CHRISTCHURCH NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 49

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS NOTES.

(From Otm Own Cokbespondent.) OHRISTCHURCH, March 28.

The rumour of the division in the Cabinet over the Christchurch Exhibition, referred to 10 days ago as being prevalent in Wellington, reached the' local morning newspapers yesterday, and is made the subject of some comment to-day. The Press has communicated with the Hon. W. Hall-Jones on the subject, and obtained from him an unqualified statement that there is not any division of opinion amongst the Cabinet, and the Times has consulted the Mayor, and obtained from him a statement that certain difficulties had arisen, and that he was urging the Premier to make the position a little clearer. The Times, evidently on the authority cf the Premier, went on to say that the. committee some time ago advertised for a secretary at a salary of £300 a year, and, having made a selection from, the applicants, telegraphed to the Premier for his consent to the appointment, without 6tating either the name of the successful applicant or the emolument he was to receive. Mr Seddon, not altogether unnaturally, asked for these particulars, and declined to confirm the appointment until they were supplied. The Mayor, in an interview to-day, altogether denies this latter assertion. He says the committee never had a list of applicants before it. and no selection has been made. He has written to the Premier to the following effect : — " Your telegram re secretary ffc^ Exhibition, sent from Waihi, has occasioned me considerable surprise. In the first place, you say you know nothing of whom the committee proposes to appoint, and in the second that you know nothing of the terms of the engagement ; and you proceed to state that it is unreasonable to ask you to authorise' the appointment, and conclude by saying that you will deal with the ir.att-er when full details are furnished and on your return to Wellington. Surely, sir, you must have forgotten that you personally authorised me to engage a secretary." After detailing the circumstances, the Mayor goes on to say: — "Advertisements were inserted in the Auckland, Wellington, Chriptchurch. and Dunedin papers inviting applications for the position of secretary for tho International Exhibition at a salary cf £300 per annum, applications to be sent in to me by the- 14tb March. On that date I had roc-aivod ncarlv 10^ application?. On tho 13th or 14th inst. Mr Loasby, of Dunedin, who was ono of the applicants, called upon me and showed me the following tele-srram he had received from Mr Sid-ey, M.H.R. for Cavorshnm: — 'To Captain Loasby, Christchurch : On mv asking Mr Millar to speak to Slir J. G. Ward, he said ho had already done so. aml~Sir J. G. Ward had said it was not decided whether tha appointjnent was to bo mad© by the Christohtrrch committe'? or the Government. — (Signed) Sidey.' That was the first hint I had received that the Government contemplated having anything to do with the appointment. Being: anxious that the verbal authority you had given me upon the occasion referred to should be confirmed as soon as possible, I wired you as follows : — ' The Risrht Hon. tha Premier, Wellington,

re secretary for Exhibition- Applications for position close to-day, kindly wire autnoritv for committee to make appointment. C." M. Grat, Mayor.' This telegram wa= sent to you on the l«h inst., but, owing to a mistake in my office, wag addressed to you at Wellington. JNofc receiving any reply, I wired you again on tn& 16th inst., and addressed the telegram to! Waihi. Your reply came upon me as a great surprise. If Mr Loasby had noe shown me Mr Sidey's telegram my committee woul'l have selected one of the applicants, and recommended him to tlra Genera] Committee for the position. In 1 the meantime the appointment is held <> ver . at considerable inconvenience to myself. ■£• have acted all along in good faith, behev--, ing I had your authority for acting as i have done." In conclusion, the Mayor? says:— "lt has been suggested to me than my oonrnitt&s might select two or threei names from the list of applicants, and forward them to you for the purpose of thai Government making the final selection. Does the suggestion meet with your approval? All this^ merely confirms the! opinion here that if there is anything mora than a natural disinclination to do to-days what can be put off till to-moTrow in thtf action of the Government in connections with this exhibition the- Premier himself \* to-.blame. He is quite strong enough to be£ master of his own Cabinet and to squelchany opposition. In -any case, it is two yeara^ eiuoe this subject was first publicly referred? to by the Premier himself, and it is reasonable to supposs that be-fore doing so h& consulted the Cabinet. The Government must have made up its mind on the question a long time ago." «,

CERISTCHURCH, April 1. Mr H. F. Recce, manager of the BritiphT New Zealand Produce Company, has cabled that he has obtained a contract on satisfactory terms to supply London asylums with New Zealand meats, and has also secured a stall in Smithfield market.