THE POLITICAL TREND

West Coast Times, 14 June 1912, Page 1

THE POLITICAL TREND

SIR JOSEPH WARD’S DECISION

LIBERALS v. RADICALS.

WELLINGTON, June 10

Uio decision of the member for Awarua to remain in New Zealand and continue to take an active interest in politics is commented upon by Wellington papers. The “Dominion” says:—“ After accepting the office and after for two months leading everybody to believe that he intended to perform the duties, he now suddenly discovers that he cannot attend to his Parliamentary work if he retained his scat on the Commission, and so he has resigned from it. The conduct of- the ex-Primo Minister in this connection is open to the strongest. censure. The country endured Wardism long enough to learn that above all else it stood for self; that i whenever the interests of the party conflicted with the interests of the people, it was not the party that was called upon to make the sacrifice. &ir Joseph Ward may have made personal sacrifices, although they are not on record, but he has certainly taken care, that he should receive a larger share of rewards than has fallen to the lot of any other politician here. It may be taken as an evidence of the hard straits in which ‘ Liberalism ’ finds itself to-day that it should be possible to give credence to the idea that the party may be forced to fall back for a loader on the member who so signally failed in that capacity, who, beginning his] career with almost a record majority, only a month or two back was compelled to relinquish the office to save his greatly reduced party from defeat. Whatever Sjr Joseph Ward’s personal ambitions may be, his conduct in connection with the Imperial Trade Commission, and also the disclosure made concerning his action over the four million loan, are not calculated to arouse' any enthusiasm throughout the country for a return to Wardism.”

The “New Zealand Times,” in the course of a very brief article says;— “Some people have got themselves into tho habit of thinking that the member for Awarua is a spent force—an extinct volcano. They never made a greater mistake in their lives. Knowledge is power, an;d as long as Sir Joseph "Ward remains in the New Zealand Parliament ho will naturally occupy a commanding place in our national affairs. Even those who do not agree with his politics will find it impossible to dispute his pre-eminence iu the Parliamentary arena. His administrative achievements, his broad Imperial outlook, his personal prestige, his indomitable industry and courage, and his extraordinary' experience in every branch of the public service, make him most thoroughly equipped of all our Parliamentarians. It is l inevitable that he will play' a prominent part in tho contest for supremacy which is about to take place.”

T'liq “Post” say?j: —“ We believe lie (Sir Joseph) would have served his own reputation better by working as an Imperial Commissioner than by throwing himself again into the Swirl of politics here. He has complained that his enemies have bitterly misrepresented him. That is for the people to judge, and they would have been better able to judge with Sir Joseph Ward as an Imperial Commissioner than as one in the heat and smoke of the ceaseless battle here.”

The general feeling seems to be that Sir Joseph Ward’s determination to remain in New Zealand politics will hasten the idea at present so much in the air, namely the grouping of the moderates from both sides against the Radicals on) the Government side. The real party of the future will be Liberals and Radicals. Sir Joseph Ward it is presumed, will lead the latter in the event of the Hon. T, Mackenzie going to London as High Commissioner, and Messrs Laureuson, Russell, Ell, and Hannan will be the next most prominent men in the party, and in the event of the defeat of the present Reform Party, the most likely to obtain Cabinet rank is a Radical Ministry. Their hold upon their individual constituencies, however, may to some considerable extent be jeopardised by the attitude of the two Labour parties putting up their own men, as well as by the fact that the Opposition will be now able to secure stronger candidates than hitherto, and will also have a better organisation than during any recent election. A prominent Labour man, asked today if Labour would support Sir Joseph Ward, replied:—“No; Labour is out on its own. It will not touch Sir Joseph. Its objects to the giving of Dreadnoughts', its objects to compulsory military training, and it has an aversion to the establishment of hereditary titles.”