Government Finance.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7402, 18 September 1902, Page 4

Government Finance.

A. Rumour Denied

Per Press Association

Wellington". September 17,

Just beforo the Houso adjourned for dinner Sir Joseph Ward ros--. and said ho desired to make a statement regarding at. legrnrii from Dunodin, which appeared in the evening paper of that date. Tho telegram read as follows: —"Mr T. E. Taylor is tho authority for tho sta'enient that when ho was in Melbourne, word was received )in that city that Mr Sed .on had attempted to tloat a million loan in Lond'jn, but that ih loin w.3 not t-ikcn up." I should ike to sate, continued S'r Jjsopli, "That thero is no foundation for iho slu'ement. I; i. wholly und absolutely untrue. Mr Seddon lias not attempted to float a loan of a million or any other sum in London, and no nrrangeiii-iit tins beon mado for tho notation of any part of the loan authorised by the House in London." Mr Masscy : In tho colony '.' Sir Joseph Ward : I am t'-lking noon; London. This stat.iii'.nt is a'u;o!ute!y untrue. I know .voryll ing thai has transpired cone rning it and every matter connected with the Tr. isury since Mr Seddon has been out of tho country, and I know everything in tlio shape of enquiries made regarding tho position of the London mon.y imrkit, .Hid I am stating on behalf of tha Government that no armngeruoms of any kind were made by Mr Seddon for the flotation of a million loan or any other loan in London, and I givo this statement an unqualified and abro'.uto denial. Mr Tanner : lie iTaylor) doe., not givo the statement on his O'.iii authority. Sir Joseph : I am not sajing anything about Hi- Taylor. I sin talking abi.ur, the statement. As a matter of fact I know from communications I have had with Mr Seddon that the very opposite is tbo c.ise, so that such a statemont as that is a mere baseless rumour circulated probably, I should say, by somo peoplo with the object of doing the colony harm. Mr Tannor : And passed on here. Sir Joseph : And,passed o i here probably by tho sims people. No instructions havo been given lo tho AgentGeneral either by the Gov-inment or Mr Seddon to float a million loan or any other loan.