WARD, OR MASSEY?

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 162, 8 January 1912, Page 5

WARD, OR MASSEY?

INTRIGUES v. RUMORS. . VtoH FAIRY TALES AND DEXIALS. j: ;^H -By Telegraph—Press Association. - :|Bi| Christchurch, Last Nightr !iln| Statements were published locally tliOT?' s {s there is much intriguing to indues bers of the Opposition to abjure allegiance, and to join the ranks of the ,; '/| Government followers, and that Mr. L. M. Isitt had been the internieddary of. '\| j attempting offer by a prominent member-" 'J of the Opposition of the position of', Jg Minister of Railways ia a reconstructed ■"I Cabinet. t Jk Inquiries made in Christchurch to-day ,ff in regard to the statements show thalf, "$ they arrive out of harmless jokes made' : ]| without any significance whatever and 'jf without the slightest semblance of A authority from Sir Joseph Ward. ?| Mr. Isitt, interviewed, stated be did I? not have a conversation with any mem- & ber of the Opposition that would by the *% wildest flight of imagination be con-, '&£ strued into an offer of a place in the ""'"* Ministry. ■ • f*. . \'j,» Sir Arthur Guinness stated his conver- *■"'*( sation with Mr. F, M. B." Fisher was "-' I simply a jocular allusion as to which ■ « Cabinet Mr. Fisher would be inclined to. ?' join. _ •«: Mr. Fisher stated ther«~was. nothing in -**■ it and that no offer ww b£&.M Referring to his attefence at the" - caucus of Government Members, Mi. ~i Isitt states that, at WanKs *' invitation, he had attended a caucus" *' ; held in Christohurcb. last' week. He felt- - " it his duty to himself, hie constituents; and country that he, «* an ardent- ' J Liberal, should express hi&opinion as to what ought to be done the present -■ circumstances. He did not vote on any''"''' proposition placed before the- catoms, '-, and he drew the attention of those pre- ' \ • sent to the fact that he was there as an " Independent. At the same time he as- . sured Sdr Joseph Ward that he (Sir :'.\ Joseph) might nely upon the fact, that .' - he would do all in his power to keep the Opposition out, while still retaining absolute freedom from any pledge to ' ;l either Sir Joseph or the Government.' ' tie wished to state definitely that he was not in Sir Joseph Ward's- con- '■■■ fldence. He did not at present know - what course Sir Joseph intended to take } He had not the remotest idea as to . ' whom Sir Joseph intended to take into' l< his Ministry, or to keep out. Any coin- - ion he might hold was like the opinion of the man at the street corner and was I» based somply on his own intuition. ' ; -"'