POLITICAL NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12243, 2 July 1900, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

[From Our Correspondent.]

WELLINGTON, June 29,

THE VACANT PORTFOLIO.

Regarding the new Ministers, the feeling of the . party is that the Government ought to chdose meh who will increase their debating strength in the House as well as their administration generally. The obligation will be increased by Mr Duncan’s appointment to the Ministry, as he is nob thought likely to increase the ■ debating strength. Old stagers at the same time remember that the same thing was said about John MKenzie, arid they have not forgotten how, by assiduous practice and study, he made himself a fluent, incisive speaker, and a power in debate. The general opinion, however, is that the new appointments will have to be. made with a view to increasing the debating strength. It is thought in some quarters that this visibly weakens Mr Mills’s chance, and does nob improve Mr Hogg’s. ■ The lobbies this morning talked of little else bub the possibilities of the Lands portfolio. Many seemed incredulous of Mr (Duncan’s chances, which the “New Zealand Times” put first , in a paragraph talking round the position. Conversation ran chiefly on the prospects of Messrs Hogg and Mills, who are by many supposed to be in the running before anyone else. What they said has been repeated over and over again. The thing to find out was what the members of the party thought about Mr Duncan. Several of these, more particularly southerners, I found ready to accept him as the new Minister. They represent themselves and the party generally as not unfavourable to him. They recognise theclaims of-Otago to representation in the Ministry. ' No one, in fact, denies them. Even those members who sigh for the ideal state -of things in which territorial repre'sentation in the Ministry will be ignored, admit, .that, so long as the present system endures,' Otago has a right to a member in the Nliriistry., Another point on which many Ministers are agreed, is that '.the new Minister- ought-to' be a., practical agriculturist. “No •.■onej^': , -I'vheawi crie member say, “who is not a'"farmer would - dare show-his face as Minister of Lands, either in Canterbury or Otago, the two places where fanning counts most in the opinion of agriculturists. The Canterbury farmer thinks more of the Agricultural Deportment than of anything else in the scope of the Lands portfolio. It is the Department which collects for him all the information he wants, adds to his knowledge of matters practical, has benefited him in all things ho has to do between seed time and harvest, and found guidance for him into the markets.” The same thing was said, though more briefly, by Mr Platman during the short discussion before the passing of the M’Kenzie resolution. There was the practical farmer speaking the ideas of the practical farmers about the Agricultural Department as the best and biggest thing built up by the efforts of John M’Kenzie. Most of the Liberal members say that Mr Duncan is a farmer, and, therefore, likely to be pleasing to the farmers; and some go further, and say (that no other Otago member can fulfil that preliminary condition.. Ota© member, who represents an agricultural community, said to me: “Mr Duncan is a practical- farmerj that* s his occupation. He is 'the very 'man to give you good, practical advice, or a good decision on practical lines, and is that sort of man who, when he does not understand, won’t open his mouth. Now, there are many new lands awaiting 'settlement, Native lands, for example, ana lands lately acquired under the Settlements Act. About all these Mr Duncan is the very man to give you a serviceable opinion. Hi is too old a man for anything original to b. expected from him, hut at the present the need is not for anything new but for somebody to carry on the old. That is the very thing Tom Duncan, is.able to do.” Another member off the party informs me that the party regards Mr Duncan as specially distinguished by a long course of consistent loyalty to the Liberal land legislation. “A rough gem, but a diamond,” that is the view of most of the Liberal party; “ rough,” . without the diamond, is the pith of the Opposition view. One member added that it will be the “ completion of a grand force" to appoint Mr Duncan; ■ others deny his capacity as a farmer, and,Ministerialists retort that they used to deny the capacity ot John M’Kenzie. UNAUTHORISED EXPENDITURE.

That always interesting Parliamentary paper, the Unauthorised Expenditure Account, was laid on the table this afternoon. The total for the year ending March 31 last amounted to £79,831, which is a long way above the average. The South Africa Contingents are of course responsible for the greater part of this increase, no less that £40,086. appearing under that heading. Other defence expenditure figures at £6668. The initiation of trade with South Africa by the charter of the Undaunted cost the colony £1972 - over and above the freights recovered. There is also an item of £7OO incurred in connection with shipments of .produce. - Procuring and bringing fourteen moose from Canada ran to £1494." As compensation or retiring allowances the late Auckland gaoler, Mr Reston, got- £4OO, and Major Coleman and Captain Giant, of the Defence Department, received . £373 and 1 £265 respectively. The Department of Agriculture outran the constable to tbe tune of £6OIB, which doubtless has some connection with compensation for destroyed tuberculous cattle and the purchase of remounts. Telegraph and cable subsidies figure' for £2394, with which the war may have something to do. Several small amounts represent compassionate allowance to widows of .public employees, etc. OLD AGE PENSIONS. The report of tbe Registrar on the Old Age Pensions Act for the year ending March 31 has been presented to Parliament. Mr Mason premises with the statement that the anticipated difficulties raised by adverse critics are not apparent in the practical working of tbe measure. During the year 4699 pensions were granted, 786 pensioners died, 65 certificates were cancelled, and six pensions lapsed through non-application for the renewal. The number of pensions in force on March 31 last was 11,285, representing a pearly payment,-of £193,178. The total amount of pensions paid during the year was £157,342. The cost of administration was £2360. The estimated ratio of the number of pensioners of European descent to the number of such persons in the colony was over 40 per cent. While in some instances the pension has been misapnlied, the number of beneficiaries reported as so offending is relatively small. Testimony to the good character of pensioners generally is also borne by the fact that out of 6178 claims for the second year’s certificate only thirteen were rejected on the ground that the conditions as to character had not been fulfilled. The ratio of the number of old age pensioners to the total population varies according to locality. This variation is due partly to differences" in the percentage of persons above pension age and partly to the fact that in districts whore .mining is the chief industry-! a majority of those who have, reached; pension, ago. arc unable to earn a living. :