"IF ANYTHING SHOULD HAPPEN."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15303, 17 November 1911, Page 4

"IF ANYTHING SHOULD HAPPEN."

The electors throughout the Dominion will be reasonably curious to know what tin Minister of Railways, who is not usually enigmatical in his utterances, precisely meant by one of tho statements ho made at the Harrison Hall on Wednesday night. After observing that ho was ambitious to get to " the top of the tree," Mr Millar said " he proposed to ask his constituents to elect him again with the object that, if anything happened to his chief, ar.d Sir Joseph Ward had to give lip the leadership of the party, he could present himself to the party as the natural MicceMor to the honourable position of leadership." It will not be surprising if pcf.plo who havo read this statement are asking themselves what the exact contingency is which Mr Millar would seem to be contemplating. What is it that may happen to Sir Joseph Ward, conccivebiy in tho near future, to force him to surrender the leadership of the Ministerial party? There are two constructions either of which tho public will 1m tempted to placo 011 what Mr Millar said. One is that the Minister of Railways was hinting at the possibility of tho Prime Minuter being rejected by the Awaruji constituency, ir. which event, i; 110 other scat were found for him—and fafe Ministerial seats arc not to be easily discmered nowadays,—Sir Joseph Ward would nc-.'cwnrily iind his political occupation -.;one. As however, any suggestion that the Prime Minister'? seat \vas in danger would r.ot bo likely to emanate liom one of his Cabinet colleagues, tho alternative construction to which Mr Millar's ttatement is apparently open inviSca attention—namely, that Sir Joseph Ward will voluntarily rctiro from the lc-ulcrsliip of the Ministerial party nt sonvs no distant date. It is interesting in this connection to recall tho fact that several months ago it was .vtertwi, with a distinct oil- of authority, by Ministerial jounvila that it was the intention of Sir Joseph Ward, after hiving (as wm then

h'jppd) ]«1 his party succcwsfuJly through tho general election, to leave political life in New Zealand and to accept appointment as Commissioner (or the ]>ominion. Sir Joseph Ward himself has declared in tho most omphatio terms on various occasions that ho will not accept the oilice of Commissioner, even though his collsigves may prces it upon him, and wo hivn been content to accept his declaration on Ihfl subject, but Mr Millar's expression of his atpiratioiw to tho revcraion of tho leadership of his party will assuredly cause a revival of tho report that' tho Prime Minister is to be tlic next High Commissioner. From the point of view of the electors, however, it is immaterial whether Sir .Joseph' Ward is or is not to be tho High Commissioner if it be the fact that, even though he may secure re-election to Parliament, his early retirement from tho leadership of his party is probable, as they may be inclined to suppose it is when his own colleagues are publicly discussing the question of the succession to that position. What it is important that people should know is whether they are being asked nt tho election to give their support to a Government that may in the course of the next few months, or oven in the courj;! oi the next Parliament, be led

not by Sir Jcseph Ward but by some other' memoer cf Hie pi (went Cabinet, whether it be Mr Millar or Sir James Carroll or Sir John Kindlay,—for, if tht'se throo gentlemen should all bo returned to Parliament, it is not to be supposed that the ambition of any one of them to hold the leadership of their party will be realised without some protest from the other two.