THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8198, 31 July 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1906.

Even a casual political thinker must recognise that Si* Joseph Ward may be oongratulatdd upon the great opportunity he will have when he Is, In fact, Premier of this colony, of doing a great deal that may be of lasting benefit to the people. That the greatness of the opportunity to which we allude is indireotly a very grave reflection upon the administration and the legislation that we have suffered from for years past must be admitted by every dispassionate person who is prepared to view the present political situation in the clear whice light of common-sense. Sir Joseph Ward is being weloomed to this country—and, indeed, the welcome is in the utmost propriety—by those who it may be presumed will henceforth be known as Wardites. The weloome that is being extended to him is, as a matter of fact' really formal, and quite unemotional, except where it may be sycophantic. We shall really weloome &ir Joseph Ward's advent to the Premiership of this country when he has shown that it is for the national good that bo shotild occupy such a position.

Should be fail to justify the hope of every patriotically disposed person, theu, at least, those who bave had no share in the welooming business will feel, perhaps, that they have played the honest part. "What will Sir Josepn Ward do?" is the query on all sides, but we should like to extend the question and to make it more pertinent, by asking, "What will Sir Joseph Ward do with the almosi countless army of Government officials that exists in this country to-day?" Not long ago we were in conversation with a broad - minded journalist, hailing from the more northern part of this island. He said that in his own district, a few years ago, they had a siook office, and one offloiai was able to discharge all the duties necessary to the farmers' welfare in that part of the country. Now the office is called a "department," and there are no less than twelve officipls to do the work whioh one official once did. But surely that must have been in the days of slavery, or when the Trojans really lived on earth? It is impossible to imagine that the present Government would "find" any billets for any of its supporters! It has been suggested that the army of Government officials should be uniformed, so as to really let the people know what a wonderfully large army it is, but we understand that the oost of providing uniforms would be so great that it absolutely prohibits any effeot being given to the proposal. This, is, of course, an unfortunate position, for the meritorious, let us not aay merltrioious, action of the Government in keeping so many people should not .escape notioe, and we trust that it will be noticed by Sir Joseph Ward. In this matter alone there is a splendid opening for the Premier elect. We will welcome him to the "throne" when we know what "manner of man" this democrat is going to prove himself to be, is, we think, the sentiment of the majority of the people of this country at the present time.