rose, and it is stated in one eas.: a burly personage fiercely ordered another whom he described as an (adjective) rat to get to the other side of the lobby or dire consequences would ensue. In another ease just after the House rose (5.45 a.m.) two leading members, who had just, before bad hot words in the House, renewed their dialogue in the lobby, the language used being reported as even beyond all Parliamentary lobby precedent. Two lesser lights got yet a stage further and rumour has it that coats were off and an adjournment wa9 marie to the open. It is further stated that nothing but the kindly publicity of daylight and consequent accession of spectators prevented a rough and tumble encounter.

WOMEN JOURNALISTS

A good deal of misconception appears to exist with respect to the attitude of the Press Gallery over the admission of lady correspondents to the gallery. The opponents of the innovation never for a moment objected to women acting us correspondents, hut by a majority of twelve to four they decided that it was not seemly to have men and women working together in the Press Gallery. In this resolution they have been strongly supported by the Wellington branch of the Journalists' Institute. The annual meeting of the Institute this afternoon carried a motion by fourteen votes to live approving of the decision of the Press Gallery and recommending that separata accommodation should bo provided for any lady reporters who might wish to take up Parliamentary work.