THE FIRST SPEECH.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1216, 26 August 1911, Page 4

THE FIRST SPEECH.

It is rather a pity that the Prime Minister should have opened his first speech on his return to New. Zealand waters by making some angry and rather, indiscreet statements. Wo should not have noticed the matter were it not necessary to warn him to be prudent in respect of one point. He referred to "malicious and vicious" papers that had circulated a statement connecting his wealth with his baronetcy. No doubt ho has been imperfectly informed. A southern 3ournal gavo publicity to a rumour on this point, and its paragraph was copied pretty widely, care being taken in every case, so far as wc know, to name the original source of publication of it. Perhaps Sib Joseph is not aware that the Ministry's own paper went out of its way,'in one of its regular columns, to suggest to the public that the grant of a baronetcy "shows how solidly Sir Joseph's personal fortune is estabWhen his own servants draw this conclusion, ho must really be careful about using such terms as "malicious" and "vicious." As to his acceptanco of the baronetcy, wo think wc may refer him for opinions to tho Liberal press and his followers in tho House. In tho meantime we are very glad to know ho has arrived in good health, and wc trust that he will now make Parliament get to work.