WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11047, 26 February 1898, Page 6

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

(•Feom Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, February 25, PUBLIC OPINION.

Mr George Hutchison, M.H.R., has returned to Wellington from Patea, which district he represents in the House of Rspresentatives. He had ft pleasant time of it with his constituents at Ilaetiti, for he obtained a " unanimous" vote of thanks mid confidence. In that electorate a strong feeling has set in against the Government,, chiefly en account of what is described as gross maladministration of the kanria department. The Battlers stats that they wera promised roads to give access !to their properties. There was formerly a ttrong support of the Government in the district, Tbe local newspaper (the Manawatu Standard), uuca a strong supporter of the Government, fays: "Putting ineu on ths land and imagining that/that" is his only duty shows that tho Hon. Mr M'Kenzie understands only the ABC of Sacrt settlement. It was not unnatural considering the o])3!i acknowledgment made by reesabets of th* Ministry as to ths mode of distributing the taxpsyHfc' money—that it would go among their friends and supporters. The purity of party, which is the custodian of public liborty, ought not to ho smirched with rampant corruption in expenditure. The, time is not far distant when thera shall be no uncertain sound from the electors on this point. Ths Government have very little support now in Patea." ■ < ■ THE WELLINGTON ELECTION. j Mr Kirk to-day delivered an addcess on the j Queen's syharf during the dinner hour. The i Post describes Mr Kirk: as •* the nurseliug of a ' wardor.politieian.'.' Mr Duthis will deliver an address ou the topics of his address undealt with last night at tba Skating Rink on Monday night. Mr Duthie said, in reply to a question, that the co - operative work wns degradicg the worker, and men wero gettiug »s low as 2s 3d a day on it." Mr Dubhie (iescrioed it further, in answering a question j last night, as an expedient " invented by the j Premier to give him the power of a brss." ! Mnuy of the men working under it have been ! to work 10 and 11 hours a day. It enabled j Ulr Seddon, Jike an octopus." to spread bis ] influence over the country, so that; he.was able i to control the elections. There is a consider- j able feeliog growing up at the. possession of the Wellington platform by the Premier, and there is load complaint among several sets of electors that the method by wbich Mr Kirk was selected is unfair, without precedent, and an improper encroachment upon thu franchise of this city. A CDBIOUS STOKY. Tha working of the iuner wheels in connection with matters political in Wellington are truly marvellous. Here is a story of a job political that should prove interesting alike to friends and foea of the present Administration One of the women's poliiical societies of Wellington, which is swayed as occasion arises to work the will of our great politician, had certain irrfgukrities iti its accounts, acd also a somewhat conscientious obdurate lady auditor, who refused to pas'-, t-hesa acuountii. Threats and entreafcks from tbe powers that be were all in vain. The annual meeting was duly held, but no baiMice.flheeb could bs submitted. A meeting was called aud the auditor was asked to resign ; but no, she remainad adamaiit. There was s\ clenulcck. How was it to bs removed ? With our present administrator?, where there's a will there's always a way, and at last the difficulty «as solved, and a certain lady, not in any way connected with the Postal department, has beeu appointed postmistraais at a country (own r,fc a salary of £60 a year r,i\,h house allowance.