SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 620, 24 September 1909, Page 6

SIR JOSEPH WARD.

:.',■.!.SOME STRANGE STATEMENTS^''- , . ; :■;'-A," NEBULOUS DEFENCE, . . : An'.interview which .wasv.not' mentioned "un. the-cable. news, and which has .'.not" yet : been ( : given any local publicity, was accorded'liV; Sir \ Joseph AVoi'd to a representative of- the,"Mafi- ■ : •'■■. Chester Guardian" last, month., In the course':-,'" , .-' 1 -. of this' 'intoryiovr, ■ tho Primp Minister•; made';. some-curions ; . statements. ...■-,'-'. V.'r-- ; 'l ; /'? ; ':■'■ : Eeferring'to tli'o Dreadnought offers he said:-';-' ■'■ ■"It; is: unnecessary: for, mo. to say 'that >tli'e' ,-■ Government; in taking action of thiskind, wore; ,V rtiijning the-risk''-vrhioli'all Governments, run:'-;'.*.'•.■■-first and : ask tie country, afterwards.' : . ■ All;my,'~.colleagues knew. that.in making the., ■ offer... they . were • virtually" doinjr' eb 'VitfiVthe- . : risk: that'it'- might; not/ bo {maintained ■■• when ' Parliament ,met. .New'-'Zcaland;is; not. r at' alir . .a 'community:"::-in". i the '.ordinary ■'.'. , sense.' : ",'l. think"! dm iright^in'sayih^.that the; ■"■'. people , err on. the -practical : side in".' publio - ,-■.':■ • '-■■ ■■] •.:-''. ; ''; ; ,;.. v ; ' :"I)o; you think," asked the interviewer,'^re», '. ferring' '.to, the * publio feeling heroy "fo&t it may have;, been' , Wded'by the temporary.. ex-' . citement produced by: the 1 naval ECirathaV waa' ■ raised-at th.e/.'timeP, ,'' v '', ■'■. ■■'■*] ' '■"'!;''■■' ''."There was ; hb NeTT/'Zea-" ■•■' land;" Sir-Joseph ,replied. .'.'TVhat'jfas then ■ . - spoken;,of > 'aa.;a;iCnsjs';was.'n6t L in any^senee 1 , one," of; danger"'as far 'am-aware."-'- , 'The , causcs.;that.provbke.d tho.'febb'ng. , in'New.'Zea- .. laiid arid they are not likely' '. After - ( ii,great, deal' of' , lbyal" : platitrd'de' of » : ; """" general ■Bon,'Sir Joseph made" the following interesting'statement in reply. by" the'interyiewer'as'to',the\iand"forces bf'-'New; Zealand:— : !/' :;i '■'■'•'.%j'' ■'.;>,,.'''.•.' - 1 ' "•"•■'■':■'■■'■•' '■■ '■ •"We havea volnntary; system, arid.we have-had-for many years , ftp.organised- caddt system ' in" our. schools, public and private; In.'the next session .of ■Parliament it ;isi-.-intended ' to 'lesis-late.-so as ■ to . universal , service, -' for. I think there'is a'strong .feeling against : that—but that over a certain' ago a'perceritage iof.tho community shbuld.'-becomeSnart of,oar ' ■ inland. defence system:,and; that the mumber - of- men shpuld.be. suffloiont,'ild proportion^to the.-pppulation, to give us a .practical.and;. •■ efficiont system ,of- land defence. •"■'■ I .regard 'thli ■ as".a' great advarico on the. prese'iit 6ystem, I,feel' Bure ; that pnr people w6uld. : not' agree.-to '■' comnnlsory' sertice" in the ordinary.' acceptance . of.the. term.. But the country: generallyii and, ' qn'r" .pnblio.'.men.'are. fnHy.'aliye to .the;, neces- '" sity.of liavins .an,efficient .farid not. merely *a paper o(s6ipnt) "force available fpr'^eScctiye- us* should it'at.any time;be.required^";.',"■:- X> .J .,.