RIDICULOUS RUMOURS

Evening Star, Issue 20322, 2 November 1929, Page 20

RIDICULOUS RUMOURS

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S HEALTH PROGRESSING WELL [Fsou Dots Pxriixkbktabt Kbpoktsk.] WELLINGTON, November 2. Rumours of an alarming nature appear to circulate nearly every day regarding the health of the Prime Minister, while the real fact is that he continues to make steady progress towards complete recovery. An example of this kind of report was a statement of a circumstantial character that Sir Joseph Ward had a seizure yesterday, the actual time being mentioned. This happened to be the moment when the Prime Minister was receiving visitors, who were pleased to find him bright and alertly interested in affairs, fie followed these interviews with a long conference with Mr Forbes (Acting Leader) regarding arrangements for the remainder of the session. This morning at 8.30 Sir Joseph Ward telephoned his secretarial staff an instruction to arrange for an early interview with the Secretary to the Treasury for discussion 'of the Finance Bill, which will be brought before the House early next week. Though his , health would greatly benefit from a complete change of air, Sir Joseph prefers to remain in his suite in Parliament Building until the session ends. Then he proposes to stay at hia Heretaunga residence, near Upper Hutt, and to motor in daily to transact business.

These details are ©munerated to support the official bulletins that the Premier’s health is not so precarious as to warrant the almost daily rumours of a disquieting character. They originate mysteriously, circulate rapidly through Parliament Building, and thus appear to gain some, official semblance,. though first-hand information shows that nothing has happened to provide even a semblance of fact as basis.