FEDERATION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9820, 20 July 1900, Page 3

FEDERATION.

United Press Association.

By Electric Telegraph — Copyright.

(Received June 19, 10.50 p.m.)

Sydney, July 19

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 of New South Wales.

The Victorian Attorney-General! differs, while Sir George Turner says that he foresaw the difficulty when no provision was made by the Convention for the temporary seat, but thought a literal interpretation would have been placed on the matter. Cabinet meetings could be held in Melbourne, but apparently the Executive must meet in New South Wales. Sir W. Lyne announced that they had decided to purchase a new resi dence for the State Governor. The present Government House would be at the disposal of the GoyernorGeneral. Melbourne, July 19. The Argus, commenting on the dispute over the seat of Government, cannot irriagine a single Federalist objecting to the choice of Sydney for the ioflngnration of the Common- [ wealth, but Sir W. Lyne was going too far when he sought by confidential appeals to Mr Chamberlain to make Sydney the interim Seat. The question must be decided by the Federal Parliament. (Received July 20, 1 a.m.) In the Assembly Sir G. Turner expressed the opinion that the question of the interim seat of Government was one for the Federal Executive to decide. He hoped the matter would drop till the Executive was appointed.

Dr. Quick, a member of the Federal Convention, coincides with Mr O'Connor's opiuion.