MR WAKEFIELD IN SEARCH OF A SEAT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1457, 21 January 1886, Page 3

MR WAKEFIELD IN SEARCH OF A SEAT.

Tke Wellington correspondant of the. Auckland Star gives the following account of a politician in search of a seat : The elections are again being discussed hero. Since last election a' disturbing i element has been imported in the shape ' of Mr Wakefield, editor and part-proprie-tor of the Evening Press. The member for Selwyn has no show for that constituency again, and he is now moving heaven and earth to unseat someone in this neighborhood. He thinks he is going to run on the teetotal ticket, and by way of preparation the columns of the Evening Press have for some time past been undergoing a chaDge, and cow assume a highly moral tone, Mr Wakefield first turned his attention to the Te Aro constituency, now represented by Mr C. Johnston, who always votes at his party's call and in the same lobby with Mr Wakefield. But Mr Johnstqn is to be opposed by Mr Fraser, the head of the temperance organisati >n here, and Mr Wakefield, although Mr Booth appointed him his standard-bearer in Parliament, could hardly put himself against his ohief without too plainly showing that he did not care a tig about his lickot so long as he got a seat with its assistance. We next find him trannferring his affectioos to Tbomdon, Dr Newman's Beat. The little doctor is, even more than his

co'leagiie for Te Aro, a ataunch AtkinBonian, and I hear that the party had to intimate to Mr Wakefield that they hardly admired his tactics in seeking to unseat bo staunch a member of his own party. It is said that Dr Newman hardly feels himself safe for Thorndon yet, because it is quite on the cards that Mr C. Johnston will not care to face Mr Fraier a second time for Te Aro, and that he may require Dr Nowman to give up Thorndon to him and the interest of the Johnston family could give the seat to almost anyone, no matter how great a political lout. In that case Dr Newman and Mr Fraser might fight it out for Sonth Wellington. So far, however, I do not hear of any opposition to Mr Eraser, who, although such an objection able member seems to have friends. But to return to our chameleon friend. Mr Wakefield, finding Te Aro and Thorndon out of his reach, next turned his attention to the Hutt, at present occupied by Mr Harry Fitzherbert. Here there was a little bolder play. A. semi-official announcement was made, and a quiet canvass was prosecuted, all in the interests of temperance. The columns of the Eveuing Press suddenly sparkled with an intelligent interest in the Hutt affairs, and the embryo member made a great after-dinuer speech on the Bpot, but here again tbe interest of the Fitzherbert family was too strong, and that interest is powerful enough to return any political noodle, and Mr Wakefield has to look further ahead. The latest rumor is that he is casting covetous eyes on the Forton seat, now. held by Mr Wilson, one of .the whips of the Atkinson party, and it does really seem as if Mr Wakefield is to go a begging for a seat, unless he should prove consistent, and again change sides, declare himself a follower of Mr Stout on the temperance ticket, and then fight Dr Newman or Mr Fisher.