THE LIBERALS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 23 June 1924, Page 5

THE LIBERALS

LEADERSHIP QUESTION. A SOLID PARTY. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, June 21. I\ith reference to the recent statement published in the Southland News regarding a: new leader of political forces, Mr Wilford says: “The Southland News, which has just caused such a sensation by an article against myself and Sir Joseph Ward, opened by demolishing the Prime Minister previous to the article against myself. It metaphorically wiped him off "the political map and then, having disposed of him, started to try to settle me as a, leader in order to clear the decks for a new party. The man they propose to lead a new party in New Zealand, which is at present not in existence and has no being, is Mr Frank Rolleston, Reform member for Timaru.” Mr Wilford says his partv is solid and as happy a family as ever walked in political iife. All are accounted for and staunch and true. TIMARU M.P.’S DENIAL.

„ T . TIMARU, June 22. \V ltfi reference to the press message from Wellington referring to Mr Rolleston, M.P. foi* Timaru, as the leader of a new political party, Mr Rolleston says there is absolutely no truth in the assertion, and. the press message was the first he had heard of the matter.

The following are extracts from the article in the Southland Daily News: “The need of a change is urgent enough, but it is useless to attempt any serious work oi reconstruction until all the Liberals are in the one camp, under the one leader. The leader need not necessarily be Mr Wilford, and we are inclined to believe it would not be the member for Hutt. He has the ability, but no one is disposed to take him seriously.

‘All the qualifications in the world are useless unless they can inspire confidence in those who make and break Governments, and Mr Wilford’s record shows him to he a failure as a leader, as Sir Joseph Ward was before 'him. When practically every jnember that sits on the OpDosition benches is convinced that he is not the leader they would choose, how can the publicfeel any enthusiasm for the choice?” “The fojee to be loosed in New Zealand in the course of a. few weeks will, we hope, operate under the direction of a man who has demonstrated his sincerity and his ability to rule in the most convincing manner, and it is probable that he would capture the popular imagination at the first assault. There is a demand for new control, and Liberalism cannot afford to weaken it: cause by trusting a pilot who lias already revealed that lie does not know the soundings of the human heart, and is a navigator who may at any time lead his crew into difficulties.”