WELLINGTON TOPIC.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1923, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPIC.

SIR JOSEPH WARD’S RETURN. SI-IiCIAL TO GUARDIAN. WELLINGTON. March 0. Sir Joseph Ward returned to Wellington yesterday afternoon obviously gratified by what he had seen and heard during his run through the Tnuranga electorate. He has been urged to contest the vacant scat, he said, immediately after Sir William I ferries’ funeral and had given his friends In understand that if it was the wish of the Liberals of tiic district he should enter the held he would be prepared to do so. Their answer had been emphatic and very encouraging, not to say flattering. He had been simply astonished by the amount and character of the support that had been ottered him without any sort of solicitation, lie never had doubted that he would have the cordial assistance of a large majority of the workers ol the electorate, hut lie had not expected in have the goodwill ol so many ol the former supporters ol the late member for the district. This was particularly gratifying because it showed, not only that the. asperity of party was disappearing. hut also that people who had known Sir \\ illin in Merries intimately regarded him as a not unworthy successor to a member who had served the constituency and the country uncommonly well. He thought he might also take it as a good augury for his .success at the poll. WHERE HE WILL STAND. Sir Joseph Ward was not disposed to discuss in any detail his attitude towards the parties, lie wished it to l.c understood, however, that, he was not seeking to re-enter public life with any idea of creating further dissensions in the ranks of the Opposition. He would not, lie thought it scarcely necessary to snv. ice a supporter of Mr Massey'. or a follower of Mr Will'ord. Mr Massev would understand, as well as he did, that it would he impossible lor them, with their widely divergent views on many important subjects, to co-operate, as they did in the National Cabinet under the necessity ol war. Mr Will'ord was entitled to reap the fruits of t ! he had made in the election campaign and it would he ungracious to attempt to supplant him m the leadership of the Liberal Parly before In. had had all opportunity to make mind.” "My chief desire" Sir Joseph said, "is mu to advance my,sell personally urn- to add to party dissensions; hut to a-.ist. as I think I can. in the -<>l iition uf some of the grave problem., hcsetlmg the eoiintn at the pl'eseni time." These problems, evidently are occasioning Sir Joseph much conet in. ||o is liv no means a pessimist, hut he thinks the Dominion's linames still need the verv closest attention. ONE VI EW. The two local morning papers, with Sir .Irvph Ward'-' latest statements bofor them, deal with the re-appearance of the ex-1 literal leader in the political (ray from exactly opposite points ol view. The “New Zealand Times” asks Die people of tier Dominion to rejoice and explains In them why tliov. should.

••Relief in a lime of anxiety. it says. “Inis been offered from Tattraiiga. Sir Joseph Ward is the ablest statesman m New Zealand. The relic I' offered from Taurattga. is the opportunity opened in Sir Joseph Ward to re-enter the political arena. The simple fact is that Die worst genera! public situation Dm lieu statesman in the Dominion is

.Ji'ered ihe opportunity to serve- the mom ry by re-ent .'ling political ■■l l ‘ - This is good hearing for New Zealand s',- .in tin .North ( ape to the Midi. It -orc!s with the general wish that at !, a lime the service- of the best hr, litis should he secured, cpiite ll,t_

.-•relive of party considerations. I hat consideration has swayed Sir Joseph Ward to the determination to accept the opportunity of placing his services at Du; disposal of the country. That is Dio consideration winch has induced Dm Liberal' of Tnuranga to oiler 1 licit’ support to Sir Joseph Ward. .Ml this, ol course, is a little extravagant, hut it represents nearly enough the teeding ol a, innjmily ol the people in the politic I eai itnl to-day. ANOTHER.

L 1 >.uniiii<in’ aj>!ri'iill.' I'l’poutj;;.. ,| i.v generous ,-illusion In Sir dosop li vestonlnv, res’;ii-Is that "his !| 1,,, ~, iv-niU-r pi, Mie 1 i f« i- H"l . :,! to si It I" ho in. i ’■ H hy tiny itopa riure Si, ;,i tlu* narrow and artificial linos of parly.” Tin* litTorm sympathiser ■cithers this [rum Sir Josephs publishod announcements. which. beyond, insisting upon lli< title of “Liberal. - I '' Mr Massi-v does, have mado no re-foroin-o nt‘•all to Ins attitude towards the parties. The “Dominion.” however, is satisfied to the eon Ira ry. As mutters stand to-day in otir polities, it snvs, “Sir -Jcpli W nrc.l \\<‘i! Inn.-'rendered a valuable national service by assisting in break do"'’n artili- , ial party ties, and thus bring ahold a fusion of' forces which would have cn--m-ed the country a period ol stale'

government, ft was a great opportunitv for a man big enough to seize it. M lien Sir .Joseph’s attention was dire, lml to this paragraph to-dav lie f-imliit‘l- - observed that lie hoped to he able to satislv the electors of Tauraiign that Ik* was no less patriotic than people were, lie had never suspectc In-fore that “Liberal” would he repirdrd hv so /onions an advocate «° ! * reform as a title of reproach.