SIR JOSEPH WARD

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10655, 10 June 1912, Page 7

SIR JOSEPH WARD

IMPERIAL TRADE COMMISSION

RESIGNATION --SENT IN.

Sir Joseph Ward 'has intimated to His Excellency the Governor his withdrawal from the position of New Zealand representative on the Imperial Trade Commission. In an interview with a Post representative on Saturday, Sir Joseph said he had come to this determination owing to the fact that the alteration in the itinerary of the Commission had rendered it difficult for him to carry out 'his Parliamentary duties aiid attend to the work of the Commission. Before agreeing .to accept the position, he was informed that the Commission would sit in Australia and New Zealand first. It had since been decided to take evidence in England first, and then Canada. Though on the whole he thought that best, the alteration, if he attended the Coramission, would involve -'his absence from Parliament for the whole of next session, and from that point of view that course was not practicable unless he resigned his seat an Parliament. As 'he believed in discharging the duties of any position he took up wholeheartedly, and could not do justice to both, 'he preferred to remain a representative of the people, and had decided Ito remain here. He had fully considered the matter a.s to whether ho should resign his seat in the House of Representatives a*id attend the Commission, and let the electors of Awarua,-elect another representative, and he had arrived at his decision,; after carefully considering the whole matter, quite voluntarily and without the slightest hesitation or pressure from anyone either in or out of New Zealand.