THE PREMIER STILL SILENT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1322, 28 December 1911, Page 4

THE PREMIER STILL SILENT.

FLYING VISIT TO TIIH SOUTH. TMfi I.AIiOUK VOTl:. "J Imvß nolliiiiff lo wiy, wcept Hint I urn just K»i»f( I" i;hllf;li;hi/n:h, nnd 1 slinll bo Imclt ntfnin on J'Vitl/iy niorniiijt." Thiil. v/iin Kir .lo.'.cjih Wiird'n reply to n Dominion mporU-r who iicwif.t/;d him in Iho wharf Inst evening 'I'lin I'riino Minister Ilidii went on board the Maori, The. daily inquiry for Iho expected proiioiincr-ineiif. on Iho politienl nitiiation hud pr<tviuii<dy l>ct!|i irnidc ;il. Ihn I'riino Minislcr's odiw, mill ono of liifl ffcrelnri'M hml niiidi; iho uKiml ■reply--'"j'h(!re is notiling f«r Iho prns-i 10-ni|;hl." It i« liiinni.".,! ll,;il Sir Joseph Wnrd in (,'oiiiK to Chri.'ilcliurch lo pee hh Exu-I-Ifliicy tin! Governor, who is at present in Hint city.

THE LABOUR MEMBERS. INTEUKSTING m-OUMATION. (By TclcKrnph.-Kpcclal Corrcjpondciit.) Levin, December 2". Inner Lnbour circles in the Otaki electorate view the utterances of Mr. J. I'ayne, M.l'., on the political situation with some amusement. They recall Iho fact that at the recent secret caucus meeting of the Labour members of Parliament, held in Wellington, Mr. Payne orrived from Auckland too late to attend the conference, which, by that time, had reconfirmed its individual election ttatemont (Mr. Hindinnrsh exceplcd) lo voto against Sir Joseph Ward. From information which has leaked out regarding the meeting, it appears that Mr. Jlindmarsh was a sort of intermediary, who used all his accustomed eloquence in an effort lo persuade Mr. Robertson and Mr. Vcilch to side with.the Government. He was totally unsuccessful, and then is understood to havo conveyed the news to Sir Joseph Ward that the votes of Messrs. Veitch. Hobcrtson, and Payne would bo definitely against him. GOVERNMENT CAUCUS, AUCKLAND MEMBERS LEAVING FOR WELLINGTON. IBj TolecraDh.-Prcts Afßoclatlon.l Auckland, December 27. The Auckland Government members are leaving for Wellington by to-morrow night's express, and it is understood that a caucus of Government members will bo held in the capital in the course of the next few days to consider the political crisis.