WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2363, 8 June 1899, Page 25

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, June 4.

Ministers will have the question ot the Chief Justiceship under consideration next week. The impression in political circles now is that Mr Justice Williams will be elevated to the position vacated by Sir James Prendergasl, and that Dr Pennefather will be appointed in Mr Justice Williams's place. The names of Mr Theo. Cooper, of Auckland, and Sir Robert Stout are still mentioned in connection with the vacancy. It is probable that Mr H. D. Bell will argue the Midland Railway case for the Crown befoi'e the Privy Council.

The Government are ab/eady having trouble with the Crown tenants at Pahiatua who want the freehold. At a meeting held the other day they resolved to support the Opposition candidate at the general election unless the Government granted them the freehold.

The Conciliation Board, which is dealing with grievances of the Seamen's Union, was-to-day frozen and hammered out of their meeting-place in the recently acquired Government buildings on Lambton Quay, carpenters being at woik on all floors above and below them. The inconveniences of the meeting room became so intolerable that eventually the offer of Mr Kennedy, the Union Company's manager, to provide a quiet room with a fire in it, was accepted, and the following resolution was minuted : " That owing to the entire want of proper accommodation for the board to carry out its functions it has been reluctantly com--pelled to accent the offer pj a room by_

the Union Steam Ship Company (one of the parties to the dispute), this resolution to be eonyeyed to the Minister for Labour."

Mr Pirani addressed a crowded meeting in the Exchange Hall to-night. A few Seddonian supporters in the back of the hall kept up a continual fire of interruptions, but the speaker generally managed to score off these and persevered with his speech. After he had been speaking for half an hour he was interrupted by a call for three cheers for Mr fc'eddon, arid three for his wife. These were lustily given and followed by some hooting, and for a time tho proceedings were very noisy. Mr Pirani criticised adversely Mr Sed'don's recent utterances, and suggested various political and administrative reforms, notably an improvement in the election of the Legislative Councillors and the appointment and control of civil servants. A scathing criticism of the marine scand-il was lordly applauded by a large majority of those pivsent, and Mr Pirani referred to another alleged marine scandal. At the close of his address Mr Pirani had the meeting almost entirely with him in his denunciation of the Seddon Administration. Mr Earnshaw, in proposing a vote of thanks, announced his own candidature for the Wellington constituency.