LOBBY GOSSIP AND NEWS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 39, 26 September 1901, Page 20

LOBBY GOSSIP AND NEWS.

Ministers have now 13 private secretaries, and Mr. Seddon says that even with that number these officers are over-worked.

Numbers of Chinese are petitioning the Government to legislate in the direction of preventing the importation of opium. The Ministers invited a number of their supporters to a friendly talk over matters on Tuesday. This kind of conference is designated a caucus. It is a sort of free and easy gathering, where member* say things which they would not dare to utter in the House. Of course what transpires is a profound secret, bat the jndioious newspaper man manages somehow to become cognisant of what is done, and what he does not find oat he supplies from his imagination. Ministers in meeting their supporters in secret conclave are in a position to judge how far they oan go with certain measures, and where tbe loyalty of members will stop. One of the principal matters dealt with on Tuesday was, so it is said, the question of having aa autumn session so as to give the Premier an opportunity of attending the Coronation in June. It is rumored that the proposal did not meet with universal acceptance, and consequently Parliament will meet at the usual time, Sir J. G. Ward taking charge of affairs in Mr. Sed don's absence. In reply to a question regarding charges made against the Dunedin Hospital, the Hon. Mr. Hall- Jones stated on Friday that he did not consider there were sufficient grounds to warrant an > inquiry being held with^rerpect to the allegations made by Mr. T. Mackenzie. As some very erroneous opinions are held regarding the amounts received by way of salary and allowances by the Premier, that gentleman took an opportunity during the week of setting his critics right. Mr. Seddon said he had received £1375 as salary last year — not £1600, and certainly not £4,000. He complained of the misrepresentations to whioh he was subjected, especially as the amounts drawn by Ministers were shown in a return laid on the table, and he oould only come to the conclusion that it was done wilfully and maliciously. The amount he had received last year for allowances was £255, and in addition to that there was the sum of £225 for his trip to Australia to represent the Colony at the Commonwealth celebrations. It was understood last session that he should to represent the Colony. If they added these two sums, they had £480 ; and it was grossly unfair to pat on record that he had received £480 odd for allowances without distinguishing the fact that £225 of this amount was that he might represent the Colony at the Commonwealth celebrations. The total amount he had received last year was £1700, including allowances and salary. It was also stated that he had received £200 house allowance, bat this was inoorrect, as he had not received one penny for house allowance last year.