POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 483, 5 September 1899, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(BY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT) Wellington, Last Night. THE VERDANT COUNCILLOR.

The practical joke played on the Hon. Mr McCullough by Messrs Carncross and O'Meara is still the ta!k of the lobbies, and the latest absurdity put forth is that the Auckland harbour is to be shifted to Lyttelton. It is now seriously stated that a breach of privilege will result from the indignant telegrams sent to members from Auckland instructing them to defend their much-loved San Francisco service.

THE ASSETS REALISATION BOARD.

A great deal of unfavourable comment has been caused by the action of the Government in defeating the Hon. Mr Steven's motion for an inquiry into the working of the Assets Board, which is now a colonial concern. Mr Stevens intended asking the Legislative Council to agree to the appointment of a committee last session, but he reueived a definite assurance from the Premier that he himself would set up a committee this year, and he therefore refraiuad from doing so. There being no appearance of the committee this session, Mr Stevens moved in the matter by a direct motion, which was lost by only one vote, and would have resulted in a tie if a " pair " had not been broken. Some of the Seddouites in the Council now assert that they would have voted for Mr Stevens' motion had it not been for the strong party speech made by Mr Ormond, and if so the motion would certainly have been carried. The fact, however, that it was strongly opposed by the Minister for Education and defeated by the Government supporters in the Council, is not very creditable to Ministers, especially iu the face of Mr Seddon's promise to Mr Stevens. The inference is, of course, perfectly manifest that they dare not on the eve of a general election let any light into the working of the Assets Board, of which the Premier himself is a prominent member. It may probably be just as well from the Opposition point of view that the motion was defeated by the Government influence ; but the country at large will undoubtedly, during the coming contest, regard Ministers' action with doubt and suspicion, Mr Ormond made a remarkably able speech on Mr Stevens' motion, and he was quite up to his best Parliamentary debating form, with which the older members of the Lower House are so familiar. Mr Seddon's tactics and the defeat of Mr Steven's proposal is strongly commented on by the Post, which says that the whole circumstances indicate that the Premier is for some reason or other desperately anxious to avoid any disclosure of the real position of affairs, and, further, it proves that the right hon. gentleman is ready to have recourse to questionable and reprehensible tactics iu order to stop enquiry. The story was told clearly iu the Hont Mr Ormond's speech, aud his accoun. was fully confirmed by the Hon. Mr Stavens. The colony is eo accustomed to the Premier's broken promises and unreliable statements that it has become callous to the evils such conduct is bringing into our public life. The same papsr says : "It is one thing to make vague electioneering promises, which are believed neither by speaker nor listener, and quite another to make explicit pledges to a fellow legislator, and then, when his part of the bargain has been fulfilled, simply to refuse to carry oub your own understanding. We have no wish.to be unjust to Mr Scddon, and we are quite ready to admit that he sees no wrong iu lines of action that men of a different moral calibre would consider devious and unwarrantable, but everyone who reads carefully the tale told by Messrs Ormond and Stevens mutt feel it reveals a side of the Premier's public life that is unworthy of his position and far from creditable to the colony."