POLITICAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8169, 27 June 1906, Page 6

POLITICAL.

THE SESSION, j Members ave cotuiiionciug to aoBemblo in Wellington in view of the opening of Parliament to day. There is likely to be a full represent-atlou from the various constituencies, notwithstanding the fact that the business to be transacted will be purely formal, and should not occupy longer than'a few days. The mam lobby has assumed its wonted apj pearanoe. The drapings are all removed. The sombre atmosphere of the last few days was yesterday relieved by the replacing of the "nio turo gallery." There was sign of life about the rooms where members usually congregate, and the ordinary activity helps to dispel somewhat the gloom that has hu r g about the place. Parliament will be opened by Commission at 2.30 p.m., when, after the swearing-in of membeis, the Bouse will proceed to the election of a Speaker This honour will again be conferred upon Mr Guinness. On Thursday Parliament will be officially opened by hia Excellency the Governor,whose Speech, necessarily, will be brief, in view of the circumstances which have arisen. After this it is expected the Premier, Hon. Mr Hall-Jonosi, will move a resolution in regard to the death of the late Mr Seddon. Friday is to be devoted to Imprest S'ipply, to enable the Government to carry on for a couple of months. Unless anything unforeseen happens —and there is no indication of this at the present juncture—the passing of Supply should finish the business until Sir Joseph Ward meets Parliament with a reoonjtructed Ministry in August. The Opposition will urge that the prorogation should not be unnecessarily long.— N.Z. Times.

Abundant comment has been offered by tbe "great Australian dailies," on the political situation in New Zealand.- The Sydney Morning JHerald, which appears to comprehend the -actual position most clearly in its broad and immediate aspectß, remarka that "the impetus Mr Seddon gave to legislation, and the way in which he extended administration will count for a fiooi deal for some time to come." As to the future leadership of the Liberal party, the Herald saya:—"Sir Joseph Ward )ia the inevitable successor to Mr Seddon. He has proved himself a strong man in many difficult situations, and the fact that he has been able to work so long with the lata Premier shows how thoroughly the two must have agreed upon fundamentals. That is to say, Sir Joseph Ward as a politician of long experience and proved capacity would hardly have been so long associated with Mr Seddon unless- he could in jfche main see eye to eye wiih him. The converse would argue weakness and not strength, for no man of strong convictions can surrender them without losing both eelf-reipeot and the power whioh comes with a mind at rest, That Sir Joseph was for eo long the lieutenant of the late Prime Minister must count for muoh, but if Mr Pember Reeves would return to the islands and to politics he might Le a formidable competitor." The Herald prophesies a fairly clear path for Sir Joseph, "thanks to the tremendous work of his late chief," and adds: "Foundations so laid should be easily used for building upon; and the majority elected to serve Mr Seddon may decide that so long as bis policy and programme are adhered to they have a manifst duty—to support the new Government."

One of the moat important questions thattbe new Cabinet will have to face is the appointment of Legislative Councillors. The Hone. J. T. Peaoook, Canterbury; 0- W. A. T. Kenny,; Marlborough; D. Pinkerton,- Qlago; and H. K. Taiaroa, Otago, are dead; Messrs LeeSnrithl and Twomey, whose tenure of office expired'laßt year, have not had their plaoes filled; and the-term' of the Hous. F. H. Fraser, Wellington, and H. Gourley, Otago, has • just aome to an end. '.the place left by the late Henare Tomoana, Bawke's Bay, also remains vacant. The following will retire by effluxion of time before the end of the year— Hons H. Feldwick, W. M. Bolt, T. Kelly and W. Montgomery. Thus a large number of appoiutments require to be made in the immediate future, if the Council is to be brought up to anything like its real strength. The late Premier,' in a speeoh last year, eaid that in view, of the great amount >of feeling shown in regard* to the conscitution of the' Upper Chamber, - Cabinet had deoided not to make any appointments—'for the present; probably, no doubt, awaiting the result of the last elections. But the position is now changed, and other possibilities have to be reckoned with, if the proper constitutional course is to be adhered to.