POLITICAL RUMOURS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1018, 15 July 1911, Page 3

POLITICAL RUMOURS.

SIR JOSEPH WARD’S BARONETCY. Auckland, July 14. The acceptance of a baronetcy by Sir Joseph Ward has made Mr C. H. Poole, M. P., angry, and last night he characterised the Prime Minister’s action as the blunder of his life. He said Sir Joseph Ward could never call himself a democrat again. He suggested that there should be in New Zealand a Hereditary Titles Prevention Act, which would act, as did the Ninth Clause of the American Constitution. The acceptance of the baronetcy, he went on to say in a less serious way, had upset all their calculations. He did not believe Sir Joseph Ward would stay iu New Zealand, and it was possible that Sir John Findlay might seek the Awarua seat. He could not tell who would be the next Prime Minister, but it Sir John Findlay got the Awarua seat there was no telling where he would stop. Referring to the Wanganui rumour, Mr Poole said: “It’s a newspaper rumour, but if may be true.” It Sir John Findlay chose to stand for Wanganui, and there was any chance of Wanganui thus obtaining a Minister as its representative, Sir John Findlay would win the seat. Mr Poole’s view, and a rumour in circulation here do not coincide. The rumour is to the effect that at a recent Cabinet meeting the possibility of Sir Joseph Ward’s returning to England was discussed, and it was agreed that in that event Sir James Carroll should be selected as the Leader of the Liberal party. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS. Thursday’s Otago Daily Times says that the rumours that are current at the present time credit the Government with the determination to make additional appointments to the Legislative Council, some of them will be of such extraordinary character as will distinctly fortify the popular objection to the system ot nominating to the Legislative Council that is in vogue.