SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 April 1916, Page 5

SIR JOSEPH WARD.

VISIT TO GISBORNE, A HEARTY WELCOME. E/ Telegraph.— Association. Gisbome, April 13. Sir Joseph Ward arrived at'Giaborne to-day to fulfil a promise to deliver a recruiting address. He was tendered a civic reception at the Municipal Council Chambers, the proceedings being of a very cordial nature. The speakers were the Mayor (Mr. W. C. Sherratt), the chairman of the Harbour Board (Mr. J, Townley), the elmirman of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr. J. W. Bright), and Sir James Carroll. , Mr. Townley, in referring to the war, 'said that Sir Joseph had shown great foresight in presenting the Mother Country with a gift Dreadnought. Sir Joseph had been looked upon as ambitious in this connection, but time had shown that his ambition was In the right direction and he had done sometiling which had gone a long way towards saving the Empire. (Applause). In reply, Sir Joseph paid a great tribute to the British Navy. In acknowledging Mr. Townley's remarks he said that every public man became the object of criticism, but he had always endeavoured to keep the country's good in front of him, whether the wind was favoraole or otherwise. If it, had not been for the great old British Navy we would not have been able to maintain our position in the world to-day and we should do everything possible in recognition of the great work of the men who were fighting for us. (Applause). Sir Joseph will visit the railway works at Ngatapa this afternoon and iB being entertained at lunch by the citizens of Gisbome and at dinner this evening by the Waikouhu County Council. This evening he will deliver a recruiting speech in his Majesty's Theatre and will leave for Wellington to-mor-row. A liECRUITING SPEECH. ' Gisbome, Last Night. Sir Joseph Ward continued "his recruiting campaign by addressing a crowded audience of about 200 persons in His Majesty's Theatre, Gisborne, tonight. The meeting was adevrtised for eight o'clock, but long before that hour the hall was crowded, and hundreds of people were turned away. Every nook and corner of the' hall was crowded, and at every door and window there were eager listeners, young fellows climbed up in the roof, and were content to peer in at the gallery windows, so intent were they all to hear Sir Joseph Ward speak.

The Mayor (Mr. W. G. Sherratt) presided, and on the platform were Sir James Carroll, members of the Borough Council, members of the Recruiting Cnnimiitee. ind prominent residents of the district. ' .'.

Sir Joseph received an ovation when lie appeared on ttie platform. He seid that they were all interested in the returned soldiers, and also in those who were not taking up arms, y They appreciated the fact that no men could do more for his friend than gfve his life for him —(applause)—and lie strongly appealed to his audience to do every* thing in their power to induce eligible men to er list, and thus save the voluntary syst ;m, which was on its last trial. Tiie Government was anx'ious, to Bee that all the men needed went to the front without being forced to go, and the "new recruiting scheme was voluntarism's hist say. Parliament would be asked this session to put compulsion into operation, if it were found necessary to take that step. Personally, he did not like conscription. Canada, Australia, and South Africa had avoided conscription, and New Zealand wanted to do the same, but he would not only support it, but would regard compulsion as a 7iccessity, if the men required did not come along voluntarily to do their duty. (Applause). Sir Joseph pointed out that in many cases single men had responsibilities just as great as married men, and such had just as much right .to be exempted as the married men, and no man or woman had' a right to send a man a white feather and pronounce him a coward. (Applause). He stressed the point that Germany in her overseas colonies had lost one million two hundred thousand square miles of territory. In return the Allies had lost something like nine thousand square miles, while Great Britain had. not lost an inch of land. In face of this Germany had throw,!) out impudent hints for peace, suggesting that we should restore her oversea territory, which, he thought, would never be done. (Applause). At the conclusion of his address, Sir Joseph Ward was warmly applauded, and he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks by acealamation, the meeting closing with cheers for Sir Joseph.

A BUSY DAY. Sir Joseph had an exceedingly strenuous day. He arrived at Gisborne at !> a.m., after having spent 22 hours in the train coming from Auckland, and nine hours at sea. At 10 o'clock he was accorded ft civic reception; he then received a deputation; at one o'clock he was entertained at lunch by the citizens of Gisborne; at two o'clock he left for Ngatapa by motor c»r (a distance of 25 miles), to inspect the first section of the Gisborne-Napier railway that was recently completed; at 8.30 p.m., he was entertained by the vVaikohu County Council; and at eight o'clock he addressed a monster recruiting meeting. He leaves by motor at six o'clock tomorrow morning, and will motor 130 miles to Napier in order to catch the express for Wellington. On Saturday, he leaves Wellington for the south, and he will address a recruiting meeting at Chrlstehureh on Monday night.