JOTTINGS FROM WELLINGTON

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4356, 28 February 1893, Page 2

JOTTINGS FROM WELLINGTON

(By Oar Own OamapontkntY

I em tusiued by «n intimalo friend of Mr Soubw Maekswsla thatjthere in not the slightest chance of mi con- [ Mating to stand either for (lto Maaterton or tb« l'tiluMrslou Nolrlh seats at Uio noxt General Kloction. Mr Mackenzie will ptltik to hit native howlti And fight the olkrr redoubtable " Mao ftho Hon, John MnKcozlo* to tha death. A veritable battle of the gwli it wilt be, too, when these doughty 1 champions bre i arrayed one another in the lists of politics. Mr Kcobie Mackensie ut fujly aware that it would ba a vast ruietuku <o desert the South »id imperil his chances of a feturu to politics, which might happen if he were defeated in the North. His trusty adherents in the South would naturally resent Eiia desertion very keenly. As you very wisely {jointed out in a resist article, Mr Scobie Mackenzie is a men who can ill be epand, and it would therefore be sheer Jolly to rsiti any iisk. Mr Bcobia Mackenzie's chances are just us good as bis. opponents! there is not much fear of " JDear Mother Ida " j . proving unfaithful: to her son if he remains faithful to her. The voters of the electorate may well exclaim, . howevur, "a plague on both your hoaßoa," knowing as well they do 1 " bow happy could they be 'with either i were t'other dear charmer away."

I am still assured molt reliably hat thero is ao real perm ment im- ' movement ia the Premier's health, £ Irepite the oft-reiterated assertions to ho contrary. :It has bi-ea stated by < some of Uio Ministerial journals that ■ while outwardly professing regret at J the Premier's ill health tha Opposition > organs are inwardly rejoitacg at the ■ tact, and are endeavouring to sow : 3issension by stating that the Minis- ] Serial family is anything but a happy ' dhu. The latter aßßcrtiop may or may not be true; we can hardly know ! enough about the f&ois ia state any- 1 thing positively, rumours will get 1 abroad, but it can be boldly as&eried 1 that tha Opposition press {throughout the Colony moat sincerely and deeply deplore Mr Ballaneo'a ill-jhealth, recognising at once that if this country | la to he ran by a Radical Government the fact of a higb»niiad<id man of nure and diriiiteresii-d motives like Mr Dullance, hoiog at the bead of aiTairs, will, at anyrate.bßj & safeguard tlmt nothing revolutionary will be attempted. Mistaken, Mr Ballanca may sometimes be, like any other murtalj but the purity of bia motives is beyond question, 'i'he Opposition press desires abore all things, failing of course the advent of their own party to power* that the Premier may be speedily restored to complete health aad strength, if not for the Colony's sake at least for| his own. Ministers are casting about for a locum Unem lor the Colonial Treagttrership in the event of Mr Ballance not taking his Beat in Parliament this year. Mr Ward, who baa shown that he is possessed of jcoosiderable financial ability, will probably be Be* lected to fill the position.! Last geß* sion Mr Ward took charge of several important financial measures, when the Premier waa soil), and conducted their passage through the House with marked success. Mr Ward is now looked upon as the coining Treasurer iu the event of a re-distribution of portfolios takisg place ; he is one of the strong men of the Ministry and is possessed of more than ordinary administrativs and financial ability. Personally popular on bptb Bides of the House, endowed with much tact and a pleasant manner, he is a toner of strength to'the Government. Unfortunately Mr Ward's large business connection in the South may interfere much with his political usefulness. The Leader of the Oppc sition passed through Wellington the t ther day «;i route to Auckland to atbend the annual meeting of the Njew Zealand University Senate. Whilst in Auckland Mr Holleston will address: a public meeting setting forth' the views, the aims knd aspirations of his party. Not that the aforesaid party are hojjeful of any beneficial result to their pause, for as the B'osun of H.K.B. "Pinafore" very tersely put it "he meaaa well but he doesn't know." Mr Sollesion no doubt raean3 well bud he certainly doesn't know what the Opposition platform is, or if he does he haß not seen fit to enlighten bis followers. Mr Eolleston bad an j interview in Wellington with the Opposition metnbeis but from what I can learn did net propound any startling revolutionary policy. Apparently be is a firm believer in the theory of ■' masterly inaction," a disciple of the " laiistz /aire" school. Principles somewhat out of date in these days of action. |

Mr T. L. Snick the bat-headed impnleive and eloquent occupant of the Blenheim seat is, 1 hear, likely to be opposed at the general election by Mr Sinclair, a Blenheim lawyer of gome repute. Mr Bnick is too young jet to have learnt prudence and the Government are not keenly desirous of retainingbissomewhat unruly allegiance, and wilt no doubt welcome the appearance in the House of one who has greater command over his fseliaga than Mr Buielc has. Mr Bnick ia apt to play the part of a " candid friend " far to frequently for the liking of the Government; in other Words politically speaking, he is too honest and far too sensible to accept all the socalled Liberal doctrine as words of "holy writ." : I

It would bo a thoDsani pities were Mr Buicik left out oq thd next occasion as he is: likely I to make a very useful mem war ia time to come when he h&A got past the callow stage. Ha isj possessed of undoubted ability if he I would only leave off posing as a genius, be has oratorical powers of no 1 me&a order, they eavoar somewhat 16t present, perhaps of the. " preachy-preachy" debating-club style, but it is a fault he will eoob grow out of if lie does not allow his head to be turned by a few transitory successes, How the clever young carpenter j from Blenheim with his apparent hatred of Bh&snSj reconciled, it With bis poaBcien&s lo': reamm secroi ary of' the Great National Libert! Association passelii understanding Buttbeo I s&ppoaeitis a case of ppeket before principles, aa in cverythitig eJtewbwt a good salary is a coawderatioo. Talking of the Liberal Association reminds mo that very litile baa been heard lately of this potent organisation. Perhaps lilea the shadowy <« Vehmanricbt'' they are working tfaairlUUe pleas la the dsspest secrecy, and ttie fins tsrUh ills Bias! aseoßjpamroenisof S dagger, skutt and orosa-bsttM, we' will'fad asUrtiiag |sa»N» tda»Mioth(|^di(««||(|i«i

oneraie# oi thejr oansg, Whatever may U iSoiag in private, nothiag ia being done in mbta Metatan oftbo Af*oci»Uob with the weopilon of tlt« oonucxl of Mm 6h*ei kaow notbiUi and * tn n°* *HB»inßh>B to womtorwbatcn h * T ° twid ,h " ic subsorlj-

It h aow SBeouneea . Ueorge Fwher will contest the UoU sent at the General Election ia onpo. aii ion to Dr. Ktwmtt). it is net generally believed tbat sack will »>* the case nor ate the chances of Mr Fisher's bucocbs. even if ha does do cide to stand, likely to be vary promising. Dr. Newtnan is ' ta* too' firmly rooted iti the ttSeotioßa of the electorate to fear Opposition. The Doctor has dona too much for Mb constituency and is much too popular in the district to be passed over for another, and Mr Fisher haa been ill-advised, if iha rspers. Jj&s any foundation on fact, 3|S report that Mr Vogel will. Wellington aeata aflEFliext ele turn is of Jong Btmsfiufj|Jbut it >s believed that the preseiit aoHoaiicemeat js put out as a, feeler MBii than anything else, Mr Vogelis ah tiinbitioua young man, and witii tSe countenance 01 present Government and tha &s*fiß of bis father's • asyftß llisdovinj bim. he would no doubt receive a certain amount of support. Still, it is very questionable; what claims be has for consideration bejood these f»0t«.

Wellington is oversewing jnstnow with an access of Botabilifclea in tha great English wqrW of rack and fashion. Amongst the visitors at Government: House aria Lordiyß&L Ludy Mopetpuu, the ' GoantfSinW'" Elgin sod bar daughter Lady Marione Bruce, Lord .Nortb&Bk, A.8.0. to Lord Hopetonn, ?tha Duebess o£ Buckingham and Chaneos, and Mis* Wolfe-Murray; Miss Wolfe-Murray ia one of the reigning beauties of fashionable society. Oarersmeiit House is in boQgequeace crowd* ed ont, and some of Lord GlaagoVa suite and other visitor® have had io seek refuge atjbi Wellington Club. Cards are now oat for sm " at boms " on Wednesday neit to meat Lord aad Lady Uopetoon, bat danoiog will ba strictly tabooed on aeocuat of the Lenten Seswa, laadb to the duMux pnintnont of tha younger acetioaa of Wellington soeitty.

ConaiJfrrflbls surprise Is felt liera that His Worship the Mayo? lisa not seen fit tO -Mil .s publio eaeeting ia ordfli- tliat a Cofflwlitea i iwgbe ba formed, and:a sy&teisatie esevas of the town isi&ela for contributions ia. aid of the Queensland Flo<de i Fuad. Beyond annouccicg tib-at lha town clerk would receive subMripttotM nothing has been dens, and if it bad not been for the public spirit a»S promptness shown by-the " Evening Post" in opeiuug e subscription list, Wellington, the; Empire City, aatl wealthiest to wn in'the Colony, wimM have mads avery miserable ios m compared with; the liberality show* in tiie other large towns. ■ -Xbanks to the " Evening post" tba &pgaa& to the public has been fairly rsapondeS to, bnt the result js notbiag-ie wh&t it should and wbtild have j been had & proper action to canvas the town beaa, taken. The Major's action: is entirely acuccountubte, and so different u> Ms usual promptness in deaiissg with a public question,' that- thsrf> mast ban more in it thais insets the eye, -