FATEFUL WEDNESDAY

Evening Star, Issue 20486, 17 May 1930, Page 13

FATEFUL WEDNESDAY

UNITED TO CHOOSE LEADER SIR JOSEPH MAY BE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO [Special to the ‘Star.’] AUCKLAND, May 16. All the parliamentary members of the United Party, with the exception of Mr J. S. Fletcher, M.P., have been invited to attend a caucus at Parliament Buildings. The meeting, which will be held on Wednesday morning in the Cabinet room, has been called for the purpose of electing a successor to SiV Ward. It generally supposed that the Hon. G. W, Forbes, Minister of Lands and Agriculture, who acted as Deputy-leader of the House when the Premier : was taken ul towards the close of last session, and who has since shouldered portion or the Prime Minister’s burden, will be chosen to lead the party. Mr Forbes will be chairman of the meeting Sir » Joseph Ward wil! not be present. Immediately after the caucus,;has chosen a leader it is expected" that Sir Joseph mil-tender his resignation as Prime Minister. His suAssor will be sworn in soon aft-, wards. In well-informed circles it is not expected that the new Prime Minister will make any sweeping changes in the redistribution of., portfolios. Hj stated that Sir Joseph Ward will retain his seat on the Executive Council ' but will carry no portfolio, cur Francis Bell accepted a similar position during the term of, the Coates Government, when he was .Leader, of, the Legislative Council. By retaining., • his seat on the. Executive Council without a portfolio, Sir Joseph Ward will be in a position to advise. His LxnellencT on important national ••maxS and the United _ Ministry wil have the advantage of his -counseland ripe experience at all times. _ Possibly the Ministerial ’portfolios will be subjected to a alight reshuffle! when the changeover ,takes place, it, ' as is expected, Mr Forbes is chosen as Prime -Minister, the party mil- he lech bv a man who has a thorough knowledge of the country’s reason of his long term in the House of . Representatives; and, what is ■ more important, he is in the position of, being able to assess the merits and • qualifications of the respective - members of the party. It has hinted that some members of the Cabinet, as at '■* present constituted, may be. dropped if Mr Forbes chooses the Ministry, but inquiries show that this is not the belief of the .majority of; those most concerned. It may be that, a new Minister will be appointed, since, the Hon. T. M. Wilford’s place has not been filled, and the portfolios which he left, added to those of Sir Joseph Ward, could scarcely be spread round 'the nine other Ministers with seats in the House. Several names arc mentioned in connection with the Cabinet vacancy. In United _ Party circles it is generally conceded that the Senior Whip, Mr A. J. Murdoch, of Marsden, has a strong claim to a place in the Ministry. ■ J The eyes of all New Zealand will be on Wellington next Wednesday, since the choice of a successor to Sir Joseph Ward is a matter of first-class political importance. While the name, of Mr Forbes is on everyone’s Ups in discussing the possibilities of the situation, there are two other ministers who may be considered by the caucus, i The Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works, is the first of these, and the on. H. Atmore, Minister of Education, is the . other. The caucus meeting is to be held at 10, o clock on Wednesday j and it is anticipated that. • there will be a full attendance of United Party members, including the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. J. B. Donald, who was unable to be at the Cabinet meeting yesterday, by reason of Mbs Donald s serious indisposition. Mr J, S. Fletcher has not been invited, doubtless because he has shown Independent leanings. This suggests that the United Party now numbers twenty-five. When interviewed today con' ning the fact that he had not been invited to the meeting of the party, Mr Fletcher would make no comment. THE SITUATION UNCHANGED VIEWS OF MEMBERS Auckland members of Parliament would say little to-day concerning the Solitical situation created by Sir oseph Ward’s impending resignation. “1 believe that Sir Joseph Wards resignation is likely to have little result in the immediate future,” said Mr H. G. 11. Mason, Labour member for Auckland Suburbs. He went on to say that the remaining Ministers would probably carry on, but he thought that a coalition of United and Reform might ultimately result. ' Mr W. J. Jordan (Labour member for Manukau), after expressing regret at the resignation of Sir Joseph, said it was the duty of all in Parliament to visualise the people of the dominion as a largo family, with its problems, difficulties, and opportunities, and to think and work for its improvement and prosperity; “We have the land, we have the men, we have the money, too,” continued Mr Jordan. ‘ 1 wish that some of us bad the opportunities which others have had to improve the conditions of the people in our fertile little country. Surely, however, that will come before long.” He thought that the United Party would probably break up ii-tc what it would have been after 1928 election without Sir Joseph Ward’s influence. Some of the United Ministers advocated fusion with Reform, and others had a strong leaning towards Labour. Mr M. J. Savage (Labour member for Auckland West) and Mr J. S. Fletcher (United member for Grey Lynn) refused to comment. Mr A. Harris (Reform member for , Waitemata), besides regretting the illhealth which had caused Sir Joseph Ward to tender his resignation, did not have much to say on the political situation: “ The situation is a delicate one,” he said,, “ and I prefer not to express an opinion.’’ Mr J. A. Young, member for Hamilton and former Minister of Health, ,said he did not think the resignation would make any difference in the relationship of the parties, unless the new Prime Minister was prepared to consider overtures with a view to the formation of a coalition Government. So far as. the speaker was aware, this course has not been seriously suggested. Mr Young added that, in view of the meeting of Parliament at the end of next month, he did not consider that the pending changes in the constitution of the Government would warrant the calling of Parliament together before shs usual time.

SINCERE REGRET OPPOSITION LEADER'S MESSAGE [Pub United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, May 16. His intention to resign the post of Prime Minister was conveyed by Sir Joseph Ward to the Leader of the Opposition (Mr J. G. Coates) immediately the public announcement was decided on at Rotorua on Thursday. The Prime Minister’s telegram stated: “I desire to inform you that, i acting on medical advice. 1 have decided to tender my resignation as Prime Minister. I take this opportunity of expressing to you ray sincere thanks for the courtesy and kindness extended to me by yourself, especially during the period of my illness. Kind regards.” Mr Coates replied to-day as follows “In thanking you for your courteous telegram acouainting me of your decision and also for yo-’r generous remarks concerning my attitude toward yourself, it is with sincere regret 1 learn from you that your health has not improved as I and all those associated with me would wish and ch desire. I would like you to accept my best wishes for your speedy improvement, and I hope to see you restored to normal health very soon. Kind regards.” WITH LUSTRE UNDIMMED LABOUR LEADER'S TRIBUTE [Pee United Press Association.] TAUPO, May 16. The Leader of the Labour Party (Mr H. E. Holland) addressed a meeting here to-night, and in the course of his speech he made reference to the resignation of Sir Joseph Ward. He said that, as a political oppon* ent of the Prime Minister, he desired to join with every section of the people of the' dominion in sincerely regretting that, as a result of his illness, Sir Joseph should have found himself, compelled to resign his office of first citizen of the dominion. He paid a high tribute to Sir Joseph Ward’s strong personality, and said that his long association with the political life of the country and the many items of legislation standing on the Statute Book left his name # with a lustre no one would wish to dim. His hold on 1' i allegiance of a large section of the people was responsible for the measure of success achieved by the United Party at the last election, for it was fully recognised that no other Liberal leader could have succeeded in bringing together in one camp the di-. versity of political interests _ which !made up the United Party. His task as head of the Government must have .been rendered all the more arduous by -the fact that only two of his Ministers ■had had previous Cabinet experience, while some of them had not even had previous parliamentary experience. Whoever might be chosen to succeed Sir Joseph as parliamentary leader, Mr Holland proceeded, would undertake a perplexing responsibility, and none would envy him his task. It was a tribute to the popularity of Sir Joseph Ward that, in the evening of his life, he had been able to win his way back to the. Prime Ministership, and his strongest opponents, equally with his most ardent supporters, while deploring the circumstances which compelled him to stand aside, _ would join in wishing him _ the speediest possible recovery from his illness,and a full enjoyment of the rest which he had now decided to take and which he had fully earned. Mr Holland indicated that" at Wairoa on Monday night he would make reference to the possible effect of Sir Joseph Ward’s resignation on the political situation.