WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9013, 19 October 1892, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

[BY TKHEGRAPH.— corkkspondknt.] Wellington, Tuesday. HEALTH OF MINISTERS. i The Hon. Sir Patrick Buckley is the fourth I member of the Cabinet who has, in conse- ! quence of Parliamentary labour, had to put himself in the hands of the doctors. He is confined to his room through a chill caught in the late days of the session. His illness is not very serious, and a week's repose will probably enable him to return to his office. The Hon. Mr. McKenzie is much better, but the nature of his illness is such that he requires careful attention and absolute rest. The Hon. Mr, Ballance attended at his office this morning for a short time, and was able to take carriage exercise in the afternoon. The Hon. Mr. Cad man has not quite recovered from the fatigues of the session. NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS. The question of the qualification of Messrs. Walker and Ring is «till warmly argued. If it be true, however, that the Government consulted the law ofLcers before making certain of the appointments, these included, nothing is likely to come of the disputation on the subject. The names of gentlemen who are said to have been disappointed because they have not received a " call" are freely spoken of. I am not sure whether it is quite justifiable to enlarge upon such a misfortune by parading the names of the unfortunates. No sooner is one name mentioned that " one more" unfortunate turns up. I can hardly think that Messrs. J. C. Heaton, F. H. Fraser, Vincent Pyke, or Dr. Fitchett, will feel obliged to their friends, who treat them as political outcast* because they have not been called to the Upper House. Everybody here is surprised that the appointments should bo made at this time. The soundest opinions 1 can gather still favour the selection as a whole. SHOP HOURS.

Mr. Mackay, the superintendent of tho Labour Bureau, has been sounding the Wellington shopkeepers upon the operation of the Act. The proprietors generally regard it as inoperative in its present form. They consider that the closing should have been made compulsory, that no Act will be workable unless compulsory clauses are introduced. They believe that to allow batches of their men to be absent upon par ticular days, which might be varied upon any pretence whatever, would disorganise their business. At the same time Mr. Mackay reports that there is a general desire to conform to the requirements of the Act, and there is every reason to hope that satisfactory arrangements will be made during the recess. If nob, it is said the Act will have lo be amended.