PRE-SESSIONAL SPEECH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2111, 20 June 1907, Page 4

PRE-SESSIONAL SPEECH.

HON. C. H. MILLS ON GENERAL

POLITICS-. Press Association. BLENHEIM, yesterday. The Hon. Mr. Mills,, in a pre-ses-sional Picton address last night, referring to matters that led up to the reconstruction of the Ministry, said tlie late Premier expressed no personal desire for reconstruction, though the Cabinet had seriously discussed the matter, all being present Mr. Mills bad told Mr. Seddon that ll lie resigned from tlio Cntmiot' no wculd also resign l as member tor Wairau. Tlie matter then dropped. He stated that wlion Sir Joseph Ward went Homo in 1906, Mr. Seddon was left far too much work, and was sen. oft to Australia by the remaining Ministers, with the idea of saving him. He described Sir Joseph Ward’s interview with him on his return from the Old Country as new Premier. Sir Joseph explained what lie considered were complications that had arisen in the party and press, and said ho thought the representations could not be overlooked. Mr. Mills accordingly resigned. Ho had found out since that .Sir Joseph had been misinformed on many matters. From what had transpired during tlie short session last year, and since, people had formed their own impressions of what the real causes of his retirement were. Time would show, refuting the romarks in the press of tlio colony as to liis being a amiable nonentity, etc. Mr. Mills sought to show that as Government whip for many years he had wcilded great power in vetoing our passing measures. He claimed credit for choking the Federation aspirations of the late Premier and some other Ministers, also for defeating the Midland Railway Bill. After the latter had been thrown out by six votes, the late Premier sent for hi min anger, and declared he would re-iiitroduco the Bill and “take good care the tail doesn’t wag tlie dog next time.” Mr. Mills claimed he had always reserved to himself a free hand. Referring to the Land Bill, lie said it was difficult to know what was going to be the sliapo of the land proposal of the Government. Mi. McNab was sincere.in-his closer settlement views, with which he agreed, but he would rather see him introduce a slight amendment of tlio present land laws. He refuted the rumor that he was going to leave New Zealand for Australia. Ho would be again a candidate for "Wairau.