NEW ZEALAND POLITICS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3836, 25 August 1928, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND POLITICS.

UNITED PARTY LEADER. OFFER TO SIR J. WARD. STATEMENT REAFFIRMED. Vancouver, August 21. Sir Joseph Ward, of New Zealand, will sail for the Dominion tomorrow by the Aorangi. In the course of an interview he reaffirmed the statement he made at Winnipeg to the effect that he had been requested at the instance of 50 representative members of the United Party of New Zealand to assume its leadership. He said he would confer with the representatives of the party on his arrival home. Sir Joseph said the invitation was contained in a cablegram received before he reached Winnipeg. Obviously it would not be fitting for him to accept it yet. Upon his arrival in New Zealand he would be met by the 50 representatives and would give his answer. He had so informed them by cablegram. Sir Joseph said he had received no communication from the leaders of the party. He intimated that a section of the party is opposed to his leadership. The present situation was the result of a political skirmish. He had not invited the offer.

In the opinion of Sir Joseph it will be a long time before the dream of Empire trade unity pictured by British statesmen is realised. Only by building up and maintaining re- < iprocal trade within the Empire would the Commonwealth be unified.