MR WARD’S RESIGNATION.

Opunake Times, Volume IV, Issue 187, 19 June 1896, Page 2

MR WARD’S RESIGNATION.

THE MATTER BEFORE THE HOUSE. STATEMENT BY MR WARD. Wellington, Tuesday. On the House meeting at 2.20 Mr Seddon rose and said he had a moat important Ministerial statement tor make —viz., that circumstances had arisen that had rendered it necessary for his colleague, Mr Ward, to tender his resignation as a Minister of the Crown. Some days ago he had received a communication from Mr Ward, in which he stated he had intended to resign from the Treasury benches, no matter which way judgment went in the case being decided in Dunedin. He (Mr Seddon) had waited on His Excellency the Governor at midday, and had tendered him Mr Ward’s resignation, which His Excellency had accepted. Later on in the afternoon Mr Ward would himself place on record the circumstances which had led up to this climax. Mr Seddon went on to say that he deeply regretted that the colony should have lost the services of Mr Ward. All must admit that a misfor* tune had overtaken his colleague, and that his private affairs had suffered through his attention to public business. Mr Seddon moved to set up a Select Committee to enquire into the affairs of the Bank of New Zealand and Colonial Bank prior to the passing of the Banking legislation. Mr Ward rose, and said he had resigned the whole of his portfolios, and said he had done so without the least pressure from his colleagues or his party. He thanked the party for their kind* consideration, and his colleagues for the way they had stood by him under such trying and difficult circumstances. He proposed to deal with the various phases of the case, and he expressed a hope that the pressmen would do him the justice of reporting fairly and fully. He had been ,pursued privately like a sleuth hound. He could tell his enemies they might get him down for a month or a year, but they would heat of him again. He would free his troubles bravely, and if he did not get t tough them he would not ask for sympathy. Going back to 1893, he reminded the House that every Banking institution in the country appvoaohed the Government to assist them to steer through the times of trouble and pass a Note Issue Bill. This was done, and now one of those who had been assisted was most violent against him from behind cover. When the Government was first approached to give two mil* - lions’ guarantee to the Bank of New Zealand, he (Mr Ward) never opened his mouth to any Banking institution in which he was connected in his private affaire, and no condition, suggestion, or stipulation of any kind whatever was imposed by him or the Bank of New Zealand in connection with his private affairs. He had been in the hands of enemies over the Banking legislation, but no communication whatever had been made by him in any way to other Banks respecting the matter. As a matter of fact, the National Bank was the first approached with regard to the amalgamation with the Bank of New Zealand, but they fell through. There was, from the first, open hostility between Mr John Murray and Mr George McLean, but when the National Bank refused amalgamation, Mr Murray forgot his hostility, and approached Mr McLean. With respect to the Colonial Bank he challenged Captain Russell to deny whether he was not in communication with Mr Tolhuret, Inspector of the Union Bank of Australia, over this Banking business. He had been accused of bringing about the amalgamation of the two Banks for his own purposes, but, as a matter of fact, the . Bill he bad brought in had stopped* the purchase of the Colonial Bank. As to the appointment of the President of the Bank of New Zealand, he pointed out that when Mr Watson at first refused office, strong efforts were made to obtain the services of Mr Coates, of the National Bank, but without avail, and then a second offer was made to Mr Watson. He declared he had never exercised any pressure in regard to that appointment, and the decision had been come to unanimously by the Cabinet. He would challenge Sir Robert Stout to deny the blackguardly communication he had written, and asked another person to copy, as a reflection on the character of another person who was loved and revered in this country. He referred to Sir George Grey and if any hon. member wished to see the letter he (Mr Ward) would show it to him. He charged Sir Robert Stout with being the author of several articles appearing in the Evening Post, and challenged him to deny it. Alluding to his private business, Mr Ward said that in 1889 his total liabilities amounted to only £2003, and his business was bringing him in an income of from £3OOO to £9OOO per annum. If he had attended to his own business and left public matters alone he would, although still young in years, have been a rich man. After the Banking legislation was passed, he had an offer to hand over his business to the Bank of New Zealand, but he refused the offer. If he had chosen to do this he cou’ 1 have done it withous reference to anybody. It was most unfair to oh .rge i i with being iu collusion with anybody over the Bank agreement. Sir Robert Stout broadly hinted that he (Mr Ward) had been bribed respecting this agreement. Sir R. Stout: No.

Mr Ward: Well, the honorable gentleman insinuated it by saying there were members of the Ministry affected by the agreement, and the statement was telegraphed all over the colony. Con tinning, he said as to the £55,000, of which they had heard so much, he wished to say he believed

llitu !i.- vonll lip in o p- sit.ion to provide for it. as Ins assets at that time •wp.e worth between £45,00) and £50,000. He bad never advised anyone to write that arnom t off. He challenged Mr Duthie to deny whether he and others had not being doing their best to spy-into his (Mr Ward’s) affairs, and had paid a representative who went about lying about members of the Ministry. Would Mr Duthie tell them about his own business, and his connections with tbe Banks ? With respect to the Judge’s decision on his affairs, he found no fault with the Judge who gave that judgment. He (Mr Ward) was not represented at the Court all. It was the liquidators of the Colonial Bank who had applied for the confirmation or otherwise of the proposed agreement. It had been said the balance-sheet was “ cooked,” but as a matter of fact, he (Mr Ward) was not in the colony when the

£BO,OOO transaction took place, and as a result of not being in a position to give evidence before the Court respecting that transaction he bad been placed in a most unfair position over it. He read a letter from Mr Fisher, his manager, to tbe effect that he (Mr

Fisher) took the responsibility for the preparation of tbe balance-sheet which was in no way “ cooked,” and he felt certain in all Mr Ward’s actions in

connection with the Company he had acted honorably. That letter was

never before the Judge and the £BO,OOO never came back to the Ward Association, nor had they to provide for it. He contended that otherrespectable companies adopted the same plan as had been adopted in the preparation of the balance-sheet in question. He mentioned Sir Eobert Stout, Messrs Duthie, Newman, Tolhurst, G. G. Stead, John McGregor, and Hall, Solicitor in Dunedin, as the chief conspirators who had been arrayed against him. He vehemently spoke of these gentlemen, and said some of their past transactions, especially in regard to limited liabilities, would not bear tbe light of day. He challenged Sir Robert Stout with having, when a ’ member of a Select Committee, been concerned in an account of a well-

known southern company, which owed £250,000 to the Bonk of New Zealand, and which could not pay 5s in the £. Sir R. Stout: No. Mr Ward said he could produce Sir Robert Stout’s own letter, and he quoted the balance-sheet, which be maintained proved his statement. He asked how it was the Press Association

had not given publicity to the fact that while he (Mr Ward) was awaiting judgment in the late case this firm’s cheques had been returned by the Bank. Be claimed that the same publicity should have been given to the affairs of this Company as had been given to his affairs. He asserted the Bank of New Zealand had had to provide a reserve fund of £270,000 to meet the losses incurred by several of these companies with which Sir R. Stout and others of his enemies were connected. Sir Robert Stout had asked him to leave the Premier but be had refused to do so. Sir Robert Stout: Wait till I reply, I will explain that. Continuing, Mr Ward said Mr Seddon had been a good leader of the Party, and he (Mr Ward) would not desert him. Let the House enquire into transactions of Atkinson, Whitaker) and Mitcbelson, and they would find some interesting matters. He referred at length to the private affairs of some of those who had been bounding him down, and said many of their transactions required clearing up, Mr Ward went on to say he might have made mistakes in his political career, but the whole time there had* been men undermining his character and attempting to injure him by writing down his private affairs, and these men were associated with what was called the upper crust of society. He was proud to say that, on retiring from the Treasury, there was a surplus of £215,000, and the stocks of New Zealand never bad stood higer than to-day. He had been unfortunate in business, but he cou 1 point to Disraeli, Gladstone, and Pitt, the former of whom had been helped by his Liends to keep him from going under. If it had not been for the Banking legislatim passed by the House, his (Mr Ward’s) private position to-day would have been a solvent one. In saying farewell to his colleagues for the time he was bidding good-bye to loyal and true men, who had stood manfully by him, and he also thanked the party for the way they bed supported him through all his troubles.

Sir Robert Stoat regretted Mr Ward had made an attack on those ontside of the House who were unable to defend themselves, and he held such attacks were in violation of the Standing Orders. He (Sir R. Stout) had never referred to Mr Ward’s private affairs outside or inside of the House.

He gave a most emphatic denial to Mr Ward’s statement that he had influenced the writings of a certain newspaper editor in Wellington. As to the letter referred to by Mr Ward and said to have been written when he

(Sir R. Stout) was Premier, Sir Robert said he recollected the facts of

the case, and he declared there was not a syllable in that letter but what he believed to be true, and could, he believed, be proved. Sir R. Stout went on to refer to the charges made against him by Mr Ward in his connection with a certain southern company, and said that company had received no favors from the Bank of New Zealand. On the contrary he was convinced that owing to his action in the House the Government had influenced the officials of the

fianlr to punish the company. He did not objebt to a committee of investigation. He never bore Mr Ward any personal animosity, and no one was more son/ than he was-for Mr Ward in his present position. Mr Seddon gave a most emphatic denial to Sir R. Stout’s statement that the Government had influenced the

Bank of New Zealand official ag ti.i>t tbe company with which Eir R. Stout was connected, and it proved to him certain people had been abaolu-ely determined to rnin his late colleague, Ks wife and children. Mr Ward was charged with having outraged the Standing Orders by his speech that afternoon, but when a member was chairman of a public Company he was not protected by Standing Orders. Those who had attacked or vilified Mr Ward had now accomplished their object, and his wife and family were practically in straits. He denied Si * Robert Stout’s charge that he (Mr Seddon’/knew what was in the “ A,” “ B,” or “ C ” lists, and he knew nothing about them. Neither were the Government any party to writing off the £55,000. Mr Ward was only a victim of tbe Banking legislation passed by the Goverment. Thousands of working men had been benefited by it, but the late Treasurer was tbe only one ruined by it. Instead of making Mr Ward a target it would have profited New Zealand if it had some to the rescue and saved him from the position he now occupied. If it were in his power to stave off trouble of this kind he should sink all political differences and come to the rescue of even an apponent. He held that the balance-sheet of the J. G. Ward Company was no more a fraud than tbe balance-sheets of other companies, and there were so many companies in a worse position. Nothing pained him (Mr Seddon) so much as the position the colony was placed in today, as the honor of their public meu was in their, keeping. Mr Duthie contends d that Mr Ward had, in a way, elucidated the matter, and said his financial position to-day was due to his own plunging and reckless carrying on of his own business. As to his (Mr Duthie’s) private business, Mr Ward was at liberty to drag that before the whole colony. His bankers would give Mr Ward a 1! the information he desired. He owed no person a penny, and nobody asked him twice for an account. Consequently he cared nothing for the Premier’s or Mr Ward’s reference to his business. He contended Mr Ward could not free himself of the responsibility in not making himself acquainted with the position of the Colonial Bank before amalgamation. It was his own opinion that the banking conspiracy was the most dastardly thing that had ever occurred in the colony. Mr Ward must take a share of the responsibility for the dishonorable oats’ transaction, but he thought the Bank managers were as much to blame as Mr Ward’s manager. The Hon Mr McKenzie also spoke, denying there was a cut and dried arrangement between the Government and the Bank of New Zealand prior to the banking legislation, and defended Mr Ward.

Dr Newman, replying to Mr Ward’s remarks regarding himself, said the fact was the Premier and his Government had done the blackest thing ever heard of in the history of the colony, and they tried to stifle discussion by flinging mud at the Opposition. Mr Ward, in reply, asserted that even if he resigned his seat no man in the colony would stand against him in his electorate. He again referred to the attacks made on him by the people whom he regarded as vipers, and charged Mr Dutbie with having improperly got information from men who were sworn to secrecy. Mr Dutbie denied this.

The Address-in-Eeply debate was a tame affair, and was about to collapse when Sir E. Stout took the floor and criticised the recess administration, especially in regard to land settlement. The Premier rephed. It is understood that Mr Seddon will take charge of all the portfolios held by Mr Ward, and that the Premier will distribute his present portfolios among his colleagues. Hon Mr Walker will in all likelihood be appointed Minister of Education and Colonial Secretary and will be paid a salary. The Juries Bill, which the Hon T. Thompson has charge of, provides for the abolition of grand juries as well as special juries. In lieu of grand juries the Solicitor-General or AttorneyGeneral is to s : gn indictments. Additions to the list of exemption from jury service are visiting Justices under the Prisons Act, and those engaged on railways. Payment for civil jurors is raised to 8s a day, and if the jury should not be required reasonable expenses to all travelling more than three miles wfll be paid, after which the surplus if any (which is to be derived :*om the first day’s fees) is to be equally divided among all jurors. The jury fee in criminal cases will be 6s a day and 4s additional for every night the juror is necessarily absent from home. The challenges allowed are reduced . -om 12 to 9.