POLITICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8472, 24 January 1891, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Friday. THE NEW MINISTRY.

Rumour is busy to-night with the new Ministry. It is said that the personnel will be as follows :—Mr. Ballance, Premier and Treasurer ; Mr. John Mackenzie, Lands; Mr. W. P. Reeves, Education ; Mr. Seddon, Mines ; Mr. Buckley (in Council), AttorneyGeneral, and either Mr. Cadraan or Mr. Kelly representing Auckland, probably taking the Native Department, and perhaps Postal. There is nothing new in this, except the reported possibility of Mr. Kelly being included, bub the rest are looked on as fixed. The Opposition leaders, however, assert that nothing is definitely settled yet. PROMOTIONS. The outgoing Ministry have appointed Major Newall, Chief Clerk in the Native office, and have promoted Major Gordon (Otago) to a colonelcy, appointing him to the command of the Canterbury district, Major Webb, of Nelson, succeeding him in the Otago command; also 105 new J.P.'s are gazetted. RAILV.AY EMPLOYEES. A deputation, consisting of Messrs. Taylor and Tanner, waited upon Mr. Maxwell to-day, and requested him to consult the convenience of railway employes as far as possible in shifting them from one part of the colony to another. Mr. Maxwell replied that the Chief Commissioner (Mr. McKerrow) was away, and vould not be back for a few days, but he (Mr. Maxwell) was personally in favour of keeping men in the locality where they lived, except in case of urgent necessity. SIR F. WHITAKER. It is reported that Sir F. Vv hibaker resigns in the Legislative Council at the close of this session, and retires finally from politics. THE EGMONT SEAT. Mr. Macguire, who contested theEgmont seat with Sir H. Atkinson, is expected to do battle again for the seat, his probable opponent being Mr. Bruce, late M.H.R., who was defeated by Mr. George Hutchison in the general election for Waitotara. CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE. The Opposition will most likely run Mr. Fisher for the Chairmanship of Committees, there being apparently no equally convenient mode of dealing with him. DEPUTATION TO THE GOVERNOR. A deputation waited on the Governor this morning anent the appointments to the Upper House. Messrs. Shera, Fish, and Jackson Palmer were the members appointed to present the protest, and in company with Mr. Rees and some others duly performed this task. The Governor's reply is naturally regarded as a severe snub, and it is keenly felt by the Opposition generally. Some members of the party threaten in retaliation to press forward Sir ' George Grey's Elective Governors Bill. Mr. Taylor already regards this .measure as his own special property, and Mr. Shera, I hear, contemplates moving in the matter. Mr. O'Conor, who presented the protest of the Independents, which differed from the other only in approving of the appointment of Sir Harry Atkinson, states that he could have secured a number of other signatures to his protest had he had a little more time. As it was he only got the signatures of himself, Mr. T. Thompson, and Mr. J. W. Thomson Tho Governor in reply to the pev.. .-.,.■ is, it is understood, said he was responsible to the Secretary of State alone for the appointments he made, and he had already made tho. appointments. He referred the signatories of the petition to his despatch for further information, saying that it was to bo laid on the table as soon as the Speaker was appointed. His reply was very curt, j but the leading members say they expected nothing more. They considered they had a duty to perform, and they did it.'