SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1920, Page 5

SIR JOSEPH WARD.

A MESSAGE OF GOOD-WILL. (Special Correspondent.)- . Wellington, May 10, During the past week it ha 3 been no easy matter to get a word with Sir Joseph Ward. Packing, business engagements, correspondence, intimate and formal farewells, and the hundred and one preparations for a trip round the world, and an indefinite absence have kept him busy the whole day long - and far into the night. He has had no pausing places in his crowded hours for the entertainment of the superfluous journalist. This afternoon, however, in the space of scarcely more than a hearty hand-shake and a very cordial "au revoi'r," he ran oil' answers to a dozen only half-framed questions, ''

Politics and the political situation he declined firmly to discuss, ''Of conrso I take as much interest in them as ever 1 did;" he said, and then added smilingly, '•but the electors have given riie a holiday, and I am not going to be so ungracious as to hang about the school-room." He had made some alusions to the general election when addressing his old friends in the South, and they were in print foieveryone to see, but he hoped his political opponents would believe him when ne said he was carrying no personal bitterness away with him. Ho had received hard knock;;, and J.ad returned them, but lie liked to think there had been no personal ill-will on cither sid". Public life would be intolerable were it" otherwise.

"No. I cannot say how long I will be away. Everything will depend on circumstances the progress of tile business I luu'e in hand, the demands of my friends, perhaps my health, yes, and to an extent my inclinations.'' To the rumor tluu he is contemplating an excursion into Imperial politics, yjr .Joseph gave an emphatic denial, qualified «t once by a recognition of the duty that lies upon every citizen of the Empire. "A man might find himself at any moment/' he explained, '•confronted by a set of circumstances that would alter the whole course of his life and call him to some unexpected sphere of activity. That anything of this sort is going to happen to me, I have no idea at present, but I can >ee 110 further than other people can into the future,"

' Joseph could not give an opinion concerning the financial position of the Dominion without appearing .to introduce party politics, but he would say, without imagining his views were different from those of his political opponents, that the great requirement of tlw country in the years to come would oe courageous and vigorous, as well as careful and economical administration. New Zealand had had greatness thrust upon her, so to speak, by tho war..She bad a great public debt, a great burden ot taxation, and great social and industrial problems to solve, but she also had great resources, great virility, and great traditions. The opportunities of tlie (lovcrnmcnit, by whatever name it ; might be called, would be as bi"- as would be its responsibilities'. ° He hoped it would remain a strictly non-party question, but Sir Joseph's urgent appeal to the electors 011 the cv> of his departure would be to see that they obtained some measure of electoral reform during the life of the present 1 ail lament. There was no need to>reiterate the figures he had quoted to his Southern friends. They simply showed J that the Dominion, with all its boasted universal suffrage, was retaining one of the most inelleetive and uncertain systems of 'election known within the Empire. He did not stress the matter because the system had operated against hiniaelf and his friends—this merely personal aspect was of small consequence but because Parliament would never be tply representative of the people till they had an equitable system of election.

"But with all this and with all the other handicaps from which we arc suffering," Sir Joseph Ward said as he east a politely suggestive glance towards the door, "I have no fear for tlie' future of tins splendid little country. There may be a hard task before us, many a stiff lull to climb, but we have only to brace ourselves up to the effort to pull through all right, and the goal, always in sight is well worth winning. My personal interest 111 the country will never Art whatever the future may hold for mo' and I trust the people of New Zealand! who have trusted me so well in the past and are trusting me so well now. will remember me with the same kindly feeling as I have towards them.' 1