THE NEW PREMIER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 149, 23 June 1906, Page 6

THE NEW PREMIER.

_ « THE HOtTB, AND THE MAW. AW INTEBVTEW WITH MR. HAIfI^JOTIES. (Special to the "Auckland Star.") WELLINGTON, this day. Jt i« perhaps a dubious compliment to Mr Hall-J/ones to say that everyone is surprised by the tact and ability with which he is discharging the dutes of the extremely difficult position in which he I so unexpectedly finds himself, hut it is | a fact. The'newspaper correspondents who had seen something of his admirable methods of work, and had experienced something, of his consistent eourtesr were prepared for the readiness with which "the new Premier has risen to the requirements of the hour, but the general public, whose attention has ?o long been riveted on his great predecessor, are only just beginning to realise that iv the present crisis the direction of the affairs of the country has fallen into strong and capable hards. Durin" the past week Mt Hall-Jones has been working at hifrh pressure under circumstances of a peculiarly eiaetmg nature, and it was with some trepidation that a representative of this journal presented himself at his office tonight and asked for a if* moments' interview, but his reception was as cordial ne it was courteous. "You newspaper men have helped us a great deal in our troubles." said the Premier, after the usual greetings, "and I should be glad to help you if 1 could, hut I don't know of anything that is ready for publication that has not already been communicated to the Press."' The opening was ; flattering, but it w«s not encouraging \ for the production of copy, and one or j two lejidinjr questions-put rather as srtg- - than with any,hope of obtaining exclusive information were, not Tcry fruitful in results. Mt Hall-Jones was prompt and perfectly frank in his replies, but his habit of saying "No." when he meant. "No." was only emphasised by the genial way in which' the word was uttered. However, there were some matters on which he was disposed to talk without restraint. TEE PREMIERSHIP. He had been more amused than aggrieved by the speculations that had been based upon his statement of his intentions with regard to the Premiership. It had seemed to him that his honour eoiikl dictate only one course — he fould not ta.ke advantage, of the absence of his senior colleagues to promote his own interests. Some of his friends had told him that & strong man would seize the opportunity and march on to fame. They were ready with plenty of historical precedents, and with "till weightier arguments, but there were things he preferred to ft reputation for strength—one of them was his own honour. He thought that the canon of the session on waieh Parliament was just entering would be very simple. The* first business -would be the flection of b Speaker, then there would be the resolutions in connection with the dead Premier's death, the greatest occasion on which this sad tribute had been paid to a colonial statesman, and finally 'here wonld be the absolutely accessary business which would have (o be pot through to span over the time between now and Sir Joseph Ward's return to the. colony. Sir Joseph Ward would probably be in Wellington <m August 1 or 2. the date anticipated at. the time of his departure. The (Torernment would ask for Supply for two months until the end of August, and would then prorogue. I Parliament, might meet again, he I thought, on A v trust 21, by which time Sir Joseph Ward would have dealt with the question of reconstrn|tion, and could have prepared his policy for submission to the House. WOULD NOT DISCUSS RECONSTRUCTION. Mr Hall Jones would not discuss reconstruction on his own account. His colleagues, who had just been reappointed. had give him the most loyal and generous assistance in a very trying crisis, and whatever might happen in the future he would remember their whole attitude with the wannest gratitude. The bulk of the work occasioned by the death of their loved chief had naturally fallen on his ovni shoulders, but the cheerfulness with which his colleagues had helped him through this sad time would remain among his happiest recollections. In this connection he could not forget the srrnpathy of the public and of his opponents in politics. The common sorrows had brought them all together in a vny that showed that political strife had not deadened the higher qualities that belong to humanity. FUTURE POLICY. The , Premier declined to discuss, for publication :it any rat c>. hie own policy or the party problems of the future. '•We must not add to the burdens of today,' , he smiline, said, "the troubles of to morrow," 'out that his views on the great questions of the |day had undergone no change from the drcnmstancss by which he found himself surrounded ! was evident frryn his silonre »-.■■, from his speech. I.mid, labour and education wore still the ohlslanding planks-, in the Liberal pmgrr,;r.me. The dead Premier had moved ahead, perhaps not so fast as some enthusiasts had wished, but ■with a steady, earnest, affectionate desire to promote the welfare of. the mass of the Jgcople. TMs isbauld <be and would be, he believed, jthe key-note of j±he- p<?liq£'«i Jris"3Hccess<Hr. Mr Seddae't

proposals might not be in every case the proposals of the new Ministry, but they would be the inspiration of the efforts by which it -would hope to hold the con- ■ fidence and support of the people. • SIR JOSEPH WARD. It had been stated, he noticed, that the relations between Sir Joseph Ward and himself were not of the most cordial , nature. Rumours of that sort, which . implied more than they expressed, were always current, and especially at such times as these. Sir Joseph and himself j had minds of their o\ra, and -Qiey -would | probably continue to have minds of their own; but he did not think that this very commonplace possession would prevent them -working together in perfect harmony. It was in any case rather early to be forecasting trouble of that kind. His own duty for the present was to the country in perhaps the greatest crisis that had ever occurred in its history, and bis desire was to forward, as far as he ceuld, the ideals of the party with which he was associated. Further than this Mr HeJl-Jones would not go; he was obviously more anxious to interview than to'be interviewed, and though he continued to answer questions with allhis accustomed tact and courtesy, the reporter could make no further progress, and with a warm handshake m return for his good wishes, made room for the next of the multitude of callers waiting at the Minister's door.