The Press. THURSDAY, MAY 8. 1913.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14660, 8 May 1913, Page 6

The Press. THURSDAY, MAY 8. 1913.

WHAT DOES SIR JOSEPH WARD THINK?

Sir Joseph* Ward, who is doubtless being kept posted up iv political affairs in New Zealand, will bo hardly human if he does not derive n. certain amount of cynical satisfaction es he learns hew those who treated him with such base ingratitude after the last election aro now grovelling in the dust, finding they cannot do without him, and ready to oat any amount of dirt if they can only induce him to put himself at their head once more. Wβ fancy wo can hoar him murmuring to

himself— 'Twae all very weil to dissemble your lore, But why did you kick via downstairs? Of courso thero is no doubt Sir Joseph Ward ought to have resigned when he found himself without a working majority. Most of his own organs see that now, and one or two of them saw it at tho timo. Had he done so, ho would hnvo saved himself much humiliaiion and he would have held a much prouder place in our political history than he can ever hop© to do after tho "pitiful attempt ho made to cling to office, under circumstances unparalleled in tho history of self-government in the British Empire. In their desperate efforts to cover up their scurvy treatment of their chief, some of the "Liberal" Party aro trying to make out that Sir Joseph Ward was defeated at tho last election owing to tho "attacks" and "calumnies" of his opponents. In M>mo quarters a particularly mean and despicable attempt is being made to M'KRCst that his religion was used as a weapon against , him. They «mnot point to a single journa'j, «r a single candidate, on the sido of . thoUcform Party that tisod any

wcapoas of attack except that of legitimate criticism of his policy and administration. Tho truth is that S:r Joseph "Ward was slain by those of his own household. Tho extreme labour I'nrtv became hostile to him principally on three grounds—his acceptance of a title., iho gift of tho Dreadnought, and I tho introduction of the Defence system. [Wα aro not mvare, in regard to the first 7>oint. that any attack was ever directed against him from the Reform Party. On the other two, the great mass of the Reformers gave him open and generous support. Tho action of Mr Robertson, the Labour lI.P. for Otahi, who refused to vote against Mr Hussey's want-of-confidonco motion I unless Sir Joseph "Ward promised to resign, is typical of a pood deal that went on behind the scenes. Sir Josepfr I "Ward, wo warrant, has not forgotten what took place at tho "Liberal" caucuses, when he was told in,, plain terms that ho bad ■n-recked tho party, and it was time ho made room for a better man. Wo Wonder what he now thinks of it all. "Wo should especially like to know what ho thinks of tho honourable member for Aron, who, at tho dethronement of Sir Joseph Ward, proposed the election of Mr Thomas Mackenzie as leader, who has since mado desperate attempts to boost himself into tho leadership, and finding it a dismal failure, is now trying to outshout the rest of tho repentant intriguers in frantic entreaties to Sir Joseph Ward to "come back and lead " tho party I"