WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1930, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE UNITED PARTY

IT’S NEAV LEADER

(Special Correspondent. V

AVELLINGTON, May .22,

After a lpng sitting, extending far into the night, the United Party yesterday selected the Hon. G. W. Forbes as successor to Sir .Joseph Ward in its leadership. Other aspirants tp tin a position were the Hon. E. A. Ransom} the Minister of Public Works the Hon. H; Atmore, th,e Minister of Education, and the Hon. W. A. Veitch, the Minister of Labour and Mines.

The ballot to determine the elect of the quartet was conducted by Sir Thomas Sidey, the Attorney-General, and Mr G. A. Munns, the member for Roskill, and the result was received with the utmost cordiality, Mr Ransom, who is understood to have .run Mr Forbes very closely, being the first to, congratulate the Prime Minister elect upon the result. Jn acknowledging the distinction conferred upon him, Mr Forbes indicated; that lie did not expect his enlarged responsibilities to be a very easy burden. The country, he,said, was passing through a difficult stage in its development and he would need all the assistance Parliament ancf the public could give him.

LIBERAL RESPONSIBILITIES.

In the'poursie of a communication addressed to i!he assembled members of Parliament, Sir Joseph Ward expresssed a hope that “the basic principles of Liberalism, which in the past have done so much for the welfare of tiie country, will still remain the guiding factors of the new Government.”

• These principles'” the retiring Prime Minister, went on to say, “dictate a policy which is progressive and humanising, and are vitally necessary for the advancement of a young nation like New Zealand.” It was left to Sir Apirana Ngata to frame on behalf of the gathering a message of sympathy and appreciation to Sir Joseph AVard. only is our, domestic sphere of, Government ha,ve, you taken a prominent; part,” its concluding.passage ran, “but also in, the wider field of Empire you have been an outstanding figure.” The assent of Sir Joseph to a request that he would retain his seat in Parliament;and his seat in.the Executive Council .was greeted with warn satisfaction from unanimous body of well-wishers.

PROPRIETY.

The “Dominion” this morning greets the Prime .Minister elect with its customary sense of propriety. “Mr Forbes personally,” it says, “is to be congratulated on gaining the United Party leadership and the succession to the Prime Ministership, He has secved a long and distinguished; appi'emticeship -in politics and might alwayshave remained in the ruck but for the exeception political circumstances r of the moment., ~ As it is the United Party, have made an obvious but uninspiring choice, and- Air , Forbes has a chance jshat comes to few members. To-day the country wants a directing force, a j-man of courage and initiative and, although Mr Forbes has good qual ities, thje,se are not numbered among them. His temperament is not positive but negative.” Mr Forbes, in the circumstances* .can afford to smile at obloquy of _ this kind, which, after all, does not-reach even so far as skin deep but it is, a pity that party differences it any time should be so unhappily expressed. ' It is-' not ! cricket, nor even, football, at.(its btestA’v* THAT FLAG.

The public is becoming a little confused as to the possession and location of the German flag hauled down by, the New Zealand expedition . ; dispatched to German Somodi' at the. very £ beginning of the Great War’ to take ■.posses* sion of the enemy’s, territory;;: there.,! The “Dominion” ;bn; Tuesday telegram from Palmerston North to the effect that the historic flag was hanging in the vestibule of the Auckland Public Library and that there was no truth in the recent statement that it had been found at Rangitotu. In the evening “The Post”, not to be outdone by its local contemporary,, produced a picture showing the flag gracefully draped as describ' d by the “Dominion.” In the House of Parliament, however, on the wall of iho vestibule of the Upper Library there hangs a Greman flag purporting to bo the emblem lowered and brought home by the New Zealanders. Hundreds of visitors to the parliamentary buildings have been shqwn this trophy by attendants and have bowed their heads in acknowledgment of the captors’ prowess.