POLITICAL RUMOURS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 41, 18 February 1930, Page 12

POLITICAL RUMOURS

UNITED LEADERSHIP

MEETING OF PARTY

A special meeting of the United Political Party has been summoned to take place in- Wellington on Friday.

According to a. statement published by the "Dominion" this morning, the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), in the course of a telephonic conversation from Kotorua last night, emphatically denied a rumour that the meeting was to be held to receive his resignation of tho position of leadership of the party. "There is no truth in it," Sir Joseph Ward is reported to have stated. "You have my authority f&r giving it an emphatic denial. I will be present at the meeting, but 1 have no intention of resigning. You can make that quite clear."

As a result of . inquiries made ia Wellington to-day, a "Post" representative was informed that the meeting of the United Party on Friday has no wide political significance, such as has been given to it.l The business is purely of a domestic nature concerning the organisation, and it is at present doubtful whether the Prime Minister will bo present at-\the meeting.

No information had been received in official quarters at Parlianiont House this morning that the Prime Minister intended to return to Wellington by Friday from Botorua, where he has been under medical treatment for the past: mouth. The intimation that he is returning appeared to conflict with the general understanding that Sir Joseph would remain at Rotorua some weeks longer in order to receive the full benefit of the' treatment he is undergoing. ■ Whereas there is only one member of Cabinet in Wellington to-day (Sir Thomas Sidey), all the Ministers are expected to be here on Friday morning to attend a meeting of Cabinet which has been called for 10.30 a.m.