THE RECENT POLITICAL CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1505, 30 July 1912, Page 6

THE RECENT POLITICAL CRISIS

; STATEMENT BY SIR J. WARD. (By TelegTaph.-Pre£.3 Association.) ■ " „, • '". Auckland, July 2!). The nowXAuckland Trades Hall, built , by aid of a.grant from the Ward Gov- , ernment, was officially opened to-night bv , Sir Joseph Ward. •There was an attenci- . ance of about 300: Amongst the guests . we're:—-Messrs. A. E. Glover, M.P., J. Payne, M.P., the Ikm. Geo. Jones\ and , the Hon. W. Beehan. In tho course of his speech, Sir Joseph , Ward said he wished to take the oppor- , tmiity of making a statement which he , felt bound to make in his own interests. , It 1 concerned the crisis which had resull:- , ed after the last general election. As everyone knew the parties wore so even- . ly divided that no man could say who were the victors. Ho thought it was his , duty to call Parliament together to con- . eider the position as soon as possible , after Christmas. He called the party to . a caucus, but he found that every one , of his colleagues in the Ministry" wero - against him, and considered that it was not necessary for Parliament to meet so , early. Every member of the party, too, ■ were in accord with the views of the . other members, and pressure was brought ' to bear upon him, the result being that , the.ro was nc- session till the middle of February. At that meeting of Parliament the Liberals won, but at the la,st . crisis they lost, and that was through i the defection of men who had 1 been, returned to Parliament pledged to support the Liberal party. . As a result , of that defeat, the very men who had . urged him to postpone the meeting 'ol Parliament until -February were BoiiiH . about tho country blaming him for what had occurred. That all would agree wa.i i not a fair thing. He had no fear for thn . political lifo of New Zealand. In the a<) . justment that was going to take place, it , would take a Solomon of Solomons to say . who was going to win, but he was sure that when another appeal was made to the people the common-sense of the working men would prevail, and there was no reason why the Liberal party should not again tata> charge of the country's affairs in New Zealand. Majorities must rule, and'the present lnw sovi-!iing elections did not allow a majority in New Zealand to have the ruling power. With the necessary alteration in legislation, however, thoy would find that the instincts of tho people would bo sufficient to see that the representatives of tho majority would win, and there was no reason why theso representatives should not come from the Labour party. (Applnuse.) Between the first and second ballots at the last election chaos was brought about. Tho Liberals had bean badly organised, but ho was confident that next election would sweep back into tho fold the Liberals and Labourites, who would α-ule the country for the next generation. He would not speak for the present Opposition, as ho was not leader of it, but ho could assure them that he would always bo on the side of the weak, at the same time on the side of progress. AN INTERVIEW. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, July 29. Interviewed this morning concerning > tho present political situation. Sir Joseph : Ward stated that there was no doubt that , the present extraordinary position in regard ' to the politics of the country could ouly bo > finally adjusted by tho people of the Dqi minion themselves. To discuss the posi- ; tion from a party standpoint revealed a . peculiar, yet clear, aspect, inasmuch as [ the pnrty representing the minority of . votes in New Zealand was the party in i power to-day. That was undeniable, and i it_ constituted a unique political position > without parallel so far as his knowledge I served. In his opinion such an unnatural f stale of affairs cimld nat continue for !; bug unless the people themselves desired i it. In tho meantime the represent!)lives ! of the people had tho power to eitlipr - maintain or alter the existing condition?. I lie believed that majority rule by the ; voice, of tho people alone would enable tho > country to bo constitutionally governed. 1 Snonw or later, therefore, the will of tho - people would havo to be sought and obl taiucd. 3 Asked his opinion of the all-important ; division of a fortnight ago, Sir Joseph ; Ward replied that naturally one regretted i to see men who wero returned as supporti ers of the Liberal party crossing over to I help that parly's opponents ;vt the time i of a political crisis. No man worth his i salt in politics or any other walk of life i objected to being beaten in a fair fieht, 1 I but it was quite a different thing wlien 1 the party was defeated with the. afsist--3 ance of those who wore returned ns its friends and supporters. He was not making any personal complaint against nn,y individual member, but there were somo who would have to make good their ac- " tions in tho ripeness of time before their J constituents. Sir Joseph Ward lonvos by the Main I Trunk express for Wellington to-night. *> He will bo present at the oneiiin? of Pnr- " linment on Wednesday. Tie declined to ' discuss the position in regard tn thn leadership of tho Opposition, but sijoke , nptimiiticttll.T of future prospects of tho I 1 Liberal Silijt