Windsor & Richmond Gazette, Saturday, March 3, 1900 - page 2 Political [By The Lobbyist] George Houston Reid was 55 last Sunday. Sleath, M.P., goes to South Africa "on 'is own." John Burns, M.P., is booked for a lecture tour in Australia. Mr. Andy Dawson, Queensland Labour Member, is still in St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. The population of the Transvaal is 345,857. The population of Sydney and suburbs is 426,950. It is now evident that the Early Closing Act will require a lot of patching before it will become workable. Pat Qwin [?], M.P., has just returned from a trip to N.Z., charmed with the beauties of this southern wonderland. A popular and promising Member for the New South Wales Legislature is shortly to wed an amiable and talented lady journalist. Pulsford, M.L.C., the New South Wales Freetrade apostle, says that the curse of politics is wobbling. No man has wobbled more then Pulsford. A civil servant speaking of Wise's efforts on the Civil Service Reform, describes that versatile politician as "our well-meaning, but blundering friend." The Minister for Lands, in reply to a deputation, expressed his intention to ask the Premier to place £250,000 on the next loan estimates for artesian boring. The land cannot support three sets of people - landlords who do nothing for it, tenants who improve it for the landlords, and the labourers who slave on it. - Max O'Bell. Isn't it strange to see the very men - Pulsford, Bruce Smith, and others - who sold our freetrade substance when they supported the Convention Bill, howling themselves hoarse now after the shadow ? Ex-Premier Reid : "The Civil Servant who honestly believes that England is engaged in an immoral war should no more be silenced than I, who conscientiously believe that the war was absolutely necessary. Mr. O'Sullivan and other Ministers occasionally grow enthusiastic over what the present Government has done ; but they always forget to say that they have added over 1000 names to the J.P. list in five months. Mr. J. T. M'Kittrick, of Grafton, has resigned from the Commission of the Peace in consequence of certain scandalous appointments to the last gazetted list. Without doubt there have been some scandalous appointments lately, and no wonder that good men are indignant. Custom has ordered the employment of public prosecutors ; justice demands the appointment of public defenders. The State Law Department has no right to assume the röle of Prosecutor-General ; it should protect the citizen as well as the State. Stead says that while the Socialists, the Labour leaders, the Irish and the woman were staunch in their desire for peace, the well-to-do in the peers and the press were enthusiastic for war. And the press is devoutly sorry now that it helped to fan the flame. A Victorian Legislative Councilor [sic], told the other day that wages would go up because of the departure of so many men for Africa, said :- The man who asks for a rise because of the shortness of labour is a d-------- traitor to his country." His country is the Fatman's all the time. It is rumoured in political circles that Opposition leader Reid intends giving the Lyne Administration a lively time when Parliament re assemblies, by exposing some of their shot [sic] comings. It's a difficult matter to tell who really is Premier - whether its Lyne or Wise, Crick or O'Sullivan. According to Mr. Alfred Deakin, the Federal Patriot (with big "P") - of whom he is one - have fixed things comfortably for themselves. They have decided to make Sir Sam Griffiths Chief Justice, and Mr. R. E. O'Connor a judge. Deakin and Barton, of course, will collar the plums. How protectionists practice protection : - Mr. John See to a pressman : "Regarding the offer of the Colonial Ammunition Company, of Melbourne, to supply us with cartridges, we have been accused of not encouraging local industry, but we can save £1500 by getting them from England." Isn't that a good freetrade argument ?