Sir, —I never understood that the Premiership in our House of Representa tives in New Zealand was, like the crown in Great Britain, hereditary. I know that there is nothing in the Constitution Act that gives such power. To exercise such power by a retiring Premier would be to deprive our representatives of one of their greatest privileges, and deprive the people of party government. It would be making a monopoly in the House. I think, by what I knew of Mr Ballance, that he was too true a Liberal ever to seriously have thought of such a thing. I allow he might have said in his last illness to any one, “ I should like you to take my place in the House.” But if he did go so far, both the person spoken to and himself must have known that it was impossible that it could have any effect on the House in choosing a Premier. The more such things are talked about the more they outrage common sense. If the senior member for Wellington thought that sueli a wish had been expressed by a highly esteemed Liberal as Mr Ballance was, why did he not use such a strong lever at the general election when it might have made a great impression on the electors of Wellington who so highly respected Mr Ballance ? It is too late now to cry after shed milk. And it appears so child-like to go and tell such a miserable tale to a few women at Wanganui. What the House has done in choosing Mr Seddon as Pre mier must have convinced him long ago that whatever the wish of the late Premier was it could have made no difference in the choice, and I don’t think they will re pent it. The Liberals want a strong man of well tried principles at the head of the Government, and I think they have chosen the right man to the right place. I have not heard of one thing which the representatives of Wellington have said or done for the city or people they were elected to represent. 