POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13631, 28 June 1906, Page 7

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

THE SPEECH AVn ADDRESS-IN-

REPLY. CFjioh Oim rv.--\ Cmiitv.'spoNnm.) WELLINGTON. Juno 27. It is understood that the Covornnr's finccoh l-n-nvirrow will be a hnef .M'd non. committal deliverance. It is'anticipated that it will merely refer In the (loath of MY Poddon. pronounce a financial nosilion, nod «n<r!ro4 thnt. in view of fl'e "hanfed condition nf affairs 'nvismir out of tho death of Mr Seddnp. Parliament should prorogue nnd meet nenin in Aueust. Tho intention of the Cov-rnmenl. it is stated, is lo make ll»r> short sVsioP a, " meipm'l.il op=sinn." and to Iroen it free f'om all dilatable maltr-rs and rlemepfs or discord. To this end, i! is suited flmf- |l; n usual nrnolien of onlrusling the motion for tho, lo a new merhl>ev wil) not- be followed on this occasion. Mr Millar will, it is believed, move the Addrcss-in-Renly, and Mr P.iuine will second it. It is nndcslood lhat their instructions are fo avoid the introduction of Ihe party element, and In abstain from any references to "our "rent nnd glorious victory" at the pol's. The Premier desires lo avoid even a division, and lo lints lying flio <■<>",ori In a. peaceful close not later than Friday night. THE MEW MINISTRY. Tho claiman's for portfolios are p o t. decreasing. Sir Wm. Steward will no rlou'nt expect a portfolio or the Spoakershio. Mr ftuinne.ss and Mr R. M'TCenzie are both candidates for the Mines portfolio, and Mr NVilford has a rlaim to the Justice norffolio. Some members urge that Mr M'Nnh cannot bo taken into the Ministry because the country would not tolerate three Ministers hailing fr.mi Otaco, in Ihe persons nf Sir Joseph Ward, Mr Millar, and Mr M'Nah. It is also he'd in certain ouarlers that- Sir Joseph Ward cannot take in Mr Fowlds because he is a prohibiiionist and a single faxer. The only new man who might be said to be certain of a seat in Sir .Tosonh Ward's Ministry lis Mr Millar, and Mr Millar will, no doubt, have a. sav in Ihe appointment of other new Ministers. Sir Joseph Ward, however, may create a surprise by taking in only Mr Millar in placo of Mr Seddon in the meantime. This would give him tijne to look around, say. till the commencement of the session of 1907, wlmn he could meet the Houso with a' fully reconstructed Cabinet. THE (iRANT TO MRS REDDON. Tho question of a grant to Mrs Seddon is causing a great deal of lobby talk. It has been informally discussed amongst the Ministerial party. One suecestion is to give Mrs Seddon £15,000 and tho Ministerial residence iu Molesworth street, which, with the land and furniture, must be worth another £15.000. Another proposition is to give her £1000 a year for life, and a. third proposal goes in tho, direction of a grant of £10,000 fo be invested with the Public Trustee, the proceeds going to Mrs Seddon during her lifetime, and t.hc amount being divided amongst, the family after her death. There is considerable objection to the first - mentioned proposal, especially to the giving away of State property. The "leaseholder" section of tho party, however, proposes to get over this difficulty by granting Mrs Seddon "the use of the house" during her lifetime. There is still a further objection to this proposal in that tho bouse, wilh the rccent very large additions that havo been made to it and tho additional land that has bean added fo the grounds at a cost of about £4000. would lie rather a large tax upon Mrs Sneddon's resources, and further that _it wilt be needed for one of the now Ministers. Tt is' all the more sirted for a Ministerial residence seeing that it has born filled up with offices. The. ofliccs were specially designed by Mr Seddon, but unfortunately lie did not live to occupy them. The Opposition as well as tho Government is inclined lo treat. Mrs Seddon very liberally, but somo of the extraordinary ideas that are being promulgated savour in the. opinion of ma.ny members of indecent haste. It is urged that the matter should not be dealt with during the present short, session. It has been authoritatively stated that Mr Seddon had not one ponny of insurance on his life, but I am in a position to contradict, this. When the votes of £3000 to Lady Atkinson and Mrs Ballanco were proposed in previous Parliament, Mr Tanner, tho member for Avon, moved that tliey be struck cut. STATE COAL DEPOTS. There are a large number of applicants for the position of manager of the State coal depot at Chrislcliureh. The applicants have been narrowed down to six, and tho appointment will bo made in a few days. Tt. was intended to open the Chrislchurrh (lapofc on Mr Seddon's birthday, hut Mr Scddon's death interfered with that .project.. People here are not altogether satisfied with Ihe Stale coal, My own experience of it was that it was too fierce, and lhat a ton of it did not last so long as tho Westport Company's coal. The price I paid was 28s a ton. My experience also showed lhat smnll flakes of the coat flow out of the grate with little explosions on to tlin carpel, It looked dangerous. After using a. Inn of it I found it advisable to go back to the Westport Company's coal,