Untitled

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 205, 5 September 1901, Page 4

The following “ Domestic Notice ” appeared in the Diamond Fields Advertiser : —Engagement,—Mr Thomas Kennedy to Miss Bcrgersen.—This is to certify that I am engaged to Miss Bcrgersen from this date for marriage.—lßth April, 1901, Kimberley. Bulletin's remarkable obituary notice John M'Kcmdc's death may have more serious effect on the fortunes of Now Zealand Liberalism than even that of John Ballance. When the latter died, he loft men behind him —M’Kenzic, Reeves, and the Seddon of those days—to carry on his work. Xow, Reeves seems to have turned his back on Now Zealand", and M’Kenzio is dead. Seddon alone is left, and he has already become an Imperialist, and is now coming, as is only natural, to be a reactionary. At a recent meeting of the Labor members, after lcctuting them on their shortcomings, he told them that he did not mean to introduce any more Labor legislation just now. fie has already withdrawn his State Fire Insurance Bill, and has accepted without a murmur the rejection by the Legislative Council of his Referendum Bill. Ward is even worse. He has never pretended too much sympathy with the workers—as a monopolist in trade his interests must bo largely opposed to theirs—and the way in' which ho rushed the tinsel gaud when it was offered to him shows how little he is wtth them at heart. The other ministers are mere nonentities, whoso opinions, if they have any, donlt count. The only strong and staunch man now left on the Liberal side seems to be Hogg, and his anti-Jingo sentiments for the present leave him no chance of office. So long as Jock M’Kcnzie was alive, so long was there a guarantee that the party of progress would have at least one enthusiastic, able, raid whole-souled leader. Now he is gone, and the party is left in charge of two stout gentlemen whoso chief pride is apparently to strut round in gold-lace and knee-breeches, and talk wildly about “ saving the Hempire."