THE PREMIER AND HIS PARTY. HINTS OF INTRIGUE AND LOBBYING.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 15000, 18 September 1900, Page 1

THE PREMIER AND HIS PARTY. HINTS OF INTRIGUE AND LOBBYING.

A SEVERE WARNING TO MR ELL. Tho third reading of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act Amendment Bill was debated in the small hours of the morning by some twelve Government supporters and ■Messrs Pirani and Lewis,' who 'were the only two of the Opposition who spoke. On rising at two o'clock to reply, the Premier complained that he had been dc'liberately prevented from qjcaking at a time when his remarks could have been reported, through tho press. . r . Mr Lewis~interjected that the Opwsition were not responsible for this, «,. remark, with which Mr Seddon at once, concurred, .but said he could only repeat what he had said before, that he was getting sick of the plotting and manoeuvring and lobbying going on as against himself, among members who got into the House on the claim of being his 'supporters. As far as Mr Lewis, on labour, and indeed on any other question, ho would trust him u great deal further than either Messrs Collins and. Ell, and he would recommend the working people of Chvistchufch to do the same. The Premier then,, in the course of a particularly heated speech, delivered with aIL the vigour ,Qf his old form, denounced those members who- hod voted to put Government employees into tho Bill, reserving his choicest epith'et and warmest denunciation for Mr Ell, "whom h,o practically renounced as a supporter. ' As Mr Ell's remarks had been purely argumentative and devoid of any . personal reference the extreme warmth of the Premier was somewhat surprising, the more so as a large number of Government supporters, including Mr Millar, the Chairman of the Labour Bills Committee, mention of whom Mr Seddon carefully avoid-i ed bad voted with Mr Ell throughout on this question. ■ In" the course of his denudation of Mr Ell the Premier taunted him with not hav-. ing voted in committee on the question of striking out the clause exempting the' Government. • ' .Thjs Mr Ell. denied,- and the division, list having been sent for and it having been shown that his name did not appear. Mr Ell in spke of the warnings of several mem-: ters, insisted upon hi* name being ded amongst those who voted fo ■ retain 1 the very clause which last" night he had moved to strike out. The whole incident' lias been occasion of a good deal of talk. ; Mr Seddon has given Mr Ell a pretty plain indication that he does not'want him in his party, "and it remains to be seen whether Mr Ell will take his hat out of the Government Whips' room or wait for a--moro formal hint.