The Press. TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1898. MINISTERIAL WANDERINGS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10062, 14 June 1898, Page 4

The Press. TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1898. MINISTERIAL WANDERINGS.

The electioneering of Ministers still goes on. Since Parliament rose, towards the end of December, Wellington has not seen much of their i presence. Mr. Seddon left almost! immediately the Parliament was prorogued and went to the Weet Coast. Since then, except during the Wellington eleotion, he has been everywhere except in Wellington. He has visited Otago and Southland, Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, the Wellington country districts, Auckland, Hawke's Bay, &o. The Hon. Mr. M , Kenzie has also been electioneering, but hardly in so vigorous a manner. Mr. Carroll has not been for a week in Wellington at one time since the Parliament rose. Even Mr. Hall- J Jones has been travelling. Mr. Walker too, has been to Auckland, and has not kept to his office in Wellington for any lengthened period. Mr. Thompson has left for Auckland just as Mr. Cadman has for the second time returned. There are no Cabinet meetings for the discussion of business, and no attention can be paid to careful or prudent administration. - It may be that Cabinet meetings are not required under the autocratic rule of one man, or perhaps the combined wisdom of the Cabinet is no greater than the single advice of any one Minister. It used to be said that even a combination of fools might produce some gleams of wisdom. Perhaps Mr. Seddon has found the falsity of that aphorism ; whatever the reason, he does not often seek the advice of others. Measures are supposed to be drafted and considered in Cabinet, and to be ready for Parliament. If j 1 any new measures have been framed they have not been considered in Cabinet, and no doubt we shall again have the crude, ill-digested and often ludicrous Bills that for some sessions Parliament has been flooded with. It may be asked why it is that Ministers will not stay in Wellington 'and attend to the business of the! country ? The answer is not difficult, j j The Ministry consider that the most important business they have to do is J to keep themselves in office. Their whole labour has that end in view. This is why they make so many peregrinations. They go to district after district to try to get votes. Their non-success does not discourage them. They try again. They have this advantage. There are Government moneys to distribute to placate{ districts, offices to placate supporters, j and promises for those for whom there; is nothing else. And then all these j wanderings are at State expense. For • every day .or portion of a day that a I Minister is absent from Wellington he gets £1 10s, besides all his fares and travelling expenses being paid. He can get special trains also when he j desires such modes of travelling, j Mr. Roderick McKenzie spoke the other j week at Wakefield ; the Premier at-] tended his meeting, having a special train for the purpose. He could not .travoLeveo from Proton to Blenheim

the other day without a special train being ordered. The whole travelling of Ministers is electioneering at the expense of the Colonial Treasury. It is for the Parliament to say whether the practice is to continue. There is no excuse for what has been done and is skill taking place. Wβ do not know the expense to which the colony has been put. The returns of the expenses for the year 1896-97 were ordered -by Parliament last session, but were not produced. The returns for the past few years do not, however, show all the expenses. If the full returns were given of—(1) allowances to Ministers, (2) the expenses of Ministers, and (8) allowances and expenses of the secretaries, and sometimes messengers who accompany Ministers, perhaps the people would see what the direct cost of the Ministerial wanderings is. The indirect cost— the money wasted in bribing districts —would not, it is true, appear. But even the direct cost might open the eyes of the people to what the practices of the Ministry are, and what the colony pays for Mr. Seddon's electioneering. These trips are, we suppose, being taken to try to stem that wave- of dissatisfaction with the Ministry and its methods that is passing over the oolony.. We do not think that so far the efforts of Ministers have been successful. No doubt some electors have been humbugged, but the eyes of the intelligent must have been opened. Reflecting on what is said or done must necessarily determine all intelligent and honest men and women to rally against the rule of those who have done so much injury to the colony, and made'the name of Liberalism a bye word and reproach.