Succession to the Premiership.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 15, 21 August 1894, Page 4

Succession to the Premiership.

REPLY TO SIR ROBERT STOUT. (Star* Special Reporter.) v - Wellington, August 16. Ministers haye prepared an official reply to Sir Robert Stout’s statement regarding Mr Ballance’s wishes with reference co the Premiership. They say that they cannot help regretting the importation of Mrs Ballauce’s name into the discussion, and scarcely think it is for them to express an opinion on her letters published last week. They assert that Mr Ballance, before his death, neither laid an injunction on the members of his Cabinet nor intimated any wish as to a suceessor*in the event of his death, excepting any statement that may have been made to Mr Seddon. It was quite true that when Mr Ballance died there was a difference of opinion both in the Cabinet and in the party as to whether Mr Seddon or Sir Robert Stout should be Premier, but it was pretty clearly seen almost immediately that a majority of both Ministers and the Liberal party favoured Mr Seddon. Under these circumstances, an agreement was come to between Sir Robert Stout and Mr Seddon and the other colleaguss of the late Premier. A note of this agreement was taken at the time, and left in the custody of Mr Ward. It runs as follows:—“ Ist May, 1898.—We to hold office until the party meet two days before the meeting of Parliament ; the party then to decide who was to be leader; we to loyally support whatever decision; Sir R. Stout to stand for Inangahua ; all portfolios as at present.—J. G. Wakd, Treasurer.” Ministers further state that Sir Robert Stout stood for Inangahua at the express desire of the Cabinet, and that during the election contest he received the cordial aid of Ministers, who welcomed him back to Parliament as a trusted friend and ally. The result of the party caucus was that only one member advocated the claims of Sir Robert Stout to the leadership. The suggestion that after Mr Ballance’s death Mr Seddon obtained the support of his colleagues by threatening that he would form a Ministry without them, is stated to he quite incorrect. Ministers, in conclusion, allege that whatever Mr Ballance’s wishes may be, the Parliamentary chief of a party can only be selected by the members of that party. The question of leadership was therefore settled at the caucus held in June last year. Speaking.to the Post’s Parliamentary representative this morning, Sir R. Stout said that the incident connected with the late Premier’s wishes, as far as he was concerned, closed with the Wanganui speech. But for the statement published by the Lyttelton Times of the Bth inst., wherein it was stated that from information received Mr Seddon’s correspondent was “ in a position to say there is nothing I have heard or seen to give the least color to Sir Robert Stout’s statement,” nothing would have been said. It was because of this he published Mrs Ballance’s statement. The Ministerial manifesto did not attempt to, nor could it do so, refute his statement. There were some things in it which w T ere not quite accurate. It w’as stated that no Minister knew Mr Ballance’s wishes. One Minister had told him he knew that Mr Ballance did not desire Mr Seddon to lead. Then it was admitted that some of the Cabinet opposed Mr Seddon being Premier. This confirmed his statement that Mr Seddon took the Premiership against the wishes of some of his colleagues. As to the statement in the manifesto that it was quite incorrect that Mr Seddon threatened his colleagues that if they did not choose him he would form a Ministry without them. Sir R. Stout points out that the words he used in the interview were : “ He (Seddon) hinted,” though he believed threatening would not have been inaccurate. He (Sir Robert) was not at the interview, but he was speaking from information supplied by one of the Ministry. He understood that no formal motion as to leadership was made at the caucus. The further fact that no Minister except Mr Seddon attended showed that it was not intended to permit any election. Indeed, just before Mr Seddon went to the caucus he told him (Stout) he did not intend to have any division in the Liberal camp, and would not have the leadership discussed. As to any documents being given by Mr Ballance to Mr Seddon, Sir Robert says he was not aware that any had been given. He urged Mr Seddon in case anything did happen to Mr Ballance to get any papers of a private character. He was not aware whether any were given, but Mrs Ballance stated none were, which was probably true, as Mr Ballance seldom acted without reference to her.