THE POLITICAL SITUATION

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10547, 1 February 1912, Page 5

THE POLITICAL SITUATION

A RUMOUK denied. STATEMENT BY SIR JOSEPH WARD. The Evening Post has the authority off the Prime Minister for giviug a distinct denial to the statement which has been published that it is the intention of the Government to resign. Sir J'osepih Ward adds that there is ho authority whatever, so far as he is concerned, for the rumours.

j AN EXPLICIT DENIAL. SIR JOSEPH WA KD WILL MEET THE HOUSE. AND ACGBP TITS DECISION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. la an "interview with a reporter tonight, Sir Joseph Wlard stated that •' itJhe remarks vrfhicih had emanated ifirom the South, and were slaid to be oil the : authority, of "a leading Liber- , al," to t% effect .that he proposed to tender his r^signatioil'as ; Prime Minis tier on FchnHuy 14th, are absolutely without any foundation in fact. "I have never mad'e any statement to anyone that would warrant a 'leading [Liberal' or anyone else iri giving ou»rremcy to saicih a rumour,," he said. "Whoever has made the statement , lias done so entirely on his own account, and without the least authtorI ity, as nobody but myself could have {'authorised such.a statement. Apparently ibo eiKleavour. to give sorae colouring to the tumour, ihr Btiagestion .is in ado that Mr; > : Millar is to resign ; his seat and is going to Australia. '. This alisD ig'without the least fbttnda- , ,itfon in fact. So that this story has been buillt up ibr the purpose of creating a little diversion at tlie pre•®emt jtsnoture. • I ha-ve. not in any . way altered my indention, as publrishspine time ago, that I v would : Jfyrliament with the Ministry, as it 5 ,is now standing, and have not the ■fiflighiter-t intention of .doing other-/vi'-ifw.'. 'lf I corwl have . c ntidied my- • self that the Opposition bad a majority. I would htove reßig/ned immediately. But no one except those who j are politically prejudicedarmld drrive jat the cnnclus'cn, after examining; .'the results,' tfont the Opposition have ja majority. .1 stated before; and the » ; 'fact remaih'fe 'still',' iii'at t he two leadling parties are evenly divided, and i tfhe ba l !;\r.r.r\ •cf power. -rpirains.-, in the •fiandis of thelndependents, resentatives of Labour./ Under these "circum,stances, it,"is. in-'m.y- judgment' a proper eoiirse for the House to set- ' t-V tike ovcf+ior. . i ha\-e. no-inten.- , tion of shirking my responsibility, by evading the issue; w-oi doing anything 'Hilat woWd, add to /the. difficulties of jj-he pr.Rftion in any., way. The . Matj :in,va tre>ev is under-the control of -,,'ajh t C-pr r >pitiot\ member: and it is n'dt • usual-fr>r 'a loading Liberal' to take \ itfbo.se wHv are opposed to -him into, i his Nice; cOuld I' believO j ITiat any. real friends ;of' ! jthe Liberal j Party world rijake'. a do" Piberately contrary to fact.'*'