Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1906. THE PREMIERSHIP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3700, 4 August 1906, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1906. THE PREMIERSHIP.

Speculation of weeks past as to the probable holder of the Premiership has been brought to a full stop by the arrival in the colony this week of Sir J. G. Ward. From the outset the Hon. Hall-Jones made his intentions plainly known of resigning in favour of Sir J. G. Ward, but there were a large section of colonists who kept continually urging him to retain the reins of power. However, Sir J. G. Ward has once again set foot on New Zealand soil; he has been heartily welcomed, and delivered speeches brimful of interest.; Hon. HallJones has resigned from the Premiership, and the great Sir Joseph —in answer to the Governor’s call, is now in the act of forming a Ministry. While feeling sure Sir J. G. Ward will be capable of forming a Ministry which will meet with general approval, we would like to place on record that the thanks of the colony are due to Hon. Hall-Joues for the able manner in which he has held office since the late Premier’s death. He has proved that he is capable of holding the office with judgment, and that his political actions during his short reign were approved of by the people in general goes without saying. Truly, Hon, Hall-Jones will be looked upon in the new Ministry as Ward’s righthand man. As to Sir J. G. Ward, we trust that the general policy of his administration will be such a success that the people will have no cause to complain, but that the

undoubted confidence placed in the late R. J. Seddon will be repeated. In a sense, the road is not a hard one to hoe. The late Seddon administration have laid down a policy which has proved to - be effective, and all future Ministries have to do is to go on improving on the lines so adaptly laid down by the greatest of the world’s Humanists—the late R. J. Seddon. This colony is experiencing a wave of progression, and has been for some time past, and it only remains for a judicious Government to act on careful lines, and our people will not regret having placed confidence in the present party returned to power. We fully believe Sir J. G. Ward and his Ministry will meet all requirements, and while we strongly approve of the incoming Prime Minister, still we reserve the right to express ourselves against any measure he or his party bring forward, which we do not think is for the common good of the people. i