THE CALL FOR UNITY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 69, 15 December 1919, Page 10

THE CALL FOR UNITY

SIR J. WARD ATTEMPTS TO DENY THE FACTS A PALPABLE EVASION In a spcecli- at Auckland on Friday, Sir Josoi>h Ward attempted .to discredit a statement by the Prime Minister tliai "tlio Liberal Party had rejected a proposal" of the Reform Party that the best elements of each should 1111110 to opposo Bolshevism and how Sir Joseph Ward and other Liberal Ministers ihnd left the Government just before the epssioii." According to the Press Association report, the Opposition Lender nmdo the following observations on thesubject:— With regard to the statement about parties "uniting, that wias before they went to England. ' He believed something of the kind was discussed at a meeting of tii6 Reform Party, and there was mention of it in the papers nost day. Ho wa« asked about it, and ho made a statement that 110 know nothing about it. ' Sir Joseph Ward's assertion that "ho knew nothing l about ifr" is remarkable in view of -well-attcotcd facts. For tlio benefit of those whose memory is -short these may bo briefly recapitulated. ' The Reform Party on November M,' 1918, i>assed the following resolution:—. That in View of the insidious spread of revolutionary and auarchial doci trines, this party is of opinion that the more responsible elements in the New Zealand Parliament should unite for the purpose of inculcating sound democratic principles and giving elfecl) to a policy which will stimulate the sentiments of patriotism and loyalty of Empiro for which: New Zealand has always been noted. The Liberal Party met a fortnight later, Sir Joseph Ward presiding, and passed a non-committal resolution in .regard to party relations." On' May 22,, 1919, tho Liberal Party at another meeting passed a resolution stating that it would "contest the next general : election scparato and apart from the Reform Party." Sir Joseph Ward was not present on this occasion, but ho was, of cotirso, in touch with his party. The report of the meeting published in tho local Wardist newspaper is prefaced by fehe statement that it was held "with tho approval of tlw Liberal leader (the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward)." The concluding paragraph in tho. same report mentions tho Reform resolution urging that the two great parties should- unite. It is thus in every way clear fhafo the call for unity issued by the Reform Parhr which Sir-Joseph Ward now says he "knew noiiliing about" was considered by tho Wardists, and deliberately rejected, and that this action was token by the party with tho full knowledgo and approval of its loader.