LOBBY GOSSIP AND NEWS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 27, 6 July 1899, Page 5

LOBBY GOSSIP AND NEWS.

The Opposition held a caucus on Monday, and the Government and their friends on Tuesday. For the benefit of the uninitiated I may say that a caucus is neither a tea party nor a prayer meeting. It is simply a political family gatheriug to which admission is by invitation. It sometimes happens that a member of the family says uncharitable things about his political relations, and as a result the whip ' forgets ' to stmd the offender an invitation to the next family gathering. Then the ignored member sulks, retires into a corner, forms a caucus all by himself, says he is the real exponent of the family's ancient greatness, pretends he does not care a rap whether he is invited or not, and shows his unconcern by saying still nastier things when the opportunity offers. Sometimes these malcontents become political perverts and are received on probation i> to the opposing fold, but, generally speaking, they are ignored by both sides of the House. We have a few of them in Parliament at present. Whether they will come back to the House after the general election is, as my friend Kipling would cay, quite another matter. Speaking of caucuses it is well to remember that very little of what transpires at such gatherings leaks out, as the proceedings are strictly private, and there is a tacit understanding among members that they are not to Bay anything about the business transacted to any person save their wives and lady friends, and the newspaper reporters. Hence it is that there is so much difficulty in finding out what takes place at such gatherings. Those of a litigious turn of mind, who place their trust in lawyers, should ponder well on the fate of Colonel Pitt. The Colonel is a lawyer from Sleepy Hollow, where he commanded the local volunteers, and for which he drew a ' salary,' not allowance, mind you, of £50 per annum. He was invited by the Governor to take a seat in the Upper House, and like a good and faithful citizen and a loyal soldier, he obeyed the ' command,' for be it known to all concerned that an invitation from her Majesty or her representative is one which cannot be lightly ignored. The militant lawyer laid aside his uniform and warlike accoutrements, resigned his command, sacrificed his ' salary.' and was, figuratively speaking, about to step into his new position, when it was discovered that, as he had drawn a salary as a Government employee within six months of his appointment, he would be liable to very severe penalties for taking his seat aa a Legislative Councillor. Had the modest £50 been described in the accounts of the Defence Department as an ' allowance ' the disqualification would not exist, but the word 'salary' settled the matter. Uolonel Pitt, as a lawyer, ought to have known better, but it is another illustration of how very little of the law lawyers sometimes do know. The case of Mr. T. M. Wilford, solicitor. Wellington, is another illustration of how a lawyer may be easily ' tripped up ' in his particular line of business. Mr. Wilford contested the Wellington Suburbs seat, at the general election, was returned, and afterwards unseated on petition. Prior to the polling day Mr. Wilford was approached by one of his active supporters for a letter of recommendation to the Premier in support of an application for the post of messenger. Mr. Wilford, who was busy at the time, thoughtlessly scribbled a few lines on a scrap of paper recommending the bearer to the consideration of the minister, This document fell, later on, into the hands of the defeated candidate, and on the strength of the allegation that it was a consideration for a vote, Mr. Wilford was unseated, and disqualified for three years. Mr. Wilford fears that the general election may come on before the expiration of his term of disqualification, and bo he is appealing to the House to cancel the balance of thepeiiod. It is doubtful if Mr. Wilford's appeal will have the support of the Government, as one of their friends is at present member for the Suburbs, and the presence of another Liberal candidate would mean handing it over to the Opposition. Speaking in the House of Representatives on the proposal of the Government to send volunteers to Samoa, Captain Uuhsell said he did not think it was a wise thing to propose to send volunteers to Samoa. He gave the Premier credit for trying to do the best thing, but it appeared to him that the proposal was to send men to fight in an unjust cause — against a man, Mataafa, who really ought to be King of Samoa at the present time. The Hon. Captain liaillie, Chairman of Committees in the Council, has resigned that position, which he had filled for nigh twenty years. It is a comfortable berth, with little to do and plenty of time to do it, and has a salary of something like £ 100 a year. There are many aspirants for the po^t, the giving of which is practically in the hands of the Government. The Chairman is elected by the votes of the Councillors, but as the Government followers are in the majority, their nominee is bound to be chosen. The Government will introduce again this session the Technical Education Bill, which ruffled the tempers of some of the bigots last year. They contended that if the Bill had been passed as introduced theie might be a chance of some denominational — in other words Catholic — schools obtaining a portion of the grant. Messrs. the Left wing, Hutcheson (Wellington), Meredith and others made a dead set against the measure on this account. Unless the measure is modified this session they threaten to block it again. And yet these are alleged to be Liberals.