PREMIER DEFENDS HIMSELF

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 199, 1 December 1910, Page 5

PREMIER DEFENDS HIMSELF

THAT PAMPHLET DENOUNCED. OPPOSITION HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. During the debate on the Hine Committee in the House last night. Sir Joseph Ward, replying to a speech of Mr. Massey at the previous sitting, went into details relating to his resignation from the Ministry and the House. He had, in the light of after events, marvelled at his .moderation in defending himself from the

COWARDLY, SECRET, AND MALICIOUS

attacks made upon him in connection with his private business affairs. Referring to the liquidation of the J. G. Ward Farmers' Association and the charges made against him in connection therewith, he had never had an opportunity of being heard in his defence. Out of the 6,000 farmers doing business with his firm not one had lost a shilling on his current account, which was a record in the history of liquidation. The whole of the creditors of the Ward Association had been paid 20s in the £. Referring to the Bank of New Zealand and its difficulties, Sir Joseph Ward said he had taken part with Mr. Seddon in attempting to put the bank on a sound basis at a time when it could not have paid a shilling cn the notes then current. He was the only man doing business with the bank who did not get two years to re-adjust his postition. There was not a single man with whom he had business relations who had withdrawn his business from him. THAT PAMPHLET.

The pamphlet circulated against him was distributed freely from door to door. He asked the members for Bruce and Tauranga what they would think of him (the Premier) if he got any paper relating to these members' dead mothers and took the opportunity of drawing people's attention to it while travelling in the trains. He would deserve to be called

"A BLACKGUARD AND A SKUNK."

Would Mr. Allen deny that he had acted as described in connection with the pamphlet. Similar treatment to what he had received had been meted out to the late Hon. J. Ballance and the late Right Hon. R. J. Seddon. He had never known of similar persecution in connec. tion with British public men. He contradicted the suggestion that he was HANKERING AFTER THE HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP

or any other position outside New Zealand. He had sought legal advice in regard to the pamphlet, and had discovered that a man in his position had no redress.

As Sir Joseph Ward sat down, the Government supporters rose and cheered, many shouting "Hip, hip hurrah!" '

MR. MASSEY. Mr. Massey said that if Sir Joseph Ward could prove that he (Mr. Massey) had anything to do with the production, of the pamphlet, he was prepared to tender his resignation to the Speaker and retire from politics. If Sir Joseph Ward believed that any member of the Opposition was responsible for the pamphlet, then he ought to state the name of the member. Mr. James Allen said that it was true that he had received a copy of the pamphlet, and showed it to one of Sir Joseph Ward's supporters in a train. He had not read it through, and did not know it contained references to Sir Joseph Ward's mother and to his wife.

Mr. llerdman said he had asked Mr. Massey if anv member of the. Opposition had anything to do with the issue of the scurrilous pamphlet, which was cowardly and contemptible. The leader of the Opposition had assured him that it was not so. No member of the Opposition would have anything to do in such a mode of attack.

Mr. Herries gave an unqualified denial to the statement that he had circulated the pamphlet on Sir Joseph Ward's life. He hoped he stood high enough in the estimation of the House to be credited with being above 'that kind of thing.