Cocksure

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 150, 12 June 1890, Page 2

Cocksure

.*. The Dunedin Star of the 6th instant says : — " We are in a position to state that Mr Fergus spoke at Queenstown with the full authority of his colleagues and with the express sanction of the Premier, who is primarily responsible to the House and country for the policy that may be put forward on behalf of the Cabinet. If the views enunciated by Mr Fergus at Queenstown are unpalatable to some of those who have hitherto given a halfhearted support to Ministers, or who have been inclined to act as rail-sitters, their course is a plain one. But Sir Harry having entrusted his Minister of "Works with a responsible duty, which, it is " an open secret," has been discharged to the satisfaction of bis colleagues and with credit to himself, he is not the man to allow his chosen mouthpiece to be assailed by those whose party allegiance has always been very weak. The idea that Sir Harry would permit Mr Fergus to be " sacrificed " at the call oi the hangers-on of tbe party is supremely ridiculous, and has as much foundation, in fact, as the rumour that Ministers *in- ! tended ' to disavow the Queenstown programme.''' The speech delivered by Mr Kichardson, since the above waa writteu, shows that the Star was wrongly informed.