PLAIN SPEAKING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1143, 2 June 1911, Page 5

PLAIN SPEAKING.

LABOUR PARTY DIFFERENCES. CABINET MINISTER ADVISED TO RESIGN. CRITICISM NOT WANTED. By Teleirraph—Press Assoclation-Oopyrieht (Rec. Juno 1, 9.5 p.m.) Sydney, June 1. Trouble is threatened in the State Ministry over the action of Mr. Griffiths, Minister for Public Works, in informing a deputation yesterday that ho was opposed to the free harbour ferries scheme favoured by the other members of the Cabinet. The Acting-Primo Minister, Mr. Hoi-| man, has stated to an interviewer that Mr. Griffiths has a very easy remedy for such a state of things by resigning a position in which these relations with other Ministers prevail. .He did not suppose that they would havo any difficulty in finding another Minister for Works who would administer the Department with.the same degree of-and, possible more-loyalty. The Department could then carry out the Cabinet policy and not criticise it. Mr. Griffiths, in reply, disclaims any disloyalty to his colleagues. Mr. Arthur Griffith, the Minister now being taken to task by his acting-chief in the New South Wales Labour Cabinet, is 46 years of age nnd was born in land. His grandfather was a member for Dublin city in the House of Commons, and his father's eldest brother was the late Sir Richard Griffith, the originator of Griffith's Valuation of Ireland. Mr. Griffith was educated .at Scot's College, Melbourne, and Melbourne University. He was for nine years a teacher at Sydney Grammar School, and in 1891 retired to enter politics, becoming one of the members of the first solidarity Labour party in New South Wales. It was announced at the beginning of April that tho New South Wales Government had under consideration a scheme fdr the establishment of a State-owned ferry service "as a means of relieving the congestion at Circular Quay," and to make the service practically free to tram travellers. The proposal, in the first instance, was brought before the Cabinet by Mr. Carmichnel, the Acting-Treasurer. Ho pointed out that the Wade Government, holding that there was little difference between forry charges and the old-time toll-sate charges, had decided to make ferries free. This decision, however, did not apply to Port Jackson. Mr. Carmichael urged that State-owned ferries should be established in the harbour to link up the tramways in tho two sides of' tho harbour, and should not be charged for separately. The Actinq-Premior, Mr. Holman, said that the Cabinet, while well disposed towards tho scheme submitted by Mr. Carmichael, and agreeing with him that there was urgent need for taking steps to relievo the congestion of traffic, did not commit itself to anything more than a decision to refer the scheme f.o the Works Department for inquiry and renort. ; Mr. Griffiths, Minister for Works, in reply to questions, said he had been asked bv.his colleagues to make inquiry into the' merits nnd practicability of tho schenio, and Imd passed it on to the recentlv-created Tramway Advisory Board. He took it that any further action by the Government would depend upon the nature of tho conclusions and recommendations of the board.