LATER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 248, 26 October 1897, Page 5

LATER.

PRIVATE BUSINESS OF MINISTERS.

THE HOROWHENUA CASE.

1 Two btilier members spoke in the 'same strain, but no action was taken regarding the left wing, who remained till the caucus closed.

It was finally agreed that the Premier should this afternoon put a motion for taking private members' days. The Premier then desired to place before his supporters a very large and important question as to his connection with the Anglo-Continental Company. He said he has been long and intimately connected with commercial matters, and if it was to be contended that he ought to have sacrificed his private practice in order to maintain his position as Premier, and to help sustain the power and status of the Liberal party, however hard it might seem, he would make that sacrifice, but it seemed to him very unfair. He would some day have to leave the position of Premier. He could not hold that position for ever, and was it fair to ask him to renounce his private business and earnings '! That question, however, he was prepared to leavk entirely in the hands of theparty, and he invited the party then and there to express their views on the question. Messrs Smith and Montgomery said that in the event of the question of Mr Seddon's connection with foreign syndicates being made a party one, they would vote with the Opposition against the Government, even to the extent of putting the Government out of office, The Minister for Lands said he was in a different position to the Premier. He had farming to go back to, but if the party or the House were to ask him to give up his private connection he would retire from the Ministry at a moment's notice. Mr Cadman spoke in the same strain in regard to his private, affairs. There was a general expression _of approval of the Premier's attitude, with the exception of the two members who had spoken adversely, and it was decided, without dissent, to leave the question to be settled in the House, should an adverse motion be tabled. Mr Pirani raised the question of the Horowhenua Block Bill. , The Premier said, with regard to that matter, he would follow the course he had adopted on former occasions of submitting the question to the party. Replying to Mr Fisher's threat to walk over to the other side of the House, Mr Pirani said he would only be followingin the footsteps already trodden if the junior member for Wellington took that course. On the Premier saying it was desirable to push on the business of the country, the caucus practically decided unanimously not to adjourn for the Christchurch show and races.

On the question of sessional Committees, the Premier intimated that he proposed to compromise the matter by substituting some Opposition members for suggested Government nominees, thus smoothing over the difficulty. Mr Seddon further informed the caucus that he hoped to prorogue on December 15th, which is generally interpreted as meaning a week later.