NEW SOUTH WALES POLITICS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1650, 17 January 1913, Page 5

NEW SOUTH WALES POLITICS.

MB..NIELSON EESIGNS AT LAST.. By, Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright '■'■" (Kec.. January .16, 9,10 p.m.) ",-;', 'Sydney, January 16. Mr. Nielsen, ex-Minister ; for' Lands in; the M'Qowen Cabinet, whose intentions wjth regard to his 6eat have been a matter of considerable interest in view of the smallness of the Labour party's majority, in a letter to the Yass electors announces that ho has ceased to represent them, and that his resignation, 'which will take effect from January 15, is, in the handß of the Speaker, Mr. Willis. Mr. Nielsen gives aa the reasons for his resignation his disagreement with his party on e, vital matter. ■ He 6tates that he has decided: to retire from politics. . It is supposed ; that Mr. Nielsen's letter is, amongst the Speaker's unopened cor■respondence at Parliament House, and cannot bo opened or tho seat vacated till, Mr. Willis returns from New Zealand.* There is some comment in Liberal circles atMr. Willis departing when he knew that the resignation was in transit.' •.■-..■ ■ ■'. ' : :'. —■ — ; ,1 .'•■ ■~ STATDJIENT BT' MBa WILLIS. . Mr.. Willis is at present in Wellington, and.a reporter sought an interviow. with him at his hotel after tho above cable message arrived. Tho hour was late"( 11 p.m.) and Mr. Willis sent word by a messenger that he had Tetired for.the night.The reporter then communicated the substance of the cablo messago in a note to which Mr,, Willis returned the reply, ■by the messenger: "There is. no letter from • Mr. Nielsen." ~. ■ The story of Mr. Nielsen, formerly Minister for Lands in tho New South Wol°s Cabinet, was told recently in one of the Sydney papers. He had not been;long away 1 , on his 'firsl.linission to, attend .a conference when ho received ap. offer from tho Federal Government to go to the Northern "Torritory.. The State Government could not afford-to loso his scat. Consequently the Federal authorities were kept waiting in 6uspenso." .It was assert-' ed by tho Minister for External Affairs that Mr. Neilsen had accepted the position: it was asserted by the State Government that ho had not. -After a long time, the negative came. Acceptance would, of course, have meant the 6eat being.declared vacant,-and the position of the Government with its small majority imperilled. .Many'cablegrams passed between the Ministers and Mr. Nielsen, It was then reported that Mr. Neilsen agreed at tho time to take the position of Trade Commissioner on the American Paoifio coast, but:so that the seat would ! be held in the possession' of the Labour party, and tho ,pair remain unbroken,; it was not officially ratified. It was believed that an agreement was made bv which the appointment would be officially ratified should a'dissolution take place. The constitutionality of. this arrangement was challenged by tho Opposition.