SIR JOSEPH WARD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3138, 17 July 1917, Page 6

SIR JOSEPH WARD

THE VICTORY TO COME. Sir Joseph Ward was also given a hearty welcome by the company. He spoke first of the almost immunity from the clients of the war of this happy country, but he- said that if .life was to remain worth living in this or in any other part of the British Empire, we

must do everything possible to ensure ■ final victory. It was our duty in this I country to look ahead and to realise our responsibilities, to make up our minds that tho country shall leave nothing un- j dono which may ensure that wo may carry on until the end. This was the spirit animating tho peoplo of this country. But it was only by surveying and J examining the difficulties in our way that ivo could bo sure that our determination, genuine as it was, would enable us to go ou until final victory. "And we are going to have a hand in that victory," said Sir Joseph Ward amid applause. "If any of you had had the opportunity of seeing those brave New Zoalanders as we saw them in tho old Motherland you would know that you could not have seen a finer sight any part of tho world. I say that advisedly. To have seen four thousand of them as we saw them being inspected by their Kin? on a glorious English day. would 'have made any man proud to say that lie belonged to the country from which they came. And it would not be saying anything derogatory to any of the other fine troops of the Empire to say that they would have been extraordinary troops that would have looked better thaii these men of ours." (Applause.) Sir Joseph Ward, continuing, said that tho statement of the people of the 01:1 Country was that the last contingent?i of our men were better than the earhe;' drafts, and this was saying a very great since all the world knew how* good the first drafts had been. This country was not failing bv sending forwanl men of lower quality in mental and physical fitness, til England their conduct was such that it had been a credit to their country and a source of the greatest satisfaction to those people of tins country who chanced to be in England at the present time, never saw ono of them in such a condition that lie would not 'have bnpii a credit to his mother," declared Sir Joseph.

H.M.S. New Zealand. He referred to tho part this country has taken in the naval defence of the Empire. They had visited the ships of the Grand : Fleet, and the officers and men and the ships themselvss, which had been throiis.li the Battle of Jutland, did not.appear at all as if they had been in the war at all. Every man of them was there ready, alert, and willing to go into any part of the ocean to again. The' New Zealand, the skip which this country had Riven to the Einpire, had gone through every light that had taken place since the great war had begun, and the only mark she l>ore was a portion of an "iron ornament" carefully preserved, to show that 'she had been hit in the Battle of Jutland. Admiral Halsey had told him that the ship had fired more shots than any other battleship or cruiser in the fight, and that she had done very efi'ectivo work. Admiral Halsey said that part of the success of tho sliip was due to the Maoris of New Zealand. When he was here the Maoris presented him with a very valuable mat, and when he thanked them for it he etid that if ever he was taking the ship into battle ho would wear tho mat. Upon tho first occasion that the New Zealand was engaged, Sir Lionel Halsey put on the mat, and wore it right through the action in which the New Zealand had soiso part in sinking one, if not two, of tho enemy. When Admiral Halsey was promoted, and had therefore to leave the ship, he made his successor, Captain Green, promise that when going into action he, too, would wear tho mat. So it was that in tho Battle of Jutlaml Captain Green wore the charmed mat again, and again the New Zealand had good fortune. It was a delicate compliment to the Maoris of New Zealand that these brave men paid to them in this way. Ho hoped that before Captain Hall-Thompson left the Dominion ho would receive a similar present.

Sackcloth and Ashes. Sir Joseph Ward paid a tribute to the work tho women have done in the war , in England and in Franco, and lio said' also that beforo the war was over it was possible that woman would be required to do much more to take the placo of the men going to fight. He thought it would L>e a foolish and mistaken policy for this country to go about in sackcloth and ashes and to stflp all ordiuary expenditure and to stop all ordinary importations. If wo wero to bo able to carry on, one of the first essentials was that we should not do any more to limit our trade than was absolutely necessary. The more our trade was limited the greater would be the difficulties to be faced later on. One of the duties of this country was to see that this country would bo ablo to do all that she might be called upon to do. Britain was wholly transtormed. .The people had a certain goal before them, and they were now working not to get peace—for he believed they could have poace in 48 hours if they wanted it—but to dominate and dictate the peace that is to end the war. No other peace could be tolerated by tho people in these islands. Would they again be satisfied to have Samoa handed back to Germany, to become a base in the Pacific? Australia had a liko interest in tho future of German New Guinea. ■>

Reprisals. Referring to the air raids on England, lis said that one of the greatest weaknesses of the responsible nieii of the Old Country was that they were 100 generous. "I say now, as I said in the Old Country, that they always have been too generous," said Sir Joseph Ward. "If you have a foe ready to drop bombs over your wives and children, is it not _ a proper doctrine, whether it is taught in the gospels or not, is it not a matter of justice to the women and children that we should have had reprisals long ago—(applause)—to protect our women and children? It is no time for tho silken glove when the enemy is fighting as hard as he can with bare fists and bare knuckles. Horrible as it is to contemplate, and anxious as we are all of us not to behave otherwise than as. Christians ought to behave, if you are fighting with demons then you have to fight them with the same weapons they use themselves." (Applause.)

PROTECTION OF MINING PRIVILEGES : TO BE OR ANTED BY MILITARY SERVICE BOARDS. Regulations providing for the protection of mining privileges during too war were published in a Gazette, issued iast night. Tho regulations will be known as the Mining Privileges Protection Regulations,' 1917, and provide that: — Every registered mining privilege under the Mining Act, 1908, which is protected under these 1 regulations, shall be free from all liability to abandonment or forfeiture for any cause arising during the period of protection, other than default in payment of royalty, rent, or liienso fees.

Tho protection under these regulations of any mining privilege may be granted bv any Military Service Board under the Military Service Act, 1916. on the hearing and dismissal by it of any appeal under that Act, if the board is of opinion that such protection is expedient having regard to tho conditions created l.y the compulsory military service of the leservist whoso calling lip is appealed against. • , On the grant, of any such protection the chairman of the Military Service Board shall transmit to the Mining Hegistrar of the.district in which t,l\e mining privilege is situated a certificate of protection. and the registrar shall thereupon register the certificate in the Register of Mining Privileges. Protection under these regulations shall take effect as soofi as the certificate of nrntection has been received by the iegistrar. and shall, unless sooner eancihul under these regulations, continue (luring tho present war e.rnl for the period of twelve months thereafter. Protection granted under these regulations mav be at any limn ceiiclM bv i-h" Minister n f Alines on Hi" rpc-'mneu-dation of a Military Service Board.