SIR JOSEPH WARD TO LEAD UNITEDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 461, 17 September 1928, Page 1

SIR JOSEPH WARD TO LEAD UNITEDS

VETERAN STATESMAN Press Association WELLINGTON, To-day. The United Party to-day chose Sir Joseph Ward as the leader of the party. The Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, P.C., is in his 72nd year. He first entered Parliament on October 21, 1887 and represented Awarua continuously until December, 1919, vvhen he was defeated at the general election poll, by Mr. J. R. Hamilton, a Reform candidate. The only other defeat experienced by Sir Joseph was as a Liberal candidate for the Taaranga seat at the byeelection following on the death of Sir ■William Herries in 1923. Later Sir Joseph was returned as Liberal member for Invercargill and since then has had the unique distinction in the House of Representatives as being the only Liberal of the old school in Parliament. In his long career as a parliamentarian, the former Liberal leader has played many administrative parts. His first portfolio was that of PostmasterGeneral and Electric Telegraph Commissioner in the Ballance Ministry, 1891-1893. He held the same position in the Seddon Ministry and also became

Colonial Treasurer. Other portfolios held at various times by Sir Joseph were those of Customs, Marine. Industries and Commerce, Public Health, Defence, Lands and Agriculture. In 1906 he became Prime Minister, and led the Liberal Ministry for six years, after which Sir Thomas Mackenzie succeeded and held office for a few months, being followed by the advent of the Massey administration. During the war period, the leader of the new United Party was Minister lot Finance and Postmaster-General in the National Government. He accompanied the late Mr. Massey to the Imperial War Conferences and also was a member of the New Zealand delegation at the Peace Conference of Paris in 1919. Thus a veteran in politics becomes the standard-bearer in an army of raw recruits.