SIR JOSEPH WARD

Hokitika Guardian, 27 January 1920, Page 1

SIR JOSEPH WARD

HIS VALEDICTORY SPEECH

Speaking at Wellington to the' assembled Liberal Party on the occasion when the members tendered him a lun-' cheon at the Grand Hotel, Sir Joseph Ward said it was a great pleasure to him to hearsthe observations of his former associates at this his farewell as Leader of the Liberal Party. Since the election he had received invitations from every electorate in New Zealand except one to visit those districts for the purpose of accepting tiie hospitality of the people, and their recognition of what they thought he had tried to do as a member of Parliament. The • elections had taken place immediately before the Christmas holidays, and lie had decided that it would not be a proper thing to do to visit those districts at that time ,and he had to decline all the invitations. Since then his chief occupation had been the signing of thousands of communications in reply to letters received from people of this country, the great majority of them asking him to stand again as a candidate for Parliament. He had replied to This suggestion always in the' negative. “I made up my mind in the evening of the election,” he said, “that as far as I am concerned I accept the position as a sportsman ought to accept it. I am fully cognisant of the very bitter personal attack concentrated on mo as head of the Liberal Party in practically every electorate in New Zealand. ; . I want to be perfectly frank and to speak plainly, and I intend to do so in my own electorate, where I have to farewell’ my constituents. I want to say that I have since the election gathered information in the shape of literature which would be a shame and a disgrace to the most barbaric people in any part of. the world, I have been accused of doing things I have never done, and the ,reflex of that has been circulated in tho electorates of other people to induce them to return the other party to power.

I may add that the other patry is quite welcome to he in power under such conditions as far as lam concerned, and I may say that I would not represent any constituency in New Zealand in Parliament—with all my natural desire to help tho country to which I owe everything—l would not represent any constituency in New Zealand on the score of bigotry. ... I have nevei

been consulted by the head of any religious organisation, cither my own or any other, to have my position.used for the purpose of promoting the interests of any church, or any section of church people, in New Zealand. . . Ho characterised those’ people who had said that lie had appointed Catholics to the -Public Service as “tile’ most- infamous set of liars that ever traduced a public man,” and lie said lie was hot going to allow the people of the country, whom lie bad served fpr 33 years, to remain under tho impression that lie deserved the reproaches that had been made against him by “so-called Christians who visited my electorate, some of them working for two and a half years, and working not on public qnes-, tions but on lying statements, with the idea of putting me out.” He said that lie did not regret being out of politics. He could enjoy rest and freedom as well‘as any man living. He said that'he' would remain a friend of the Liberal Party, and he urged the members left in the House not to despair: The party had suffered a. reverse. But the. party had suffered a similar reverse in 1887, when the party lost its leader. But at'next election'the party was returned with 1 a majority, and it held office for 21 years. Referring to what Mr Harlan had said lie declared that lie was not one of those who favoured the abolition of the party system. The years of the National Government had satisfied him that this would not be 'possible, for there could be no doubt that both members of Parliament and the people outside of Parliament were very tired of the National Government before it was broken up. He urged the party to carry on'. It "was true that some of their friends had gone down, but regarding their loss, he said, “It is a mighty good man that cannot be done

without.” He resented the attempt which he said had been made to class him with the Bolshevists, pointing out that he had always been opposed to the doctrines of Bolshevism, and to the sowing of the seeds of Bolshevism in this country. And he said also: ‘‘lt was put on record in a most blackguardly way by a man who is now’a member 'of the Reform Party in the House of Representatives that I was a Bolshevist.” ' “I have been offered seats, as most of you know,” be said, 1 “in different portions of this country, and I have bad

many representations made to me by those opposed'to me as well as by those who support me, and T have had them from rejected Labour candidates also, urging me to stand again. But I tliink I am right in my judgment. I have been' beaten,' and T accept defeat as I think a man should takes it,' and I accept' it without' -whining. . • • 1 kave made up' my mind hot to stand for any of the seats" offe'red;" I am' not doing this out of pique of any soft or kind,' but as the result 1 bf full consideration: I i ntend to take a good rest; ” He offered the party good wishes, and hade tile members to be of good cheer and to fight ‘ well, assuring them that there was no reason wily tho party should not lie again restored to its former proud position. -