POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Observer, Volume XVIII, Issue 1017, 25 June 1898, Page 11

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

A Dissolution Impending.

The sadden and startling activity in political circles is attributed to the strong prospects of a dissolution of Parliament within the next six weeks. On good authority, it is Btated that the Premier and the Liquor Interest have come to an understanding under which the Government will force a dissolution on their Old. Age Pensions and other policy measures and appeal to the country. In return for this, he will get the support of the Liquor party at the elections. It may not be apparent at first blush how the Liquor party will benefit by a dissolution. Think again. The local option poll, which menaces the existence of the trade, must .be taken every three years— unless in cases where the Governor dissolves Parliament before the expiry of its natural period of life. Then the local option poll stands back for another three years. Therefore, the effect of a dissolution, so far as the Liquor party is concerned, would be that five years would elapse between the last local option poll and the next one, or, in other words, the local option poll would be put off for three years from the date of the election consequent on the dissolution.

What is this we hear abowt the Government throwing over Mr Frank Lawry after his many years of servile support, and choosing in his place Mr Seymour Thome George as Government candidate for Parnell ? It looks as if the Government have tired of Frank Lawry, even if Parnell has not.

The latest about Sir Maurice O'Rorke's intentions is that he will stand for Manukan'if there is a dissolution, but that he wilTnot stand again if this Parliament is allowed to run its course. It is just possible, though, that Manukau may not stand Sir Maurice any longer. There are times when it involves some self-sacrifice on the part of a cdnstituency to be content with practical disfranchisement in Parliament after Parliament.

The prospect of an immediate dissolution has startled into existence the Auckland Provincial Electoral Committee. Its plan of campaign has been decided on, and vigorous work commenced. The chief aim and purpose of the organisation seems to be to oppose the Government, although this is not set forth in the platform. One member, however, briefly summarises the objects of the association as a desire for respectability amongst our local politicians. The Auckland Provincial Electoral Committee is said to have no connection with the 'National Association, but the fact that Mr W. K. Bloomfield is its chairman, and little Squirrel one of its lesser, lights, gives it away very badly.

That was a very wheezy deliverance of the Hon. T. Thompson's at the St. James's Hall the other night. The same old chestnuts, the same old gags, and the identical same old excuses. By-the-way, the audience waa chiefly composed of people who have got billetß— or whose relations have got them, which is the Bame thing— since Thompson came into power, and the people who have not got billets yet but who want them badly.

There ia just a chance that Major Hamlie may emerge from his retirement in one of the potato-raising districts of Manukau and contest a suburban seat.

The latest about John McKenzie is that Tarn Dnncan may stand out of Oamaru, which he has represented for fourteen years or more, and allow Jock to take possession. His reward, it is said, would be a seat in the Upper House. But we doubt if Duncan would be content with a seat in the fossilised chamber, and we are not so sure that Oamaru could be easily prevailed upon to allow things to be fixed op for it in this fashion.

The Auckland Members were called together by the Chamber of Commerce, before they left for Wellington, and instructed as to Auckland's wants in the way of public expenditure. But what of it ? The same process has been gone through on the eve of every session for years past, and. wholly without result. Our Members don't know enough, or are not smart enough, to collar a vote lor this part of the colony when money is being grabbed for. As a case in point, the Government couldn't afford to spend £2000 io put Government House, in order, but they could and did expend £6000 or €8000 on Government House in Wellington <t the same time, and now they are committed to an expenditure of £40,000 on wholly unnecessary works at Parliament Buildings. Everything for Wellington.

Mr Feed Banme intends to stand for Auckland City. As President of the Natives' Association, he has got his oar in pretty deeply already.

Some people axe complaining that Thomas .Thompson's speech was merely the re-echo of Dick Seddon's. Bat do they seriously think Dick Seddon is going to trust Thompson to go around the country making speeches on his own? That would never do at all. Thompson is not electioneering just yet. ■ .

A sign of the times. At the Thompson meeting, the audience stamped down the redoubtable Bossex, Began, and Pawcus. They •would have none of them. The working man is either getting hard to please or he is not taking any Labour politicians.

William Crowther is the only one of the Auckland City Members who is fairly sure of his seat at the elections. It has come to be regarded as unquestionable that Honest William is incorruptible. He may be rugged in his nature, and sometimes uncouth of speech, but he is as honest as they make them.

Wellington" people are laughing consamedly because of the appearance in the New Zealand Times of a telegraphed resume of an editorial from the Thames Star demanding the immediate reappointment of Mr Ward to the Ministry. The Wellington Guardian says the voice of the Thames Star is as the voice of the thunder of Jove, and that it must be obeyed. Nonsense. It is only the voice of little Greenslade, and if he had not wired his leader to Wellington it would never have been heard of ontside Irishtown or Block 27.

Talking of little Greenslade reminds me that he has been declaring that the Government most reappoint the Ron. W. McGnllough, whose seven years' period of office is expiring, to the Upper House. If they don't, Greenslade is going to run McGowan for the Thames seat himself, and put him out, and Heaven only knows what is not going to happen . besides. By the way, the Hon. W. McCullongh is the owner of the Thames Star.

Dismal William Bolleston is in such bad health that he may not be able to lead the Opposition this session. With G. F. Richardson gone, and Stout also out of the way, this makes things pleasant for the Government and correspondingly gloomy for the Opposition But Captain Russell will be back from his jaunt to England, and the party have also an element of strength r-thougn a somewhat irascible one —in John Duthie.

In this colony we have been so far fortunate in having, as a rule, capable men on the Bench, but it appears to us that in same cases even better judges and magistrates might be obtainable were the tenure of office more secure and the emolument such as would, prove sufficient to induce clever lawyers to relinquish their practice for a magistracy or a District Court judgeship. — New Plymouth Daily Netos.

Every ible-bodied man in the colony should be able, if required, to use a rifle, and to know enough of drill to take his place, at short notice, in the defence force. To ensure this, the State should insist that all boys attending public schools shall, between the ages of fourteen and that of their leaving school, be drilled by competent instructors at least two hours a week, say an hour on two days in the week. This would accustom them to discipline in the ranks, improve their carriage, and pjfcpare them for a further military training, which should commence when they are sixteen and last till they have reached the age of manhood, during which time they should belong to a recognised corps, and be instruoted in rifle practice and all other necessary military Knowledge .— Wanganui Yeoman.

There can be no denying the acate reality of the, depression existing locally, nor the material presence "of the unemployed nightmare. To our mind, the most practical form of relief is to employ more men on the railway, and we hope that Mr Cadman and the Public Works Minister will be able to lay their heads together and accomplish something substantial in this direction. Meanwhile, further evidences of depression are coming to hand daily. "We understand that within the laßt couple of days twenty-five men have been discharged by the Fortuna-Hauraki Company, and a rough estimate of the local unemployed places the number at 250. — Thames Advertiser.