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Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2525, 11 June 1909, Page 4

THE ADJOURNMENT OF PARLIAMENT.

Tho fuller details of the informal meeting of Parliament to hand by mail fully bear out the opinions already expressed in these columns, namely, that while Sir'Joseph Ward was fully justified in asking Parliament to appoint him as its, representative at the Naval Conference, he was certainly not warranted in asking that Parliament' should close down in his absence. The detailed reports, extracts from which are published in another column, suggest that tho Premier lias gone to extraordinary lengths in order to gain his ends. After declaring with the utmost fervor that patriotism urgently demanded his presence at the Conference, tho Premier was, in consequence of his representations, paid the rare compliment of being unanimously chosen "in this connection, whereupon Sir Joseph calmly turned round and said that unless Parliament adjourned he would not go. In other words, if there was tho barest possibility of party 'interests suffering, patriotism would 'not weigh with him for a moment. By the use of this threat, by vague, hints at some secret significance in the calling of the Naval Conference, and in other ways, tho Premier has been enabled to play bis. cards to his liking. Incidentally, ho has made agood dealof the. despatches that have passed between himself and the Colonial Office in London, but one member was sufficiently outspoken to voice- an opinion that is growing in Wellington, namely, that these despatches- if made public,

would show that Sir Joseph Ward himself was responsible- for the invitation boing specially directed to the Premier. That he steadfastly refuses to give any information under this head lends color to this suggestion. No one expects him to do anything improper in the way of divulging private correspondence, but a cable to Lord Crewe would quickly remove all qualms as to. the revelation of such portions of the <?' spatches as would clear up this particular item. Moreover, it now appears that the Premier lias been sedulously creating an impression that some profound and secret reason was actuating the Home Government in convening the Naval Conference, with the view of increasing its importance in the public mind. ‘ It now appears, however, that the despatches which were- sent bn this same matter to the Commonwealth have been published, and they give an entirely different aspect of tho situation. From these it would appear that the Conference is merely a consultative one, at which the delegates of all parts of the Empiro will discuss generally the question of Imperial defence. This, of courso, ;s important enough to justify tho Premier in making the trip, but it is an entirely diflerent matter to a Conference held to deal with a great national emergency, which, it has been suggested, has arisen through circumstances that are so serious that the Homo Government must perforce keep its information secret. In all probability the New Zealand despatches are identical with those sent to the Commonwealth, but Sir Joseph is keeping those sent to the Dominion as a dark and deadly secret, and unbelieving members can scarcely bo blamed :f they draw conclusions therefrom unfavorable to Sir Joseph. After all, this attitude would be very much on a par with tho tactics over the famous editors’ telegram, a copy of which was published in these columns on Tuesday, as a portion of the proceedings at the informal Parliament. This telegram was sent to this office- as to others on the afternoon that tho Premier made the offer of a Dreadnought. In it Sir Joseph as good as stated that tho Government possessed information which showed tbo naval postiion to bo much more serious than could be realised by anyone not possessed of this exclusive information. The natural result of the receipt of this telegram, which was marked “privite and confidential,” was that editors were led to believe that a position had arisen in which adverse criticism of the Cabinet’s action might prejudice the whole of the Empire. Sinco that Lime no evidence has been produced to show that Sir Joseph Ward had any information that was not common property to the press at the- same time, and if this be so his action in sending the telegram was entirely unwarranted, and was a gross abuse of bis position as Premier.- NSir Joseph is evidently a ■firm believer in the laxiom that “the end justifies the means,” and in ihe present instance he is, at any rr- to, achieving temporary success, whatever the ultimate outcome may be.