WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9188, 18 October 1888, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] Wellington, Wednesday. CABINET COUNCIL. Ministers were engaged in Cabinet to-day, both in the forenoon and afternoon, until past five o'clock. THE RAILWAY BOARD. Curiosity is again awakened as to the personal composition of this body. Rumour is extremely busy on the subject. Ministers profess to know nothing about it. A controversy has arisen between two of tho local journals upon railway matters, and people pretend to see through this flood of printer's ink "darkly" the shadows of the ! three commissioners who, in the popular notion, will form the board. The names that appear to have persistent prominence are those of the Hon. E. Richardson, Mr. Maxwell, and Mr. C. Y. O'Connor. It is a remarkable circumstance that as the probability of getting the services of an English Commissioner became less, these three names came to the front rank in public estimation. There is a negative corroboration of the rumours to be found in the fact that no other names are suggested that could represent anything like the experience of these three gentlemen. Their fitness severally for the office strengthens the likelihood of their being nominated. Somebody, however, appears to have discovered a difficulty which nobody else ever anticipated. This difficulty is found in the appointment of the Chief Commissioner. It is confidently stated that the Hon. Mr. Richardson, by seniority and experience, has the best claim to this position, but upon what authority I cannot ascertain. Rumour has it that Mr. Maxwell will not be content to serve under a New Zealand Commissioner, although he would be well content to serve under an English or American Chief Commissioner. If one should be appointed from the colony he will retire altogether. In the minds of some people, this would be an advantage; but Mr. .Maxwell has friends, numerous and powerful, who believe that lie has worked the railways of the colony as well as they could be worked. Nobody appears to think tha; political influence will be wholly a stranger at the Council Board, whether there is a commissioner from England or elsewhere. The name of Mr. O'Connor has prominence from the fact that as a civil engineer his experience is almost wholly derived from connection with railways. " NOMADIC MINISTERS." v..a.. ci-i. i. ... a c 1..., h».»c volioniCllt attack upon the Government this evening, j The foundation for this onslaught is the alleged intention of two of the Ministers to go to Melbourne. I must say that, although I have seen Ministers every day for ooine time past, no hint of such intention was given to me at any time. If Ministers wished to see the Melbourne Exhibition, it seems a little hard that they should not be permitted to do what every commercial man who has the means to pay a steam fare and a fortnight's hotel bill is now doing. The following is an indication of the spirit of this assault: —" The peregrinations of previous Ministers have, as a rule, been confined to the colony, and by providing an agreeable travelling companion in the shape of a private secretary, and receiving a few deputations here and there, a decent pretence of attending to some public business has been maintained : hut the present occupants of office are going in for bolder flights, and we shall shortly have three of our Ministers on a roving commission in Australia. We do not think such a thing has ever before occurred. The Minister of Justice is already in Melbourne, and the Ministers of Public Works and Education, it is announced, are about to meet him there. During the Cup week there will be as many New Zealand Ministers in Melbourne as in Wellington, or probably more. Happy country ! that can thus do with so little Government, and whose affairs are in such a complete state of administrative perfection that those responsible for the conduct, of affairs regard seeing the Melbourne Cup run for as of superior importance to any demand upon their attention by the affairs of the colony. ' THE DEPARTURE OF THE GOVERNOR. The artists of Wellington have presented the following address to His Excellency : — " It is with extreme regret that the Council of the Fine Arts Association, of which you have been patron from the first, learn that your term of office as Governor of New Zealand will shortly expire. They therefore desire to take this opportunity of tendering to your Excellency their hearty thanks for the warm interest you have always taken in the welfare and progress of the Association, and your readiness to help them in their efforts to cultivate a taste for art among our rising generation, as well as for the encouragement you have give to New Zealand artists. And they beg your Excellency's acceptance of their very best wishes for the welfare of yourself and Lady Jervois, and family." MR. DIXON, M.V. The member of the House of Commons for Edgbaston, is now in Wellington. He is staying at the Wellington Club with his son, who came from Napier to meet him. Mr. Dixon, I am informed, is the owner of a sheep station in the Wairarapa district.