WELLINGTON NEWS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4566, 25 August 1893, Page 3

WELLINGTON NEWS.

' 'SPECIAL TELEGRAMS. ' Wellington, Friday, Public Woks Department. The departmental business of the Public Works Department is almost at a standstill, owing to the inability . of the Premier to attenrl to the vast mass of work that has now banked up. The feeling is becomiugstrong!r every day that it iB now time the Premier relinquished the portfolio of Public Works, as he is utterly unable to perform all the duties, which he has imposed on himself. Mr Seddon is, for some.reason best known to himself, extremely unwilling to transfer his Public Works portfolio, and the result is the business of the country and more particularly of this Department is suffering, , MrFainshm, M.H.R Mr Earushaw moved the adjournment of the House at a quarter to five yesterday afternoon in ; order to lay before members all the facts in refer, ence to his expulsion from the Government party. In a very moderate speeob he rebutted the Charges of dis> loyalty brought against him by the Premier through the whip (Mr C. H. Mills) and showed that his support all along had been consistent, lie read the letters which had passed between himself, the Whip and . the Premier on the subject and pointed out he bad supported tho only policy measure passed this session—tho Electoral Bill. His support of the Corrupt Practices Amendment- Bill was be thought justified as the measure had ben introduced by a private member and deserved the support of all parties irrespective of party. Mr Earnphaw said he would contest tho Dunedin seat against all comers and was not afraid of the consequences of his action, He had taken the present step of adjourning the House in order that his constituents might bo m full possession of facts. He concluded his speech by saying that he had been ousted because he would not be a servile follower of the Ministry, and warned the other Labour members that a similar fate to'hia awaited them unless they truckled to the Premier, who was nothing if not antocratio. 'l'bo statement created quite a sensation, and it was agreed on all tides that Mr Earnshaw has scored heavily against tho Government by his revelation of the coercive taotics practised by the Governmentlon their followers. Mr Earnshaw'a alienation is now. complete and for the rest of the session he will ally himself with Sir It. Stout, votinpr with the Opposition on certain questions; A Bitter Feud.

A bitter feud is apparently'now raging between Sir Robert Stout and the Premier and the former's open hostility and distrust of the latter was plainly preceptible during the progress of the Alcoholic Liquor Bill, in Committee on Wednesday night, Members are determined to force the Government to girean expression of opinion as to their intentions in regard toC'olonel Fox's report, for there are ? series of leading questions on the order paper bearing on the lecommendations made in the report, With the Genoral Elections in view the Government are hardly likely to give effect an anyrate, to that part of the report which recommends the' disbanding of certain country and other corps.