CHAP. IV] THE GOVERNOR AS HEAD 221 
constructing connecting roads between the railways of the 
Colony. This procedure had long been usual, but unhappily 
an Act had just been passed with regard to corrupt practices, 
and the practice turned out to be illegal. Consequently the 
Opposition produced petitions, just before the time for 
presenting such petitions was expiring, against the return 
of 17 members of the majority, including the whole of the 
Cabinet with the exception of Mr. Harvey. This action took 
the Government by surprise, or they would have been pre- 
pared to lodge similar petitions against their opponents. 
The Legislature opened on February 16, 1894, in the 
curious position of the Government possessing a large 
majority, but a large majority which was, however, holding 
its tenure in a very uncertain manner. The situation was 
complicated by the fact that it was necessary to pass the 
usual annual Bill for giving powers to the officers of the 
Imperial Government for the enforcement of the French 
Treaties, and Sir W. Whiteway was not ready to pass the 
Bill exactly in the form in which it was desired by the 
Imperial Government ; in particular, he desired merely to 
procure a temporary Act. The proceedings against the 
members of the House resulted in March in the unseating 
of the Surveyor-General and Mr. Woods, and the Premier 
conceived the idea of a Bill cancelling the Elections Act 
under which these members had lost their seats. On the 
judgement in the Surveyor-General’s case being communi- 
cated as usual to the Assembly, the Prime Minister and 
a deputation of twenty members approached the Govern- 
ment dissenting from the judgement on the ground that the 
judgement was wrong, as it was an attempt to interfere 
with the discretion of the Executive Government in spending 
money on public works between the dissolution of Parlia- 
ment and the new elections. They asked for a dissolution, 
but the Governor was unwilling to consent that they should 
have one, on the ground that, despite their majority, they 
were not really entitled to have a dissolution. 
The entire Opposition protested against a dissolution on the 
ground that their opponents were really in a minority as the