The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1928.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 December 1928, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1928.

A NEW MINISTRY. A now Ministry is in process' of making. B.v to-day no donht Sir Joseph Ward, who has ihoen on trusted with the ollice, will have performed his task. It is a triumph for the Itt. Hon. Sir Joseph to find himself back in the ollice of Prime Minister. He was pul out of ollice in pulwar days, when even his gilt ot the New Zealand battleship to the British Navy was deemed an offence by his political opponents, and was so lea. lured against him and his government, as to become a. lever to oust him from ollice. As regards the battleship, Sir Joseph had very sweet revenge for when the dogs of war were unleashed, the New Zealand battleship played a notable part, and went through a strenuo'-.s war service with honour and distinction, much of which muflt have'hem. reflected on the Dominion. But that is another story. So far as the political record of Sir Joseph Ward .is con-

fiTi’c-d, it si nmls extremely high It is a remarkable fact that at the time lie is the outstanding statesmai i r the Dominion. His return to aetivi

i olities and the part lie took at the i leventli hour in taking up tlie loader- : hip of tlie Unitcid Party, was welcomid very cordially by the Dominion. He had blit a brief opportunity to lace the people, and the state of his health limited that opportunity. Speaking only in Auckland, Dunedin and Invercargill, he managed to sway the voting strength in quite a remarkable way .and was returned at the head of the chief poliical party. This achievement was the more notable because the two opposing parties were both stumping the country, and agreed upon one point—that Sir Joseph and the United Party were not in the political hunt, and did not count 9 November 14th at eventide told a different tale, and the result was altogether to the credit of Sir Jofienh 'Ward. Looking, back over his lengthy political record, it is not surprising a thinking public gave him credit for what he had done as an evidence of what he could do now there was f.li.e necessity for something tangible to he done to uplift the country. Sir Josenh was execotionnlly successful as a Minister of Finance, and his work as Postmaster-General and Minister of "Railways was outstanding. There is everything to his credit in that resnort and the highest recommendation ho could have lias been the fact that his successors in office, although they opposed a good deal of the progressive Liberal legislation verv agg.ressivolv during ils enactment, did not venture to repeal any of the policy Principle's which were embodied in the many

hene(ieenl Acts of Parliament Sir Joseph Ward was in person resnmisible for. That is of the past. As for the future, one reason for Sir Joseph stooping into power is his offer fo deal comprehensively, with unemployment. Tl ha.s been a heavy burden on the country for the past two years, ami (he late government failed to grannie will it comprehensively. Sir Joseph proposes to initiate a forward policy of public works to absorb the labourijllr «(>e| ion on the completion o| Hie arterial railways which are buiguisliino' ;l l nresent for the ivivon ihev arc not at a payable terminal point. Sir Joseph has further designs lo obtain greater production results from the land hy helping these settlers with finance who need it. and hv C'lacin" r more settlers on the land. There is great scone for more laslimr prosperity in (his resnect, and we Meie'-o that (he new .Ministry will bring down a definite land policy on lines whmh (lie Liberals in da vs of voro achieved such 'flic new Ministry is to meet the House to-morrow, and n neliev statement will ho made. Some interim legislation mav he noeessarv. ■and its acceptance might he made (he tost as to the abililv of Sir Joseph (o carry on. On the face of it, it appears likely he will obtain any reasonable sanction from the House he asks

for, and Parliament will then adjourn sine die. The alternative would be a general election, but that at the moment seems very far off, for the Ward Ministry appears to he due to carry on for a good term.