The Leadership of the Liberal Party.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 40, 13 August 1894, Page 3

The Leadership of the Liberal Party.

— . « STOUT PRODUCES MRS BALLADE'S LETTERS. As might have been anticipated, after Sir R. Stout's speech at Wanganui on the leadership question has not been allowed to remain as it was. The Lyttelton Times' special correspondent interviewed Mr Seddon end saw certain correspondence, and he wrote on Wednesday last :— •• There is nothing I have heard, or seen, to give the least colour to >tout'a state* menta." Further on he says that at the time of Mr Ballance's death Sir Robert Stout's name was never mentioned as his probable successor, and when , Sir Robert Stout etoud for Inangahua the explicit understanding was that he should come in and help the Liberal Party. In order to get Sir Robert Btout s reply, the Parliamentary representative of the Post interviewed him and last night's paper contains a three quarter column interview. In answer to those who doubted Mr Ballance's wishes, Sir R. Stout produced two letters from Mrs Ballance. The first was written from Gisborne, just after Mr SeddonV Feilding speech. Mrs Ballance says : j — «• John said : ' I must go and Stout < most come.' lam convinced he did not give Seddon any papers. I can not think that Seddon's colleagues will allow the statement to pass for truth " In a postscript Mrs Ballancß adds that though her husband's wish was of no importance now Mr Seddon should not make false atat«monts. The second letter was written from Sydney, when en roxttc for England, and repeats the statement as to resigning in favour of Stout when the latter entered the House. Asked as to the reason why he had not disclosed the letters from Mrs Ballance, which formed so complete an answer to Mr Seddon's statement, before, Sir Robert replied that it was, first, because he did not think that the opinions or wishes of Mr Ballance would influence the Liberal Party in its actions ; and secondly, that he did not wish te make use of the letters for anything which would look like personal aggrandisement. He had no desire for office, and prepared to be relieved from the cares and responsibilities which, when last in office, were assumed at the cost of his health, and he had ■aid that if he took office it would only be for a short time,— Chronicle correspondent.