Wairarapa Daily Times. ESTABLISHED 1878.] THURSDAY JANUARY 25, 1894. SHE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4629, 25 January 1894, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. ESTABLISHED 1878.] THURSDAY JANUARY 25, 1894. SHE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS.

SECOND EDITION

Tnc explanation which we published the other day from the United Press Association with respect to the refusal of Ministers to reveal the names of the nenly-appointed Commissioners, was virtually h condemnation. Linked with the United Press Association is every important newspaper in the Colony, and tbe Association is usually treated with a certain degree of deference and conpidpration by every Government and reciprocates by carefully excluding from its myriad messages any colourable expressions of opinion whioh may betray political bias. When in doubt as to whether a message contains bias the rule is, we believe, to decide iu favour of the Government, In the history of the Association wo, for tbe first time, meet with a'deliberate censure of the action of a Government by the Press Association. The bare facts of the case were, it is true, given without, much comment, but the inference from them was plain as a pikestaff, Ministers, while they were deliberately withholding certain information from ihe press of the Colony as represented by the Association and from' tbe Wellington journals, were wiring it privately to certain journals down South whioh were in their confidence, they were virtually laying down a rule that there should be preferential journals in this Colony. There is a little mystery over the whole affair, which points to a somewhat serious difference of opinion amongst Minister? themselves.' Mr Seddpu led Master, ton pi oplp to beljhve that a member of the House ought to ogpupy p seat ou the Board of Commissioners, and without publicly naming Mr Ho(jg,he indicated him pretty clearly as the coming man. Now we learn that a Minister is to be the coming man,and m tako this to mean that at tbe late Cabinet meeting Mr Seddon wis overruled by his colleagues, and that the difference betweenbim and Mrßeev es alluded to by the Press Association was the outcome of a dispute. Mr Seddon is not the man to give way to a subordinate, and we may yet expect to Bee some attempt made to give effect to what we believe to be his intention with reßpect to Mr Hogg, either by the number of tbe Board being increased to five, or by a special portfolio being created to qua|ify Mr Hogg, or by abandoning the proposal to appoint a Minister. Wo do not believe that Mr Gogg has BBked the Government for an appointment, or that ihe Government bap offered ap appointment to him, but. we ifobpi lieve that Mr Setjdop has committed himself to an implied or expressed promise in his favour, and that the Premier is not quite tbe man to go 'back upon his word in a matter of this kind.