TAURANGA BY-ELECTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18342, 7 March 1923, Page 10

TAURANGA BY-ELECTION

SIR #. K WARD TO STAND, DEFINITE ANNOUNCEMENT. • BEGINS CAMPAIGN NEXT WEEK. ■■•.,' KEEN CONTEST ASSURED.;' fBY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TE ABOfiA. Tuesday. Sir Joseph Ward has definitely, announced himself as a Liberal-Labour candidate for the Tauranga by-election:' He left to-day for Auckland and Wellington. He returns on Monday to start his campaign. Messrs. W. A. Voitch and R. Masters, M.P.'s, left this morning. It is understood Mr. Lawrence Johnstone, Liberal candidate at the last election, ha 3 retired in favour of Sir Joseph Ward. .. A very keen contest seems assured. IMPORTANCE OF CONTEST. GOVERNMENT'S MAJORITY. MR. WDLFORD AND SHI JOSEPH. [BY TELEQBAPH. — COBRESPONOBNTI] WELLINGTON. Tuesday. Tho decision of Sir Joseph Ward to allow himself to be nominated for the 'Jauracga seal invests the coming contest with more than ordinary interest and imrwrtance. There is much speculation in political circles as to the position Sir Joseph will take up should he enter the House of Representatives. Will he take Mr. Wilford'B place as Leader of the Liberal Party or will he be content with a position subordinate to Mr. Wilford, or will the two be coequal T It is generally recognised that sooner or later Sir Joseph Ward, if he re-enters Parliament, will become the leader of the Liberal Party; for he must necessarily over-shadow Mr. Wilford. The Liberals apparently have had to make a virtue of necessity and give their support to him. But should Sir Joseph win the Taaranga meat there will be still more Important issues to be faced, for in that case Mr. Massey*s majority will be reduced to only one. There is the further possibility that if Sir Joseph Ward becomes the leader of the Liberal Party Mr. Witty, who has always declared himself a W*ardite, would not continuo to vote with Mr. Massey. At present Mr. Massoy can count on a following of 41 to 38 Opposition and Labour vote* If Sir Joseph Ward come* on the scene these numbers will be altered to 40 and 39 respectively, and if Mr. Witty should vote on the other side, the numbers would be reversed and Mr. Massey would be in a minority of one. In these circumstances Sir Joseph Ward's re-entry upon the scene would seem tc make another general electicn almost a certainty. Mr. Massey would have the right to go to the Governor-General, and after showing that his majority was not sufficient to carry on the business of the country, psk for a dissolution. There are other considerations to be taken into account, viz., the two election Petitions that have yet. to be decided. Tie Hon. E. P. Lee still has a chance nf regaining his seat, but on the other land Sir Maui Pomare, one of Mr. Massey's Cabinet, may be unseated or even disqualified. That would mean another Maori election, but not necessarily the . lo«» of the seat to the Government: indeed, this seat is regarded a* a fairly tafc one for the Government. One does • pot bear anything now about the petition lodged by the late Mr. Jennings. It may be dropped. ■"■ The defeat of the Massey GorernTnenfe would of course not clear the political ] pky, bet rather would It tend to '> make it still more cloudy for the Wilford— Ward or the Ward— combination, while it might defeat the Government, could not form a Government without the support of the Labour Party. It will be several weeks yet before New Zealand ■will really know how it stands politically.

m. WILFOKD'S COMMENT.

f* DELIGHTED AT DEOIBION,V [BY TBtIOBAPH. — ASSOCIATION. J " . WELLINGTON. Tue«d*y. ■), lie. T. M. ' Wilford made, the following pommont. on the Tauranga position :—•" am delighted at the decision of Sir Joseph Ward to stand for Tauranga. Last night Mr. W. A. Veitch, M.P., telephoned me from Te Aroha, where he and Mr. R. Mastery. M.P., were attending a meeting of delegates on behalf of the Executive of the Liberal-Labour Party, giving me th«. news which I conveyed to the newspapers. [The entry of Sir Joseph Ward into politics, added'.Mr. Wilford, is undoubtedly for the benefit of the country, for his knowledge and understanding of finance will bo most helpful, while the farming community and business men of New Zealand will see in his return much to make them rejoice. I telegraphed to Sir Joseph early this morning congratulating •him on the decision of the meeting of last night, and hoping that he would make the announcement of his willingness to contest the seat to-day. I am ready to assist his candidature in every way possible, for there never has been a time in the history of the country when his financial ability has been mere needed than it is to-day.