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passed upon his administration, and considering that certain of the Premier's remarks inferentially reflected on him and his department, wrote the latter concerning the whole difficulty, and prematurely handed his memorandum to the newspapers for publication. In this missive he proceeded to lay the blame on the Premier. He affirmed that it had never been his desire to cover or clear his own personality at the expense of the Government as a body, and he regretted that the same rigid loyalty had not always been shown to himself. A generous and fair statement from the Premier, he asserted, would have satisfied the public and the Legislature, and saved him from misrepresentation. He contended that though personally assailed by the press for want of foresight in not providing rolling stock to meet the growing demands of the traffic, however unfair the criticism had been, he had defended the Government and its actions at the expense of himself as Commissioner of Railways. He declared that in 1894 the department asked for £200,000 worth of stock for open lines, and £130,000 for lines proposed to be constructed, sums which the Premier had said he was unable to grant, because he was not prepared to ask Parliament for a larger loan than £1,500,000. He reminded Sir John that the Engineer-in-Chief had called upon him personally and urged that the items should be increased. Then he continues :—"I have no hesitation in saying that had the Government at the time seen their way clear to have met the wishes of the department, and had Parliament voted the money, our present difficulties would not have arisen; there can be no doubt of that."

The position had now got beyond the hands of the people, and was personal between Sir John Forrest and Mr. Venn. The public had complained, and the complaint was effective. For some days the dissatisfied merchants viewed with surprise the new turn which events had taken, and they awaited the result. Sir John Forrest considered that it would be impossible that he and Mr. Venn should remain any longer in office together, and asked the latter by letter for his resignation. In this document the Premier expressed regret at having to sever his political connection with the Commissioner of Railways, and thanked him for his past services. Mr. Venn wished to make a written statement to the Cabinet from documents in the Department, and he did not send his resignation as desired. Sir John again wrote Mr. Venn, stating that his position in refusing to send in his resignation was untenable and unconstitutional, and asked him a second time to resign. Mr. Venn refused to waver from his previous decision, and proceeded to his country residence. Sir John telegraphed him to Jarrahdale, again expressed regret at his decision, and informed him that the Cabinet was in accord in making an appeal that further trouble might avoided by the Commissioner's resignation. To this Mr. Venn curtly replied, "Death rather than dishonour." Two days later, on 9th March, Sir John intimated to the Minister that he did not wish to take any action that might be considered unkind or unfriendly, but that unless he received a reply that evening he would feel himself at liberty to take any step that might seem necessary. Mr. Venn did not receive this memorandum until late at night and after the time signified by Sir John within which he desired a reply. He at once informed the Premier that it was impossible for him make any statement that night, and that he would do so next morning. Sir John, however, not receiving this letter up to nine o'clock (the hour he had stated), gave information to the press which made it impossible to delay further. In the same evening he transmitted a memorandum to Mr. Venn, which read :—"I am directed by His Excellency the Governor to inform you that, acting on my advice, he has dismissed you from the post of Commissioner of Railways and Director of Public Works, and from membership of the Executive Council. His Excellency, in communicating his pleasure in this matter, has been pleased to state that he regrets exceedingly that circumstances have arisen which had necessitated this action, and expressed very great surprise that, being aware the necessity of cohesion among members of a Government in best interests of a colony, you should desire, after having been several times invited to tender your resignation, to remain in office. His Excellency feels that, under the circumstances, he has no other alternative but accept the advice given him, and therefore to approve of your dismissal from office."

Mr. Venn bowed to the decision, but stated that he had yet to learn what offence he had committed to justify his dismissal from the Executive Council. He objected to the haste that had been shown, and subsequently affirmed that he had intended to resign immediately after setting his case before the Cabinet. Considerable discussion took place as to the merits of Sir John Forrest's and Mr. Venn's disagreement, and regret was expressed that it had proceeded to such lengths. Important questions as to constitutional procedure and precedent were opened up.

The vacant portfolio was not one at this time to be coveted. To receive the animadversions of an outspoken public when one is toiling night and day to satisfy them in not enviable. After some difficulty in finding a successor to Mr. Venn, Sir John Forrest prevailed upon Mr. F.H. Piesse, the member of the House Assembly for the Williams constituency, to essay the onerous task. Mr. Piesse for some time was unable to cope with the traffic, but as rolling stock, which had already been ordered, came to hand during the year the congestion was relieved, and was finally removed altogether. Numerous additions were made to the staff, and experienced railway officials were imported from England. The administration has been systematised, and the railways are now capable of meeting the demands upon them. In 1896 also the grievances concerning the post and telegraph services were removed. The duplicate wires to the eastern goldfields were connected, the line from Coolgardie to Dundas and Eucla was expeditiously completed, and lines to several goldfields centres were erected. The post and telegraph buildings were improved, or new ones were raised, and the internal working of these public departments was organised so as to facilitate business. There had been additional complaints from the goldfields, and great inconvenience had been caused, but what with railway construction, water-supply, and other conferments, the Government endeavoured to remove justifiable grounds for complaint.

The demand of the goldfields for increased political representation did not abate, and when Parliament met in July, 1896, the Government programme set forth that a bill would be introduced to create new constituencies. Sir John was fulfilling the promises made during his tour in 1895 to the eastern mineral fields. A new Constitution Act Amendment Bill was passed by both Houses, and was assented to on 8th October. Under it three additional members were given to the Legislative Council, and eleven to the Legislative Assembly. A new electoral division—the North-East Provinces—was constituted in the Legislative Council, and comprised the Coolgardie, East Coolgardie, North Coolgardie, North-East Coolgardie, Dundas, and Yilgarn electoral districts. The Murchison fields were included in the Central Province. The new electoral division was entitled to return three members. The Legislative Assembly, with the additional representation afforded, was now to consist of forty-four members, and forty-four electoral districts. The Nannine constituency, constituted under the Constitution Amendment Act 1893, was abolished, and was included in