FEDERATED AUSTRALIA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 182, 20 July 1900, Page 3

FEDERATED AUSTRALIA.

DKPUTE OVER THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT. [FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Received 19, 10.60 p.m. Sydney, July 19. The legal minds of Victoria and New South Wales are disputing over the question of the temporary seat of Government under the Commonwealth Act. Mr. R. E. O'Connor, of Sydney, maintains that the seat of Government cannot even temporarily be outside New South Wales. The Victorian Attorney-General differs, while Sir George Turner says he foresaw the difficulty when no 'provision was made by the Convention for a temporary seat, but thought a liberal interpretation would' have been placed on the matter; A Cabinet meeting could be held in Melbourne, but apparently the Executive must meet in New South Wales. Sir W. J. Lyne announced that he had decided to purchase a new residence for the State Governor, the present Government House to bo at the disposal of the Governor-General. (Received 20, 1.33 a.m.) Melboubne, July 19. In the Assembly, Sir G. Turner expressed the opinion that the question of the interimieit of Government was one for the Federal Executive to decide, and hoped the matter would drop till the Executive was appointed. Dr. Quick, a member of the Federal Convention, coincides with Mr. O'Connor's opinion. The Argus, commenting on the dispute over the seat of Government, says it cannot imagine a single Federalist objecting to the choice of Sydney for the inauguration of tbe Common wealth, but Sir W. J. Lyne is going too far when he seeks, by confidential appeals to Mr. Chamberlain, to make Sydney tbe interim seat. The question must be decided by the Federal Parliament.