THE POLITICAL CRISIS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1395, 22 March 1912, Page 6

THE POLITICAL CRISIS.

.— —* — : —- . • SIR JOSEPH WARD & HIS FRIENDS. "IN THE,WINTER. ,, - AN APPEAL TO THE COUNTRY FORESHADOWED. At a meeting of local "Liboral" sympathisers, hold on Tuesday evening, a resolution was passed-extending sympathy to Sir Joseph Ward, nnd asking him to reconsider his decision to resign from the position of Prime Minister. Yesterday some three hundred people,' including many ladies, assembled at Awarua House, to present tho resolution to.Sir Josoph Ward. ■ The latter, accompanied by Lady Ward and Miss Ward, met. the deputation oa the lawn adjoining the house. Ko members of Parliament took part in the proceedings, end none ivoro observed to bo present. , ~ •

Sir Joseph Ward Eulogised, Mr. Jas. Heid, who was chairman at Tuesday's meeting, presented (no resolution, which Tciuis as follows:— ;"'That this deputation of Liberal supporters'unci -friends of the Kight Hon. the prinio Minister desivo to express our regret upon hearing that you have decided u> resign the position 01 Premier, of the Dominion and Leader of tho Liberal party. Wo are in sympathy with you. in tho circumstances under .which you liiay consider it necessnry to tako that ttep.. . Looking' hack on tho : years yon have led Parliament and the. many important Liberal measures you have introduced, and which are now brought into law, wo "realise-that, they havp not been ill tho interests of any one class, but tor nil .the people of the Dominion. Wo are not.' unmircltul of your good services ns iPostmnstor-Cioneval, oi which the Post and Telegraph Department, boars record in its up-to-diitc'duess,-being second to no other pare of. tho Empire. Indeed, the whole of the legislation during your term of' ;offico bears tho mark of progress, as a result of which the Dominion is now quoted by tho world's statesmen ns ono of the most progressive parts of tho '.Empire. Wo. regret your resignation, and.we would '.sincerely ask you to reconsider your decision, feeling assured that the majority are with you, and that you retain the. confidence of the people; nnd finally, wo wish to. impress this fact upon tho Liberal and Labour members in Parliament." ■ ' This resolution, said Mr. Reid, hai\ been discussed at the meeting. Some of those presont had chided him with not putting enough in tho resolution. Hfc could have filled many sheets of paper ■with the.good works of the Prime Minister. The. members of the deputation .■were there as loyal supporters and friends of tho Prime Minister. These friends were not of the fiiic-wwithev variety. They were here "in the winter"—the political atmosphere was not perhaps all sunshine —to assure Sir Joseph Ward of their friendship and their loyal support. They would bo quite satisfied with any course that ho might elect to follow in Tegard to tho leadership. Mr. Reid said that he had been in many countries, but ho had never seen a better-appointed Postal Department than in this country. TheSo and.other benefits they owed to the brain and financial skill of the Prime Minister. The present Liberal Government were extending miles and miles of telephone communication out amongst the farmers. The Liberals, .unlike the Conservative- party, were not' a class-legislating party. (Hear, hear.) On more than ono occasion New Zealand had been on the brink of. serious trouble, and had been saved by. tho mas-ter-mind of the man whom they had assembled to honour. Somo of the achievements credited to' the late Mr. Setldon wero. really due to Sir Joseph Ward. Tho 1 Liberal party had done a. great deal fdr the workers, and for the farmers as well. The-: Conservatives'had benefited by the good work of tho. Liberal Administration., The farming community to-day would no doubt prefer their lanil t&'v-to. the property tax, which the Liberal party had' . abolished. The Government had encouraged many forms of production.. It had been : ahead of tho producer all the time pulling him on. . . . Mr. Reid went on' to remark that he was- sorry that Sir Joseph Ward found it nwessary to Tesigu. (near, hear.) It had , ,been said recently in Auckland by a leading man in.'the Opposition that Sir Joseph ' Ward stood head and shoulders above any man in this country, politically. '(Hear, hear, and applause.) Sir Joseph "Ward did not fear criticism; but when n. party stooped to slander and malignity a man could not stoop to filth like. that. (Hear, hear.) A speaker at their meeting had said that it. was the , dirtiest and blackest .campaign ho had ever witnessed. (Hear, hear.) Ho believed that tiio hearts of tho people- wero true- to tho Liberal Administration today., (Hear, hear.) The blackness and malignity, and dirt did.not come from tho people. (Hear, hear.) A voice: It comes from the other side. l!r s lieid went on to state.that ho hoped to sea,Sir.,Joseph.Ward.leading the Lib- j eral party again! If 'the whole of the Liberal party were unanimous in asking him to remain in 'office, he'woiild have a difficult task.in.declining. He hoped that tho resolution of the meeting would be satisfactory to . the Prime .Minister. Whatever, course he might elect to take, he would havo tho loyal support, sympathy, ' and confidence of tho Liberal party. (Ap■plause.) ■''■': ". Mr. Reid also presented to tho Prime , Minister copies of resolutions similar to that passed by the local meoting on Tuesday evening, which'had'been' passed by meetings in various parts of New Zealand. ■'.■■■■ ~ ' Mr. E. Arnold, ■', T .P., said-that this was one of the most remarkable occasions that had .ever come to pass in New Zealand. Ono of the noblest and kindest ■ men who had ever taken part in public lifo had decided to stand aside—for whom they could not telK He sincerely hoped that Kir Joseph Ward would reconsider his decision. Mr. Arnold wont on to commend Mich measures as tho Old Ago Pensions Act and the "Widows' Pensions Act of last cession. . Mr. A. L. Wilson said .that his friendship with Sir Joseph Ward extended over 8. period of thirty years. ■Hβ prophesied that although Sir Joseph Ward gave up th« leadership to-day, it would not bo long before they had him back again. (Applause.)

Women's Political League. Mrs. Koay-Brown read a resolution, passed, by the Women's Social and Political League, asking. Sir Joseph Ward to reconsider his decision to resign. (Applause.)

Mrs. , Mooro heartily endorsed the utterance of tho previous speaker, and commanded tlio humanitarian legislation which Sir Joseph "Ward had been instrumental in passing. She asked him to reconsider his decision if it were compatible with his honour and dignity as Prime Minister of (he Dominion.

Mr. Gray (Hawera) said that ho was himself a living .instance of what had been done- under tho beneficent legislation passed by the present Government, Sir Joseph Ward had behind him the love and affection of a great, body of people in ftew Zealand. (Applause.) Going out of Office. Mr. W. M'Lean snid it was evident that this Government wos goinf; out of office— (no, no)—but he- was perfectly satisfied that they would !!o out as pure and undtf;!ed as any Government that ever went out in tbe world. "Go, then, out of office, as you have promised," said Mr. M'Lean, addressing tho Prime Minister, "and tho fc;<no will come when the people will degiro you to come back again, and you will '•■'•iia back with greator lustre than ■ire." (Applause.) "Er. C. Hall, ex-member for Waipawa, Kir Joseph Ward had probably been i" iiister longer than any other man in > world to-day, and ho (Mr. Hall) did 1.-elieve that anyone Parliament ! ever believed at any time that Sir .■■spli Ward was not in a position to ml up and vindicate his character. Hβ loved that, at no distant period, Sir .--ph Ward would bo again called upon i lead the Liberal and Labour party. . !:■ believed that in Sir Joseph Ward lay Ae hope of New Zealand. (Applause.) U ho liked the Prime Minister could go Homo to England, enter the Imperial [louso of Commons, and very soon roso to . Cabinet rank. (Hear, hear, and applause.) Mr. Henry Parata (speaking through an interpreter) said that he was there to voici? the sentiment, of tho East and West Coast, The Maom of these districts;

wished Blr Joseph Ward to retain the leadership- of party. • (Applause.) They know him to ■bo an upright and honest man, but they did not know who might succeed him. It would ti\ke a now Jendcr ■ 6omo time-, to'- understand tlio Maoris. . Sir ■ .Toscph Word' "Jintl guided thoparty well and wisely .so ft\r,' and tho Maoris felt sure that he was tho only onoto steer the barque, through the rough waters to come. PREMIER AND HIS CRITICS.

AN ANGRY, UTTERANCE. Sir Joseph Ward, who was received with applause nnd cheers, fissured his hearers that although he would not be able to Kivo effect, to what they had urged him, he. would always remember with pleasure tho way in which they had preferred their request.: If he,, did what his heart urge.il him to'do, he would answer in the affirmative, but from tho' position of things in this country; ot the. .moment hs felt that-there was-only-one course, to pursue. '-. Ho had thought' the whole matter over, and had come t« the conclusion that he could not, in fairness to himself, or to the country, continue to hold tho high position he now filled, under existing conditions. Hβ . had-made a statement in tho House, before a division took place, that he intended to retire from the position of Primo.Minister and frorii thai.'of Leader of the Liberal ■ party. Some of his-hearers no doubt', had seen the extraordinary contemptible meanness of .his opponents, , 'to judge-by what their organs said. As a. fact, they had suggested everything mean and contemptible, in a way that, was a disgrnce to-journal-ism.- One hod to come to the conclusion that the'hirelings of the organs in question were carrying out the behests of the largo lauded proprietors, who were opposed, to the policy ho had been carrying on for, the benefit of the masses of,the ..people in New Zealand." They'ha'd' -brought into operation a , system that would eat them up. before it was-doiio with. Their idea was to employ nbuse^ slander, misrepresentation, and lying. The hirelings of the organs, he had -mentioned could not be expected to do this mean, unmanly, contemptible work of their own accord.. The time was coming when they woiild find •■ that their method of carrying on-the political life of this, country :would fail to . frighten men /.like himself. "We will take everything; out of them,"-said Sir Joseph Ward, "in return for what they have done for us." •' (Applause.) "And ive will take it out of them tenfold," .Be continued, y "because men and women' in , this country are. not going to bo deceived very much longer. I have not read their local | organ since two days after- tho election, but I have heard enough abont'.it" from: people- ivho have read it:" It was only necessary to take what went on in Wellington; the Prime Minister continued. " hen anything was done for the'benefit of. the community in general it-was depreciated in every possible way. "Supporters of the Opposition had sent hundreds of thousands out of the country, when there was a tightness of money, -so that if the trouble grew they could step in and acquire properties for'next to nothing. These were the people with whom the Government had to contend. If they were not responsible for starting the malicious lies and venomous statements that were abroad, they never stood up nnd said anything against a system which was one of tho most abominable ever invented in any country in the world. They expected it to stop there, but the recoil would be upon them for a certainty.

When the Trouble Began. Hβ very much appreciated the fact that Mr. Reid and other speakers had paid high compliments to him. He did not lack courage, and had not decided to. rer tire from any fear of his'opponents, but iu the first instance- from a. belief that the opponents of the Liberal pur.ty" were taking advantage of a. s-plit that started in New Zealand not very long after.the death of tho late. Mr. Seddon, when a number of - workers decided that they could create an 'independent party, as they were- fullv entitled. to do.. At the last election tfiere had, been tho anomalous position of the representatives .of the. large landowners' holding 'out their arms to the workers, to whom they had always been opposed from: the;-inception of political life in this country. .The Opposition had said: "Put a revolutionary Socialist in"—one man had. said, "put a Chinaman in"—so long as they put the Liberal party out. Not a~ man', from end to end of New Zealand, 'could say that the."decision of the people was brought about from the discussion of public.questions. There hnd.beeji. misrepresentation* and slander from end to endlof the country. .A party cry had been raised of, "Put Ward .out." Tliß Opposition had got into tho position' thev occupied by utilising the workers with., whom the Liberal party had worked, upon reasonable and progressive lines, in the development of Now Zealand. ' He had been acoused of holding back a documont,...about, a loan, which everyone know he, had.not got. No man could successfully, lead a party, unless he found that,' .wherever he was attached, all. those who we,re associated with him m nny locality were prepared to drfend him there. .In the "hurly-burly" of politics, during last election, he", had been less defended than any: public man who had ever held his position in New.Zealand. This Was not because''those associated with • him were not prepared to defend him, but because .they had to fight for their very existence against the slander and abuse circulated against: them' in their. own.;districts. .He Lad..not come-to his' decision lightly/

Will Not; be a Bugbear. Rβ was not 'prepared to. , occupy the position of a bugbear to drive the Liberal and Labour party put of office, and let his opponents come into power themselves. The party ought to have an opportunity of selecting another man to lead.it, and the new: leader should have a fair trial. The members of the party should sink minor differences , and. practise self-ab-negation. In'laying down tho administration he was leaving the finances strong and sound. " (Applause.) 'The financial position of tho country -was stronger,: he thought, than it-had ever been before. At. the end of this year there-would be a' record revenup. The country at the present time, from eml to end, was prosperous: . He learned that individuals connected . with the. Public Service of this country were better off than in any other cquntry in .the world. It could not be denied by the most fanatical of its opponen.ts.fhat tho Government of .which-ho liad been at tho head had been one of the most enterprising, that. the .country had ever seen. . In none of the • Australian States' had as much development., been effected in the same period. In tho eyes of men at Home, whose good opinion was essential,. Now. Zealand stood higher to-day than it ever had before. The Opposition had said that if they came 'into power, they would not Tene'af one of tho Acts . that the Governnient hail passed. As a fact, the representatives of the people would not let them. Liberal and Labour candidates had polled 109,000. more votes.''at the late election than their opponents. No man had appreciated more than himself the honour of hein? the trusted leader of a. great party, but under somo circumstances a leader had to remember the people who had given him his power, and at the same time to consider his own. pride, dignity, and honour. If, later on, the people of this country showed—and they were the judges—that they did not. believe the scandals or put their trust in lies of the kind to which he had referred, then he w_<is prepared toi do all that he could to help fhe country on-

' "A South American System." Speaking agnin of his opponents, Sir Joseph Ward characterised their methods as "a. contemptible, low-down South Atn"rican system of suggestion and sl.imlor o.nd personal'abuse." ThiV ho paid, had token t.ho plnce of practical reasoning upon questions that wore likely to ho of use to tho country as a wliole. ;. A Difficult Task; 1

That evening, he continued, tho members of tho Liberal party wero to meet to elect a now leader. They had a difficult task beforo them, Imt he believed Dhey would overcome it. It was tho duty of every meratcr bo sink individual differences at this crisis in tho party's nffairs. In twelve months, at tho very, outside, public opinion in this country would bo directed very strongly towards the Liberal party.' 'If tlio people Wore then appealed to, the Liberal and Labour representatives would come back in such strength fcnat thoro would he no question of the casting vote of l.ho Speaker-or n f a majority of two. The .nppoa.l tr> the people might come m> twelve -rnonHis; it I might bo moner, or it mieht bn made in I two yeera from now. The people would insist upon a nystem of'electoral reform I that would onsuni a majority oierj. flms.

-In succeeding remarks he declared that .some, of .his opponents had lowered their section of Hie, press to tho lowest depths of infamy. One of the .younger Opposition members, ho stated. had invited .him to come along tu his district mid contest the seat. He had replied that if he contemplated anything of Mm .kind he .would select l)ip district of'a tried man and a

"big gun-." He.was ratified that if ho lijiil gono to the district in-question, the common.sense of. the people would have left his opponent in tho back-ground, He be(ieved that, as a .member of the rank and file, he could be of somo use to the Liberal party.- (Applause.) The Priino Minister excused himself from inviting those present to enter his house, remarking'thnt. his-family had already commenced to pack up. Some of his onponehts 'had -open c-onrempliblo enough to put their no-e-s in and .suggest what should be done so far as his home was concerned. (Shame.) The same

"dirty, contemptible thing" had been dono by n member of tho House of Representatives. This was looked upon as the "now- form" of the nice, honourable, high-toned people, by v;hom he was opposed. They were toads and curs who did things of that kind. Sir Joseph Ward concluded by predicting seveTe disappointment for his opponents, who were blind as hats to the fact that political opinion ivns rapidly swinging back to what it was-some years ago. (Cheers and applause.) Before dispersing, the gathering sang. "For He's a Jolly Good -Fellow," and augin cheered Sir Joseph Ward and Lady Ward. . . ;