WARD v. SEDDON.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 15000, 22 September 1900, Page 2

WARD v. SEDDON.

Csdkb the heading of "a Political Cabal,' the Manawatu (Standard, ot which Ali Pirani, M.H.R., is the editor, says: — There is every indication that matters political are not so comfortable amongsi the Seddon party as the large support received at last election would seem to .indi* cai., for the irritation exhibited by the Premier to some of his supporters can not bo accounted for by ill-health or even returning convalescence. It does not need keen investigation to show that there is a Ward V Seddon cabal of growing importance amongst tho Government party, for the adherents of the new regime are not bashful in showing their preference for the new King As to whether the present Alimster oi Railways would prove equal to the task of leading the party-, that is not to be answered lightly. Certain it is that Mv Ward was looked upon at one tune as a likely successor to the late John Ballance, and a considerable section of the Government party are confident of his ability to "inn the show." The "Boxer" movement, for instance, was confined almost solely to Wardites, while most of the restive spirits of the uovernment party except Mr Ward from their denunciations of the Government and generally single out the Premier for "speciul mention." On several occasions Mr Seddon has denounced members of his party in that choice " parliamentary" lan-mage he is master of, while he twice told the House the other morning that he was heartily sick of the want of attention paid to the business of the country by some of his colleagues, the remark being wrung from him because one of his Ministers dared to snore at five 0 clock in the morning. On the third reading of the amending Arbitration Bill, however, Mr Seddon fairly excelled himself, and somewhero about four o'clock in the morning he spoke for half an hour with a vigour and a wealth of picturesque rhetoric eminently reassuring to those pessimists who doubted his recovery from ill-health, but decidedly discomforting from a party point of view. The principal targets of his invective were Messrs Ell, G. W. Russell and Collins, and ho said he was "getting sick of the plotin" and manoeuvring and lobbying going on°as against himself, among members who wot into the House on the claim of being his supporters." He said he would sooner trust tho. Opposition whip, Mr. Lewis, on labour matters that Messrs Collins and Ktl, and he recommended the working pepnle oi Christchurch tb do the same. Much more to the same effect wns given utterance to by the Premier, and the reflection was uppermost in the minds of many of his listeners— those whom the gods wish to destroy thjy first make mad.