POLITICAL SITUATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1321, 27 December 1911, Page 4

POLITICAL SITUATION.

THE RETICENT PREMIER. "NOTHING FOR THE PRESS." Sir Joseph Ward still declines to make any statement regarding the political situation. A Dominion reporter made Iho customary inquiry yesterday, and was told by a member of the. stall' that there was "nothing for tho press."

THE LABOUR MEMBERS. STATEMENT BY illi. VL'ITCH. (By l'elcerapb.—l'ress Association.! Wanyanui, December 2ii. J Mr. W. A. Vfitch, .U. 1 ,., ijiterviowed by a represe'jlativo of the "Chronicle" with reference to the statements and proposals made by Jlr. Payne, member, lur ivy Lynn, said that bo far as that gentleman was concerned he could take no exception to what .Mr. l'ayuo chose to say or propo.*, providing he spoke for himself alone, and not for the Labour mcm'.ATs an a body. He (ilr. Veitch) could not agree witli tho ambitious scheme outlined by Jlr. Payne, for the icason that ho; diil not regard it as baing at all practicable, or even reasonable in thoory. Still tho nieiuber for Grey Lynn was entitled lo his opinions, and hu (Mr. l'ayue) might bo right while he himself might be wrojip, although he felt sure lip was right in allinning Unit the opinions voiced by that gentleman were not the opinions of the majority of Labour members. Personally he did not think the time hud arrived for making any public statements os to the intuitions of the Labour party. It was, lie thought, first of all necessary for the Labour members to meet in eoni'crenco and discuss tho position from every point of view. He felt sure Unit tliis would bo done, and he had every confidence that whatever course might be finally decided upon, tho Labour members would provo themselves able to work together in a niiinnnr creditable to tlipinselvos and to the Parliament and people of New Zealand.