Despite having had to resign due to bankruptcy, he exploited a legal loophole and was re-elected to the 13th New Zealand Parliament.

[1] He held many portfolios in the Seddon Ministry, including that of Treasurer (i.e. Minister of Finance), when Justice Williams declared him "hopelessly insolvent" in 1896.

[6] Parliament passed a special Act on 13 October, the Awarua Seat Enquiry Act 1897,[7] which required the Court of Appeal to urgently decide whether he could be re-elected to Parliament, and the court decided in his favour.

[8] Ward actually gained considerable popularity as a result of his financial troubles; Ward was widely seen as a great benefactor of the Southland region, and public perceptions were that he was being persecuted by his enemies over an honest mistake.

Richard Seddon, still Prime Minister, quickly reappointed Ward to Cabinet.