THE PRIME MINISTER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 629, 5 October 1909, Page 8

THE PRIME MINISTER.

A FURTHER WELCOME. , WOMEN'S SOCIAL AND POLITICAL . • ' LEAGUE. , . . ■ . .■ •■ . SIE; JOSEPH /ON "800-ING." The Prime Minister, who, waS accompanied 'by Lady Ward arid Miss Ward, was accorded a reception list evening by the Women's Social land Political League in the New .Century Hall. '•The ■ proceedings ■ tpok the form of a social leathering "and-dance. There was a , large attendance; and all the,members of the Ministry we're'present. '• -. ... .'- Sir Joseph Ward and party wero acclaimed with mnsic&l honours 'and cheers pn arriving at 'the hall. The vice-president'pf the league, Mrs. Tasker, then read.the following address:— ■ ■■■■'■.■■.'" • ." 'Wellington, October 4, 1909.' Sir Joseph Ward, K.0.M.Q., Prime HlnieUr of . New.,; Zealand. ,

Dear Sir.-rOn . behalf of ■ the .Wemen'a Social and Political League, I have much pleasure in conveying their greetings to you on your safe return home, Perhaps you are aware that we are no-new society, having, been in exietence Jor 'the record time of 14' years. We heartily welcome you baik to New. Zealand, ano recognise that you have returned from.a moßt important and successful mission. We are quite satisfied that you have represented the Dominion at the Imperial Naval Conference in a way that will be of great value to New Zealand and the Empire. The defence of our. hearths : and homes is essentially Question. At a time of war we are called upon to give up the sons we have reared and taught ■to treasure and honour the traditione pf their race. We recognise that our security lies in ocean defence; the , highways and byways pf the seas must be kept epen >nd free in order.to maintain our commercial intercste. If the need shouid arise, we are of opipion that better protection would be gained by belonging to the British Navy than if we were part of the Australian local fleet. New ZeaUmd. isolated, selfcontained, and healthy as she is, would make a grand little coaling station ■ in_ the South Paciflo for some foreign Power. The satisfactory arrangements you have made will add to our security. We congratulate you on the stand you took in rejecting the proposal to combine with the Australasian fleet unit. Teu saw the disabilities attached to that proposal. Wo have not forgotten that many, calamities were predicted when the late Mr. Beddon's Ministry and the Parliament of that day declined to federate with Australia at _ the .time when the' separate colonies of that land combinedpredictions that we are happy to say were not fulfilled. We read • that Germany is spending three or.four millions in. increasing her accommodation for warships. That fact is significant, and makes it incumbent on Great Britain to set her house in order and maintain the supremacy of the seas. New Zealand took the .initiative at, the timo of the Boei' War ,in offering men and money to the, Motherland, and is now the first to offer a battleship. Your action in this matter was a credit to the Dominion and an' object-lesson to the world. It is apparent to us that the conference of reprcsenUtivea held in London from the overseas dependencies has been one of the most inspiring . Imperial events in the history of the Empire. It was gracious oMiis! Majesty .the Ring to send, through you a message to. the people of thiß Dominionva.message wo all heartily appreciate. We are'glad to note; that you have been suitably welcomed all along the line, and that New Zealand endorsee your'efforts on behalf of its defence. Wishing you, Ward,

and yonr family every blessing, we are,'; on behaU of the league, IT. A. Tasker (vice-president), F. Key Brown (vice-president), 0. J. Moore (hon. eeeretary), A. J. Hamilton, and E. A. Mason(members of the council). "..;.'. ' "We are pleased to have you back, oonclnded Mrs. Tasker.' . "I daresay _the jublic too, are' pleased in a way." In explanation of this latter rather .grudging remark, Mrs. Tasker stated that it was usual-in Wellington for: every petty local grievance to be visited upon the Government; For example, she would sayi facetiously the . Government might be ■blamed for the recent juggling with the tram tickets.. (Laughtqr.) ;.;.'.--■ "-■.•■/-.',-,/'-, .. If!wAs : stated.:,that the league,, would.; have engageiithe Town. Hall for .the .reception, but it iwas ;notipbtainable. \"■:; ... -~.;■ r,,-,:. ..,,.■■■ , / : ;/ iiC'v-'-.vSiriJoseph'' ■-,'' .'••■'■■ "'\-. , .Sir-Joseph-Ward expressed"■ his deep iridebtedhese to the league for their great kindness. ■Hβ i referred to the rapid changes which wero •taking:place in elder countries, which made it "impossible for this .'country, to remain,, in regard te defonce raattersi :Where it was a few years- nge. "It was satisfactory: that, the' weinen recognised the importance of, the defence

question,< which bcre' clesely on their' hemes arid families. . As illustrating the ■ developments/which had takon.place en. wo part pf •Cpntinental countries, Sir Joseph etatcd it was said that one natipn could command twe mililion men, on land. He referred to' King Ed-'ward's-wbrk in helping to.'maintain-the"'peace" of the-jrorld, which it , was'the desire'of them all to see preserved. The best, way to secure that object, was by ; the. provisipn of. a navy, which other nations would-be most unwilling to attack. , ' .To"- this-.- end,,;the co-operatipn of the • oversea' 1 dominions was necessary. The Prime Minister referred.to the" work of; the Defence' Conference,,. and' endorsed: the statements of tho "leaßue'sr address in regard to 'naval questions. 'He expressed his , approval of the' reference to. the late Mr. Seddon,- whose work for Iriipe'rialism-should not be , forgotten".' ■ , Advances to . "" , Eeferring,to. the results of .his, own trip, he statedithat the head of the Advances to Settlers iand Workers Departments had reported to him that as a result of the half-nSiUibn 'pf • money been sent .to,. New! . from iEnglarid," all the'arrears ' had been overcome in'respect>■ of-applications I 'to 'hose Departments.., There had been nearly 1000 outstanding applications for loans, and'the. last of these had now been provided for.' " Out of, the :<£500,000 which had been..raised:at Home for those: objects, riiorevthan. one-third ■ had been .paid .for the purpose of, assisting settlers, and ■workers. (Applause.) He. olaimed that by.the (Work., which he had dbne .in /England much' greater benefit had been' caused .to the financial . men- and' business people pf ' this cbun,'try, as...well as to the settlers,, than if the ;Gevernment had hurried en;.with the 6essien; 'as some .bf their pbstreperous critics had urged. "He referred tto one, citizen who, notwithstanding ..the , ,ainiable- characteristics which were attributed'to him;'had apparently.lost'his ; head -on that -'occasion,''.-and' called'on ' some people to'storm the citadel pf Parliament. He ■alsp referred to the'equanimity-with which he himself: and the members of; the. Government party.had viewed the extraordinary and altogether and he : thought .altogether to. be ashamed of, actipn which Ttas- taken in that instance. -. .'-..;■■■ •.:;.- ; ''..-•■ ■, •■

. .■ .'The Government'and Its"Critics. ' . ■■'. . ,The,: Government would .submit '.to Parliament' in' , a..few days important, legislation of a. progressive character, arid. there. were prospects'of'abuse and innnondo,; but. they would see , thit'their policy' was put on .record. .That policy: would be 'in''the general interests, of. the-people of this,country, and if there were interests that did;.npt/ like;to -be touched,- so lone as'the Government, did whait they, believed to. he. their' duty'viri the interests of' the generar public, they .could, not help, offence being taken in those'qnarters, and they were indifferent to ■ the ■ abuse that .might be .levelled at .them.-in, return., They did not care '-for criticism so long- as it was fair, but some criticism was directed by. venomous spite. He acknowledged the very .kindly-way in-which he had,been l'eceived. on his return to Wellington. -•":::.... . • • . "The Rumblingcf a Boo." When occasionally one found a place that was hollow in the upper structure of a man, and when : you. could get nothing from that place but the" rumbling of a "boo, the reason always was that there was nothing else to take its place.. He always' felt that such expressions did no harm. Sensible members of the community had no time or place for what was intended to be a substitute for argument or reason. He had never known anything to be accomplished in any cause by the wild, idle, empty, expression of a "boo" being levelled at anyone. Aβ far as he was concerned, such expressions had no more' effect on him than water on a duck's back..' Certain people seemed to imagine that if by any , mischance they came into power they would not receive tnat sort of treatment: Compared, however, to what he or'any member'of his party- had been called upon to put up with, they would be. Bop-ed out of sight; it would be applied to them only about, one hundred times worse "than the Government party had received it. The Prime Minister went on to refer to the campaign:. of the English .Suffragettes-: for a right which Now Zealand women had peacefully obtained sixteen, yoars ago, and claimed that this "country had been: kept well to the front in meeting the requirements of the citi- ?? ns V H ° also expressed -his-, appreciation of the hearty references which had been made to lady, Ward and his family.