MINISTERIAL RECONSTRUCTION.

North Otago Times, 26 January 1906, Page 4

MINISTERIAL RECONSTRUCTION.

(Lyttclt'on Times Correspondent,) Auckland, January 23. 'A', correspondent oE the Herald, who has just returned from a visit to Wellington, and who claims to be very well informed on political matters, writes as follows regarding the question oE a reconstruction of the Ministry: "It is now so I learn from good authority, pretty well settled, pending confirmation by *a caucus, that the member for Egmont constituency (Mr Jennings) is to be Hie new Minister of Lands, and that the Hon. T, Y, Duncan's recent trip through W'eslland with the Premier was meant to prepare him for {he purer atmosphere of the Upper House. It is said that Mr Duncan cannot well reconcile himself to the freehold, which is looked upon as a certainty during next Parliament, and that the new Lands Minister must be a Government supporter, sound upon freehold tenure, and not a recent convert. There is a growing and pressing demand amongst Government supporters themselves for the immediate and satisfactory solution of the Crown and native lands difficulty, This necessitates the appointment of a progressive and able Minister for Lands from the Ajuekland province, or near it, to allay the'increasing apprehension and uneasiness amongst Government supporters themselves in regard to land tenure, and to the native and Crown lands problem. Mr J. A. Millar is looked upon as a certainty, subject' to confirmation by the caucus, for the Ministry, and it is said that Mr M'Nal) may become the Government nominee for Chairmanship of Committees, There is also a strong and general feeling amongst the few that know that politically and Ministerially wc arc upon the eve of some great and mysterious constitutional change, some political or Ministerial surprise that has so far never been guessed at or anticipated, but I cannot get the strength of it, it any. However, that Government members have been sounded recently hy the various Ministers personally in regard to Ministerial and other changes I have good reason to believe, I would incline to the conclusion that it all means the abolition of the Upper House, only that I liave also heard on most reliable authority that four Aucklanders arc to be called to this Chamber in the near future, most likely 'Messrs Ncrheny, Robert Thompson, Wi Perc and some Waikato farmer (Mr J, 13. Tcasdale, -Mr William Johns, or Mr W, W, M'Cardlc), Sir'-William- Russell will also be approached on this business, so it can hardly be the abolition ot the Legislative Council; but it may be the entire modification of it, as Sir Joseph Ward recently hinted at," ,