N.Z. CLUB LUNCHEON.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1821, 6 August 1913, Page 2

N.Z. CLUB LUNCHEON.

DEFENCE MATTERS. SIR JOSEPH WARD THE GUEST. There was a large attendance of members at tlio New Zealand Club luncheon yesterday, at which the pi*st of honour was Sir Joseph Ward, who spoke at some length 011 his experiences in tlie Homeland, explained how ho out-manoeuvred the cube lanlcee, what it was like to l>o kmematogTaphed, and how lie "looked down on everybody when ,m in the aeroplane, lhe president (Mr. A. B, Atkinson occupied tho chair, and was si - ported by the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Lukel, the Hon. <j. M. Luke I rofessor I'ickon, tlie ox-Mayor (Mr n' MLarcn), Mr. Colling, Mr. Wheeler" fllr. \ ickery, and other members of tho committee. - Tho president in welcoming Sir Joseph Ward 011 behalf of the club reminded those present that their guest had been nmf fl"?f a fi ln va I. a " " 10 PWrims day, mid that they must not expect to hear anything in tho nature of a political speech. They would no doubt remember Sir Joseph Ward's last speech at that club after his return from the Imperial Lonfcrence. lhe motion which' he (Sir Joseph Ward) proposed 'at that conferjnco.waß a pioneer motion which, he reftJiwul of public opinion in the Empire, < but he put it forward as Mi ideal which they must strivofor and rea iso if the Empire was fa hold • tojether. In that club party politics were baned, but, 1 fortunatelv, everything ivlnck appertained to national defence was fcopt above the level of party politics. rlie president added tlint tho tone of Sir foseph Ward s speeches in London in rcfereneo to tlio Dominion 'were greatly lppreciated at this side. They knew haw nucli they owed to him with regard to :ho gift of the Dreadnought New Zeaand. but he (tli.ei speaker) did not think nucli of the of those who :hrew up their hats with the crowd and :lum grumbled' when tho Tax Commissioner sent in his demand for a penny or :wo more on their income tax. He should Ijave been glad if there had been tamo public recognition of the man whose idea it was that tliat vessel should bo presented by tho Dominion to the Empire. Sir Joseph Ward, who wns accorded a hearty rocention; expressed appreciation jf the kindly sentiments to -which the president had given utterance to, and remarked tlint he could not commit a breach of that club's regulations with regard to politics, as ho had no political secrets to disclope. (Laughter.) Proceeding, ho stated that he had been asked to speak in different portions of Canada on his return from England, and lie felt that he was bound 1 to givo expression wherever ho went to the views which he held with regard to Imperial defence. .An lie preferred to be in conflict in the Dominion of Now Zealand rather than liav« his head punched between two rival parties in Canada, he decided to return home the other way. (Lauyliter.) There were many thousands yl people ill different parts of the Empire who were helping to mould public opinion with regard to matters of defence, and it was a good thing to have sown that seed at the Imperial Conference. Proceeding, lie described a banquet in London which was attended by 813 gentlemen interested ill kinematograpliy, who represented .£17,000,000 of investments. The chairman being called away to his duties in, the House of Commons, lie (Sir Joseph Ward) was a«ked to take his place and deliver his address, «o (with tho resourcefulness of the Now Zealander), lie called on another sneaker,. and subsequently addressed the gathering on tlio defence of the British Empire. (Laughter.) Describing his experience when kinomatographed, Sir Joseph Ward said that immediately they.entered the operating room the mercury tnbes overhead had the effect of distorting and discolouring their features until they became like monsters rath>r than men, but when the picture appeared oil the screen a littlo later "everything in the garden was lovely." ■ (Laughter.) He next went up in an aeroplane, and wliils-t in tli,e air looked down upon everybody with extreme happiness. As to a roiiioarison between New Zealand and England, • Sit Joseph Ward said ho was warranted in staling that any New Zealander visiting England received an enthusiastic reception. The people of England realised that this was a marvellous country, on account of its climatic conditions'. He had found the''ubiquitous New Zealander everywhere, and though some 6aid that they did not "expect" to return to tlie Dominion, lie only - heard two people say that they "did not want" to come back—he did not ask them the cause which led them to leave._(Laußhter.) There was something about New Zealand which had a charm for everybody. It wis a free country, and there were manv things about tho life of tho peoplo which tlie.v did not find in other countries. In England one of the most potent troubles was the fact that they found extreme wealth and poverty side by -side, tho ovil of degeneracy and effcct of heredity having walked over tho paths of ages, whereas in the Dominion they were making new paths for themselves.