HIGH COMMISSIONER

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 September 1929, Page 7

HIGH COMMISSIONER

SIR J. WARD’S DENIALS

“RUMOURS AND BLOOMERS”

(Special to ‘‘Star.")

WELLINGTON, September 28. An emphatic denial of the rumours that he is going to accept the High Commissionership and to become a Peer of the Realm was made by the Prime Minister, when replying to speeches on the Imprest Supply Bill in the House, early this morning. The subject arose as the result of Mr Kyle suggesting that Sir Joseph might accept the position of High Commissioner. Mr Kyle said that he did not think there a member of the House who would fill the position more satisfactorily. “I want to remove the impression created by the Hon. Member for Riccarton,” said Sir J. ’Ward. “I do not object to the remarks made about myself when I am not present, and I do not object to remarks made about me when 1 am present, but I do object to rumour? and to bloomers being deliberately made upon the floor of the House. Th eHon. Member has the cool assumption to believe that they are correct.” (Reform laughter.) Sir Joseph continued: ‘‘He said that I was going to be High Commissioner to represent thiis country in England, and that I was going to become a Peer, and made various other suggestions. I want to tell him he is quite wrong. I have no intention* of accepting the High Commissionership. Any belief in the mind of the Hon. Member or others associated with him that I am going to be got rid of in that way has no foundation in fact. I would like to remove that bloomer- in the shape of the rumour to which the Hon. Member gave utterance.”