MISUNDERSTOOD.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 415, 18 November 1911, Page 5

MISUNDERSTOOD.

THE HON. MILLAR EXPLAINS. NOT TO BE HIGH COMMISSIONER. [BY TKLE'-aiArii.— Assorr.rno.v ] Timaru, This Day. Hon. J. A. Millar has handed to the Press Association the fuliowing:— "My attention has been drawn to a telegraphed extract from an article appearing in last night's issue of the Wellington Post with reference to a statement made by myself in my speech in the Dunedin Garri-on Hall, concerning the leadership of the Liberal Party. How such a construction can be placed upon my words cated by the article in question is beyond my comprehension, and had the Post any knowledge of the local facts which caused the statement, it would have known accurately to what I was referring and my object in making reference as I did to the subject was to deny publicly the report which Is being "insidiously circulated in Dunedin and throughout my constituency that there was no need to vote for me at the coming election because I was to proceed to London after the election to take up the position of High Commissioner for New Zealand. In fact this rumour had gone much further afield than my own electorate, andl took the first opportunity ofdenying that I intended any such course of action. In thanking the constituency for loyalty to myself .over a long period c? years, I stated ♦Chat the natural ambition of every -man in such circumstances was to occupy the highest position, and that if opportunity occurred I would be ■pleased to submit myself to the Libera! Party for election. I never dreamt •my remarks would be distorted in the •dir mion of prophesying Sir Joseph •Wara intended relinquishing his position as leader of the Liberal Party, in fact I knew nothing which has ever, or at the present time, pointed in such a direction. The Prime Minister has the confidence of his colleagues and party, and I feel certain the coming tjoils vvill show he has the confidence cf the whole people.