MR. HOLLAND DENIES RUMOURED RETIREMENT

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2310, 1 December 1925, Page 7

MR. HOLLAND DENIES RUMOURED RETIREMENT

Bitter Attack on Mew Chief Justice LABOUR LEADER ON WARPATH [Per Press Association.] GREYMOUTH, Last Night. Interviewed by the Westport representative of the “Urey River Argus" to-night regarding a statement published in the Christchurch “Star” to the effect that owing to ill health he (Mr. Holland) contemplates retiring from politics to take up journalism and that in doing so he would mane way for Mr. O’Brien, Mr. H. E. Hot. land (Leader of the Labour party) said that the statement was the fabrication of the paper that gave it publicity. If it had been other than a fabrication the paper would nave approached him for information before publishing it, but no reporter had come to him. He was quite certain that no responsible member of the Labour movement had anything to do with the matter. The statement affecting his health was a foolish falsehood, but it was true Mrs. Holland had been seriously ill, having undergone a dangerous operation from the effects of which she was now slowly recovering. So far as Mr. O’Brien was concerned Mr. Holland remarked that the Press Association would no doubt have transmitted his (Mr. Holland's) speech of Friday evening in the course of which he said he was confident it would ultimately be found that Mr. O’Brien was still the member for Westland. The statement, remarked Mr. Holland, that the Labour Party was pursuing a policy of inaction in the matter of the Westland scat Undoubtedly reflected the wish that was father to the thought, and it was equally untrue with the other alle. gatiqns.

It was regrettable that the opponents of Labour should deem themselves justified in circulating without any reference whatever to the parties concerned statements which they must have known had no foundation in fact. The New Chief Justice.

Referring to the appointment of Mr. Skerrett to the Chief Justiceship, Mr. Holland said the appointment would call forth an emphatic protest from the whole Labour movement. He hoped the day would come when the appointment of political partisans to such a position would cease. It was certain that a better method of making these appointments would have to be found. Mr. Skerrett's association with and domination of the so-called Welfare League (which had no real existence so far as membership was concerned), and the bitter class prejudice expressed in the matter .for which the fictitious League was responsible, ought ■ certainly to have constituted a bar to his appointment to the Chief Justiceship.