BACK TO WARDISM.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1726, 18 April 1913, Page 6

BACK TO WARDISM.

THE LEADERLESS REMNANT.

NO OTHER CHIEF IN SIGHT.

(By Telegraph,—Special Correspondent.) Christchurch, April 17. Mr. G. AY. Russell, M.P. for Avon, docs not think that the suggestion that !sir W. -Hall-Jones should lead the Liberal party would bo seriously regarded by tho party either in, the House or in the country, and so far as the Liberal party in the House is concerned, there is only one possible leader, and that is Sir Joseph Ward. That position, Mr. Kussell states, lm s been recognised throughout, ; and while tiir Joseph preferred to refrain from taking up the responsibility of leadership last session, it must be recognised that he is the only man in Parliament at present who can unite the Liberal party, and ior this reason: that (lis Liberals now in the House were returned to support him as leader and pledged their lenity >at the elections ol l'Jll.

"The statements made that 1 have offered myself as leader of the party,"isaid Mr. Russell,'''are pure invention's, without one word of truth or lact to buck them up. Like my colleagues, 1 rceogniso, and have recognised all through, that Sir Joseph Ward, on account of his ability, experience, and Imperial standing, is the only possible leader of the parly whilst lie continues in political life. 1 believe that when Sir Joseph returns to the Dominion about the end of Juno there will be so united a request made to him that lie will lw unable to resist the appeal that he should take his proper place at the head of the Liberals, Ho considered last session that it was desirable that lie should decline repeated requests that he should beconie leader, and a Liberal'executive, comisHng of' Sir James Carroll, Mr. Macd.iliakl, .Ur. Ilauan, Mr.' Witty, and myself, were appointed to watch over the interests of the party. "The wave of anti-Ward feeling has alr<a:ly expended itself, and the people are looking lor a man to control the finances of the country who will not have th& 'prentice hand of Sir. Massey. Evidences of the remarkable return to popularity of. Sir Joseph Ward are abundant, and I hose farmers who are unfortunate enough at present to require a renewal of luort-S-'ges bitterly lament the absence from power of the man who gave the country during the last fifteen or' sixteen years cheap money. As' time goes on evidenco accumulates of the incompetency, weakness, and ineptitude of the present Administration, and also of the utter lack of a defined policy to help to promote the prosperity of the Dominion. The country is already suffering bitterly through the inability of the Massey Government to rise to its responsibilities, and there can be little doubt that when tho progressive forces meet tho Conservative classes of New Zealand at the ballot-box there will--1)0 proof enough that thTs. country does not mean to allow Mr. Massey, who climb-. ®d by the back stair to a Ministerial position; to remain there a day longer than can be helped."