ANCESTRY OF LADY WARD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 55, 29 November 1918, Page 4

ANCESTRY OF LADY WARD

NOT OF GEEMAN ORIGIN

Eoforence to the ancestry of Lady Ward was made in the House of Representatives Inst night by the member for Grey Lynn, Mr. John Payne. It was evidently noH Mr. Payne's desire to repeat the. calumnies to the effect that Lady Ward is of German extraction. It was'his intention rather to refute them. Mr. Speaker would not allow him to pursue the subject, and ho did not say. what was in his mind.

But Lady Ward's name had been mentioned, and Sir Joseph Ward rose as soon as the opportunity offered, and (old the House something of what he knew about the. parentage of his lady. Sir Joseph Ward said that never before since he had been in the House had he. ever referred to any member of his own family, or to the family of any other honourable member of the House. But there was one near and dear to him who hnd been referred to as a German more than once throughout tho country. He wished to sav that his family had in their possession records of the birth and nationality of Lady Ward's father. He was not a German, nor liad any member of his family been born in Germany. He (Sir Josop'h Ward) had known this all his life. Lady Ward's father was a Belgian, born in Bruges, and his ancestors for 350 years were Belgians. Anyone anxious to pursue the question of tho ancestry of the father of Lady Ward could have" found what he sought in the records of this country of about fifty years ago. Sir Joseph Ward said that he had in his possession for many years the records of the birth and nationality of his father-in-law. He had known all his life that Ladv Ward's father was a Belgian. He had been aware of the rumours that had been circulated, and knew also some of the people by whom they had been circulated, but he had not" mado any reference to them. If anvone was curious enough alxiutl the matter to call' at his office ho would exhibit the proofs to which he had rr-ferred. They would show tha't Lady Ward's father 'had not a drop of German blood in his veins.

'Sir Joseph Ward concluded b.r saying that his'wife had never taken any part in politics, nor had she ever been a scandal-monger. She had been a true wifo and a good mother, and if a question ever should arise making upcessnry a choice between the welfare of liis wife and his official duties, he would do as every decent man would do—give up his official duties. He thought it wise in (he circumstances that he should inform the House, of the facts about a matter which was delicate, and he wished to say that he did it without heat or bitterness.