POLITICAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXII, 20 May 1912, Page 8

POLITICAL.

STATEMENT BY SIR JOSEPH WARD.

In an interview in Melbourne, Sir Joseph Ward had something to say about the political situation. On the subject of the defeat of many of his former supporters at last election, he remarked that the second ballot had something to do with it. There were 30 second ballots, and when it was known that these were to be held, great pressure was brought on men who were Laborites or Independents, to vote against the Ward Government under the promise of receiving support from Mr Massey's following if they did so. Mr Massev's party was thus increased by the addition of men who were even more radical than the Prime Minister —men who had been put into Parliament merely for the purpose of getting a change at the head of the Government. "That," he said, "is the acknowledged position. lam not blaming the second ballot, which is good in principle; I am not blaming anybody. It is a fact, however, that the circumstances I have mentioned gave the second ballot at last election a tendency not originally contemplated." In the course of press interviews in Sydney, Sir Joseph Ward said that his opinion was that a general election was inevitable within the next twelve months.