The Press. MONDAY, JUNE 13, 1802. THE HON. W. P. REEVES' VISIT.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 8197, 13 June 1892, Page 4

The Press. MONDAY, JUNE 13, 1802. THE HON. W. P. REEVES' VISIT.

We are now within a few days almost of the opening -of Parliament,-and it would naturally be expected that the members of the great Radical Ministry would be chained ton their desks in Wellington, working like galley staves for the amelioration .of the condition of mankind, by preparing Had teal measures, that is to say, measures imposing' taxation* or restricting individual liberty. . Jt is somewhat surprisiug, therefore, to find Mr. Seddon away in tho far _iorth. aud Mr. He_vE3 in the far South at this juncture. But Mr. Seddon's absence from Wellington is easily explained. There was a banquet at Whaugarei, and the burly Minister of Mines, with iiis magnificent; digestion, must needs be there to take part in it. That is his chief function in the Ministry —to go out to dinner at somebody else's expense— and sing "The Weariugof tbe (Jreen" afterwards.: »

Mr. Keeves'. absence from Wellington is not susceptible of so easy an explanation. Many explanations have been suggested to us. Some say that the Minister for Labour, being somewhat of a dyspeptic, has been sent by Mr. Ballance to get an airing before the session, aud that he is down here, therefore, for the good of his health.* Others Bay. that the honourable gentleman, being of an exceedingly genial, rollicking, jovial disposition, which accouuta for his great personal popularity with all classes, was found to be rather a hindrance to his colleagues iv the solemn work of preparing Radical measures for Parliament, and that ho has been induced to leave Wellingtbu for a little while in order that the CabjuejL'jaiigh't' finish their tasks undisturbed by his playfuluesa —that- be thus in; other words been got rid of for a season on the same principle which induces a hard working mother to send her highspirited little boy to play in The garden while she is busy making things tidy in the house for the visitors. Others, again, who" allow party bitterness to affect their judgment, Bay that this rising young statesman, 'though an adept at captious carping criticism of what others do, is incapable of much in the way of constructive statesmanship, aud, therefore, is of ho assistance when the Bills are being drafted. Another explanation is that Mr. Heeves somewhat bores ,his colleagues by constantly declaiming, his own comto poetry, and repeating his former jokes, and that it is well ho should travel a; little, so as to get a fresh audience, and possibly to lay in a fresh stock for the ensuing session. Now, our explauatioa is a much more charitable one. We think that the Ministry really honestly believe that Mr. Reeves is an exceedingly talented young man. They have given him a high sounding title", and they have sent him down as one of the most trusted officers of the great Radical army to review the „ contingeut of troops stationed at Sydenham and elsewhere in the outskirts of Christchurch, and to inspire them by his martial eloquence to fresh deeds of valour iv the ensuing campaign. We are of course not surprised that the suburbs of Christchurch are chosen for this military display. It .was not to be expected that the Ministry would care to meet any of the farming community. They know they have but little support to expect from the producing classes. - They cannot talk about tbe land to people who farm the land, because they would be sure to expose their own ignorance. Mr. Beeves ia very proud of his new title* Minister for Labour. It is very imposing. The true Radical in this colony thinks there is a great deal iv a name. We do not care to stop to inquire what right the Ministry have to create anew portfolio without Legislative authority. They have a perfect mania for {making new offices. If they had their way they would confer a high office and an ample salatgy upon every member of their party. The Eadical party would then resemble the

regiment to which Artbmus Wabd said he belonged, which was composed " excloosively" of Brigadier-Generals, j The Liberal, who is uot »• member of the great Radical party naturally thinks that the Labour Bureau could have been supervised, and tho Factories Act administered by tbe Colonial Secretary—who, as far as we know, is not a very much over-worked individual—just as well as by a Minister with a special title. Still we ldo not complain. Mr. Reeves will smell as sweet under the name of Minister of Labour as under any other appellation. As he told his audience the other night, he was the first Minister of Labour in tbe British Empire, and doubtless this may lead to his name being embalmed for the benefit of remote posterity in such useful works o£ reference as " Whitaker's Almanac" and other publications of a similar class. We do not grudge him this opportunity of acquiring lasting fame. | There is not a very great deal to be learned from Mr. Reeves' oration at Sydenham. We fancied we detected sigus in it of a hope springing in the Ministerial breast that there" would bo a di&soiutien before long. From some points of view an early dissolution might suit the Ministry. If their term of office lasts another year they will be certain of defeat when they go to the country. But if they can pick a quarrel with somebody now,' whether it be the Governor or the Legislative Qouucil or a majority of the present House,, of Representatives and get the worst of it, which can be easily arranged, aud can get a dissolution, which will not be so easily arranged as they seem to think, they could go to the constituencies with a lachrymose whine aud a much greater chance of success than if they are allowed to fill up tho full measure of their iniquity. Ilojace it is we fancy that Mr. Reeves lays so much stress upon organisation. The Ministry long to be galloping towards a dissolution.

This surmise leads us to another. We fancy Mr. Beeves at the next election will desert his first love, tho Radicals of Cauterbury, and will seek to nestle in the bosom of those of Wellington, and we hold to this idea notwithstanding bis hypothetical repudiation of it on Friday nigbb. This, wo tako it, is why all his interest in the West Coast Railway appears to have subsided. This is why he wishes tho war cry United Canterbury, of which he was the inventor, to merge in that of tbe National Radical Party of New Zealand, That recumbent giant, Mr; 'J'aylor, is to have the Minister of Labour no longer as a colleague. Whether Mr. Reeves is a warming pan for Mr. Russell or Mr. Rae we do not know. Doubtless there will bo mauy applicants for the post of Radical representative of Christchurch. Hence Mr. Reeves' vigorous denunciation of the selfish candidates who come forward and split votes. We calmly await the future, and console ourselves with tbe reflection that our loss will be Wellington's gain.