SIR J. WARD’S SPEECH.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 423, 23 May 1902, Page 3

SIR J. WARD’S SPEECH.

FEELING OF NATIONALITY. (Per Press Association.) WESTPORT, last night. Tho dominant note of Sir Joseph .Ward’s address at the banquet at Denniston last night was an effort to inculcate a feeling of nationality in the people of New Zealand as regarded the great Commonwealth that overshadowed it. New Zealand’s destiny was apart from that of the Commonwealth. Geographically speaking, New Guinea and another island, which he could not mention at the time, were the only islands in the Pacific that fell under the natural control of the Commonwealth. All the other islands in the South

Pacific were geographically in such a position that New Zealand must be the central and controlling power. Once in that position the fixed policy ,ol New Zealand would be so strengthened, that it would be then able to decide its own terms as regarded the tariff that should prevail between the Commonwealth and New Zealand. With regard to tho connection with the Old Land, he reiterated what he had stated at Westport as to an Imperial zollverein. He thought the time had arrived when the colony should have an official in the Old Country, with such a salary as would enable him to represent the colony with dignity .and credit. At the same time he should have a seat in the British House of Commons. This, he thought, for the time might be accomplished by the appointment to the position of the Agent-General. Pie thought also that one'of the New Zealand ‘senior judges' of the Supreme Court should also represent the colony in the House of Lords. This would go a long way towards strengthening Im- . perial unity when matters of great Import such as any great war or other ' complication arose. Then from this representation, a more thorough feel- ' ing of patriotism would Ire engendered. The : speaker predicted that in five . ; years the cables between the colony and the Mother Country would be under State control, and the rate for cables would be Id per word. In support of hm idea he mentioned his adyotacy of the Pacific cable at the Conference of Premiers in Brisbane in 1823. At that time he indicated the route of the Pacific cable, which, with one slight deviation, had been carried out, or will be completed within the next seven months. At the Conference the rate for cables to Europe was 10s 4d per word. It had been reduced to 5s 2d per word, and would soon be reduced to 2s 4d per word.