RIVAL LEADERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5030, 16 August 1894, Page 3

RIVAL LE ADERS.

A Cabinet Contradiction. [FEOM OTJB BPKCUL CORBEBPONDENT I WELLINGTON, August 15". With reference to the statements made by Sir E. Stout as to the dying wishes of the late Mr Ballance regarding the Premiership, and the Ministerial arrangements made after Mr Ballance'e death, Mr Seddon and his colleagues desire to make the following public : — They cannot help regretting that the name of their late chief's wife Bhould have been brought into the discuEsion. They ecatcely think it is for them to expresa any opinion upon the letters of Mrs Ballance, which were last week published. It is not the wish of Ministers to cast the slightest doubt upon the entire truthfulness of Sir E. Stout's statements," much less upon anything contained in Mrs Ballance's letters, but they assert that Mr Ballance before his death neither laid any injunction upon the members of his Cabinet, nor did he intimate to them any wißh of his own as to the successortthip in the event of Mb death, excepting any statement he may have made to Mr Seddon. He underwent the operation leaving Mr Seddon in charge as his deputy, and he undoubtedly entrusted that gentleman with confidential papers relating to publio matters. Looked at without heat, the statements of Sir B. Stout and Mr Seddon are NOT OF NHCEBBITY INCONSISTENT as to fact. It is quite true that when Mr Ballance died there was a difference of opinion aa to whether his place should be taken by Mr Seddon or by Sir B. Stout, but ib was pretty clearly seen, even within a few days after Mr Ballance'a death, that a majority, both of Ministers and Liberal members, favoured Mr Seddon. Under these circumstances an agreement was come to between Sir B. Stout, Mr Seddon and the other colleagues of the late Premier. A note of this agreement was taken at the time, and left in the custody of the Hon J. G. Ward. THE NOTE BTJNB AS FOLLOWS : "May 1, 1893.— We to hold office until the party meets two daya before the opening of Parliament. The party then to decide who is to be leader. We to loyally support whatever that decision ia. SirE. Stout to stand for Inangahua. All portfolios aa at present.— J. G. Wabd, TreaBnrer." It will be seen from this that nothing inconsistent with'this agreement was done, except that the caucus met on the opening day of Parliament, and not two days before it. This, however, was in no respect Mr Seddon's fault, as due notice was given to members, who, however, did not come to Wellington m time to hold a caucus on the date agreed upon. Sir B. Stout stood for Inangahua at the express desire of the Cabinet, and in his election contest received cordial and important aid from Minister!, who welcomed him back to Parliament as a trusted friend and ally. The result of the party caucus is well known. Only one member advocated the claims of- Sir B. Stout to the leadership. The suggestion that after Mr Ballance'a death Mr Seddon obtained the support of his colleagues by threatening that if they did not choose him as Premier he would form a Ministry without them, is quite incorrest. Whatever the wishes of the late Mr Ballance may have been, Ministers hold that the parliamentary ohief of a party can only be selected by the members ot that party. The question of leadership, therefore, was settled at the caucus held in June last year* " '