THE PREMIER HONORED

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 200, 2 December 1910, Page 5

THE PREMIER HONORED

PRESENTATION OF AN ADDRESS BY THE PARTY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington. Last Night. An address, signed by all the members of the Liberal Party, was presented to Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister, in the Whips' room, Parliament Buildings, tonight. The Hon. A. R. Guinness, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, said that although the idea was only suggested an hour before, the response had been so spontaneous that the whole of the matter was completed in that hour. The address is as under: "We, the undersignsd members of the Liberal Partv. desire to tender to you our respectful sympathy with you, Lady Ward, and your family, in the attacks made upon you in connection with your personal affairs. We also congratulate you upon the able and convincing statement made by you in the House yesterday, which clearly proved that you had, by your pluck, ability, and perseverance, satisfied all the claims of your English, Australian, and New Zealand creditors, and built up a position in the commercial life of the Dominion of which both yourself and your Party may be justly proud. We recognise fully the statesmanlike manner in whicfi you have led 'the country since the Prime Ministership devolved upon you, and while assuring you of our complete and unabated confidence, beg, in conclusion, to wish you many further years of successful work for the Empire and this Dominion."

The Prime Minister, before he replied, was cheered with enthusiasm. He expressed his wannest acknowledgments for so fine a mark of goodwill. He was deeply grateful for the reference to his personal affairs, and would try to warrant the sentiments of goodwill conveyed in the address. He trusted that the future public life of New Zealand would be such that those responsible for its affairs might be able to devote themselves solely to the public interests. He deeply appreciated their allusion to Lady Ward.