SIR JOSEPH WARD.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 181, 12 August 1909, Page 3

SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Imperialistic Speech

London, August 7. The Imperial Co-operation League entertained Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister of New Zealand, at lunch today.

The guests included Lady Ward, Lord Hampden, late major of the 10th Hussars, Rear-Admiarl Ottley, secretary to the Committee of Imperial Defence, Sir Sanford Fleming, Dr Fitchett, Solicitor-General for New Zealand, Admiral Freemantle, Mr Cathcart Wason, M.P., Mr Arthur M. Myers. ex-Mayor of Auckland. Lord Onslow presided, and in proposing the health of Sir Joseph Ward, remarked that Ihe present Defence Conference would prove a great milestone on the road to Imperial federation. New Zealand's spontaneous offer of a Dreadnought, and another if necessary .would be a splendid impulse toward the maintenance aod continuity of Imperial Conferences. Lord Onslow empbasied the importance to the Empire of New Zealand having placed Imperial defence in the forefront of her aspiration, and concluded by expressing the hope that Sir Joseph Ward, as Prime Minister of New Zealand, would continue to give a lead to the Empire, in order that all parts at Home and overseas might unite in one common scheme of defence. SIR JOSEPH WARD'S REPLY.

Sir Joseph Ward, In responding, said he understood the main purpose of the Imperial Co-operation League was to help people to think Imperially. Cheers. Intelligent thought was easily passed into action, and as soon as the bulk of us thought and acted together on great Imperial questions the true consolidation and safety of the empire would be assured—Cheers. With an Empire so vast and so diverse in conditions and interests the problem of coordination and consolidation would tax the wisest beads of the race. Take the question of defence, which is the foundation whereon the whole Imperial superstructure must rest. ABSOLUTELY UNFETTERED CONTROL.

It was stated on the one hand, continued Sir Joseph Ward, that there was need for one absolutely unfettered central control, to enable the whole of the forces of the Empire to be directed on one point in case of -necessity. On the other band it had been staed that the oversea dominions would not be. justified in leaving themselves locally helpless, and that they would be doing the best for the Empire by each relieving the Motherland of all, or of much of, the burden of local defence, each Dominion controlling one unit. These were two apparently conflicting views, and the solution of the problem they presented was worthy of the efforts now being made by statesmen from all parts of the Empire. He could not be expected to express an opinion or to enter into details concerning the problem of reconciling the two conflicting ideas while the Defence Conference was sitting. He could, however, say that all present were animated by an earnest desire to help forward the great work of the Empire. Defence, continued Sir Joseph Ward, though undoubtedly the greatest, was not the only Imperial matter wherein the interests of the Motherland and the oversea dominions were not identical He instanced shipping, regarding which he remarked that the existence of conflicting interests had been recognised, and an earnest effort made by conference to remove or reconcile the differences. IMPERIAL CONFERENCES. Sir Joseph Ward said he believed in conferences. In these days honest and earnest talk round the table often accomplished more than years of interchange of memoranda and report. Isolated and intermittent conferences were makeshifts at the best. In hi* judgment some scheme for the continuity of Imperial conferences must be devised, or it must evolve. Personally, he had unlimited faith in the capacity of that remarkable figment called the British Constitution, which was not one incomprehensible, but many incomprehensibles, born nobody precisely knew when or how. and consisting of what no man precisely knows. Referring to the work of the Imperial Co-operation League, Sir Joseph Ward said should they send representatives to New Zealand he would heartily welcome them, and New Zealander3 would do their utmost to make them feel the tie of kindred and make them feel they were in a British Country, in which they would be at home as much as in Great Britain. Sir Joseph said that he did not believe there was anything in the pessimist cry that had been raised regarding the decadence of England. The visitors from overseas, who saw those splendid lines of battelships at Portsmouth, with 50,000 seamen ready to strike for King and Country, must recognise that, at its heart, the nation was true, and that the one desire was to elevate old England to a still higher plane, and to remove any ascertainable causes that might suggest pessimistic expressions regarding decadence to the minds of some portions of the community. BETTER AND CHEAPER CABLES. Sir Joseph Ward proceeded to r■::> pbasise the need for improve.-; ca! k.communication. The in.; : v. : needed, he said was in the 'iircti-.r of cheapness. Without doing injury to the owners of private- ci.\ :h-:y should endeavour th- : > of all parts of thv Kmr-ire v>ktouch with each other. I; a al cause to work f<,r. 1 va a! ; gk:.dly do anything ink:. ; - v. . ;• ■/ ;v. ;p those a : n v.-ha' a re garntd an a groat fkakv raovf n:eat. ■ -< kh-v-rs. Tin: viiiiT c.'Fflr. he annrecdao. ; Lor; Oa-a-ov - ninoiy a]!Li:o:; to N- v.- 7.- ahaa ka < :k r of a Dr. a :a Ik rkka d a , credit for doing what h- ar«.-i » duty. Cornaare ; v.kta th-- :at:aa-:c wortn e:. a Lrraka-aak'. :h-- an r;k .fact of otk> r art-ana- t.aat \v<> c>ui'! (:<"• bri:; lt the -:a---a norr.:a;ons inf.. rea. toU'*h with th" Motherand. He had great faith ia th- capacity of the British Constitution to adapt itseif v> the change which must inevitably come if the nation is to abide as one

great whole, instead of splitting off into fragments. When those changes are accomplished the overseas dominions will not be dependencies: t'nsy will he your co-heirs to a mighty Empire, shr-.rln.L.' witr. you. besides the burden of l :.. priiv.tjr-:s ar.c reponsibiiity : o'. verr.r.'-.er.t.- Cheer-.