PAST POLITICAL HISTORY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 20 June 1907, Page 2

PAST POLITICAL HISTORY.

THE HON. C. H. MILLS' EXIT FROM THE MINISTRY. SPEECH BY MB. MILLS. Per Press Association. Blenheim, June 19. The Hon. C. H. Mills delivered a prosessional address at Pietou last night, Kelerring to the matter of reconstruction of the Ministry he said that the laic Premier expressed no personal desire for reconstruction, though the Cabinet seriously discussed the matter, all being present, lie (Mr. Mills) had told llr. Scddon that if he resigned from the Cabinet he would also resign from Wairau. The matter was then dropped. He stated that when Sir Joseph Ward went Home in 1900 Mr. Seddon left far too much work. Mr. Scddon was sent to Australia by the remaining Ministers with the idea of saving him. Sir Joseph Ward afterwards explained what he considered were complications that had arisen in the party, and the Press said the representations could not be overlooked. The Hon. Mills accordingly resigned. He had found out since that Sir Joseph had been misinformed on many matters from what had transpired during the short session of last year, and since then the people- had formed their own impression of what was the real cause of Ills retirement. Time would show, ltefuting the remarks as to his being an amiable nonentity, etc., Mr. Mills sought to show that the Government whip many years had yielded great power iu vetoing or passing measures, and he claimed credit for choking the Federation aspirations of the late Premier and some of the other Ministers, also for defeating the Midland Railway Bill after the latter had .been thrown out by six votes. The late Premier sent for him in anger, and declared he would re-introduce the Bill and take good care the tail did not wag the dog next time. The Hon. Mills claimed that he had always reserved to himself ft free hand. In referring to the Land Bill he said that the difficulty was to know what was going to be the shape of the land proposal of the Government, Mr. McNab was sincere in his closer settlement views, with which lie agreed, but lie would rather him introduce a slight amendment to the present land laws, lie refuted the rumor that he was going to leave New Zealand for Australia. He would be again a candidate for Wairau.