NOTES, NOTIONS AND PROSPECTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 156, 27 October 1900, Page 3 (Supplement)

NOTES, NOTIONS AND PROSPECTS.

It is probable that when the gibes, banter and political caricatures of the general election of 1900 come to be reckoned up, the first prize will be awarded to F.C.G.'s admirable cutting, in winch the Prime Minister is represented cowering behind a long string

of generals, led by "Bobs." In other words the election is to be fought, not on everyday questions, but on the superb reputation of our only General. Mr Chamberlain has himself said "the main question will be the war in South. Africa." As to the outcome by November Ist, there surely can't be a doubt. It is not Tory capacity, but Liberal incapacity which makes the Radical defeat so solidly dismally certain. Big "set-

backs" Qiave before been known at general elections, but it was always through under - estimating- public opinion on little things. The war is not everything. John BuJl occasionally thinks of his pocket, his stomach, and his religion. For years Parliament has sniggered and jeered at the Nonconformist conscience- Often our M.P.'s have been right in their derision. But tlhe effect is that a powerful body of fierce enemies has been raised up. ' Still these angry chapel folk are scarcely likely to materially upset the stalwart Conservative majority. One sees indeed no quarter frofn which help could come to the Liberals. ANGLO-COLONIAL CANDIDATES. One of the most interesting contests will be that in Caithness, hitherto fepresented by Dr. G. B. Clark, who seeks to serve two masters —the Boers and British. Despite recent revelations as to !his unpatriotic correspondence, and his advice to the Boers to* ■"seize the passes," it seems by no means certain that he will notbe again returned as an English M.P. He posed as the sole author of the Crofters Act, and by sending to every crofter a copy of the Act, bound in a cover with the Eoyal Arms and "The Crofters Act, by Dr. G. B. Clark," gained a hold upon the crofters which it will be hard to loosen. His candidature is likely to be helped by the putting forward by the Liberals of Mr Leicester Harmsworth, who has none of the ' brains of his brother Alfred, of "Daily Mail" fame. Yet a third Liberal candidate is spoken of besides the Unionist representative. In Orkney and Shetland Mr J. Cs^th- j cart Wason, in the Unionist interest, i will have a hard tussle with Sir Leonard Lyell, nephew of the great geologist, who has represented the island constituency since 1885. Mr Eugene, Wason throws in "his lot with the Liberals, and will again contest Clackmannan with Mr George Younger, the well-known brewer of Alloa. In the St- Tvollox Division of Glasgow Mr Faithful Begg is ertiring. In Falkirk Burghs, Mr ''Anthony Hope I Hawkins, of the Dolly Dialogues, etc, | etc., is coming forward as a Liberal, ] while for the Central Division of Edinburgh, Dr. Conan Doyle is mentioned as a likely Unionist. Gilbert Parker stands for Gravesend. Mr Freeman Thomas, Lord Brassey's .son-in-law, is the adopted Liberal candidate for Hastings. Captain the Hon. Hedworth

Lambton, who has already been a thorn in the side of the Government, will be still more so if returned in the Liberal interest for Newcastle-on-Tvne.

The Midland Railway of New Zealand know ■something of Mr E. Brodie Hoaxe, the. sitting member for Hampstead and director of the National Bank' of New Zealand- Mr Hoare's seat will be unetratested.

Mr W. H. de R. Walker, who, supported. Processor Aldis when he abused New'^fealr.-id StaeKTLjt^ lias TteEro. adopted second I/ibe-PS? cundrdate for Plymouth.