THE H.B. TRIBUNE. SATURDAY. DECEMBER 30, 1911. DISTRAUGHT LIBERALS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 15, 30 December 1911, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. SATURDAY. DECEMBER 30, 1911. DISTRAUGHT LIBERALS.

TiKIS'. -idvantage of lie iC'jnte affo’-ded him since the receipt cf fin! r lre l ; -.;i i<tui;’.'. Sir Joseph Ward has evidently been seriously • •••ti'idi rin-j In- pi®:Tioii. All effort' to “draw” him as to liis intentions b.ave failed, but by i-rading between lb« lim s of passing events, it is not .Sfl’u-ull to '<■(■ tb.-’l the Prciii'e)- i~ making a desj»erate, albeit forlorn, effort to rflain his dominant position in polities. Love of office ions been the strong feature of Sir Joseph Ward's admin Ist )'al ion. and we must (. haritaldy admit the difficulty confronting the political leopard in

cl'.-iiminu Li- -jini.'. But. a- we remarked in a previous article, it would have (roved vastly to the I me fit of Sir Je-ejih ; f he had made a prompt and manly admission of (lrfeat and gratified the wish of the people for <a. eliange of Government. It would have shown he was man enough to "take bis gruel" and not rely upon unsportsmanlike political j and nitiium’ to retain offii'e. In no s>>irit of unkindness wc say the indecent reluct a nee of the Government to acknowledge defeat has robbed Sir Joseph AV-trd of his. last cbam-e <J re-establishing his popularity with the jieojdc. The conference s held tit I’hr'st church and Wellington have been re yarded as strictly private .and the Premier has refused to make any announcement to the Press. But as usually happens in these cases informal ion has “leaked out.” We are able to jiublish today what lias < very claim to lie thoroughly reliable informalion regarding the Christchurch meeting. It. is not published with the visible brand of authenticity, but nading between the lines it is not difficult to detect a large measure of truth. M e are told that members were cordially ii ;. ii their jiarty leader, but er< nef-s of opinion were reveah-il with regard to the jiroper coui-se for the Liberal party and its Indej>endeiit sympathisers to jnirsue. Naturally such differences would exist, and they are tiie very outcome of the exju-essed Icyalti t<> the leader of the Liberal <-:ui'C. The nieiiilxrs .are loyal to Sir Joseph, and naturally feel for him in hi' adver--ity. Inn they want to see* tiiin do the right tiling. The course which was -UKiicsted. viz., that Government 'l-ciilii it-sign am! allow Mr. Alassey t. ■ fa<-e the mw Par.lament, is inr oiit -i,ii-mil’ll the one which should j,;>i ■( been fi.li'iwed. and then in the

case of a dssulution the Liberals i-oukl 1.--: - .- g'liic to the country piutlied in tin nist-lves and respected by the countiy. in an open anti free admission of temporary defeat. Although the party are apparently prepared to leave the decision to Sir Joseph, they must nevertheless realise the hopelessness of the po-nnm. It is said that the Premier has good reason to think that he will have a majority in the House and expects absolute information on this point shortly. Just where he is going to obtain that majority we cannot see. The “Pest” puts it that the expectation can only be based upon the presumption that support is to come from the Independents, Labourites, and others, and that the inference is that Sir Joseph Ward has been able to get a grip of the three Labour men, Messrs. Hindmarsh, Veitch ami Payne. This inference can be put on one side as worthless, as we are able to-day to publish an interview with Mr. Payne, in which lie makes emphatic mention l of his pledge to vote against the Government on a noconfidence motion, and lie says Mr. Robertson will do likewise. Where, then, is the majority to come from .’ There must be defections from the Opposition to make up the necessary (junta. AVe mu-t not ivcrluok the fact, however, that in Sir Joseph Ward we hate to deal with a remarkably astute man. and he v. ill leave no stone unturned to save a shattered remnant cf Ins former overwhelming majority. It is also rumoured that he will “pla.v up to” the Labour members by introducing legislation against which they cannot conscientiously vote, thus using them to gain time and serve his own ends, but in doing anything in this direct-on he might considerably weaken his hold upon the Liberals jilrdged to a pc’ic.v i f moderation. His party is by no means solid in its beliefs, and the members' personal jircdileetii:ns arc as varied as the coat of the Premier’s ancient nami sake. Whichever way Sir Joseph turns he is confronted with difficulti<lift suggest! d resignation in favour of Mr. Millar would not tacn help the party to a healthy condition. Mr. Millar Is a strong man .and a fighting politician who dees not want hrs path to glorylaid with velvet, but the Minister of Railways lacks other qualities which are necessary to achieve success. Lock at tin- position as we may, the conviction grows stronger that the Planner’s only course is an open sportsmanlike admission of defeat. Even at this hate hour he may save the prestige of Ins party and regain something of the respect lie lias lost by procrastination.