SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8448, 24 May 1907, Page 3

SIR JOSEPH WARD.

(From Our London Correspondent).

LONDON, April 12, 1907.

Sir Joseph Ward know he is alive, and in case he should forget the fact for a moment, he has only to locate his writing table to discover it. Inundated jyith invitations to public and semi-public "dinners, requests to "say a few words," at big festivals and apniversaries, to say nothing of tho host of interviewers and photographers clamouring for a second's attention, he cannot doubt the fact that the chosen representative of Britain's youngest colonyjis very popular over here just now. The word "second" must be taken literally, unless we are to doubt the veracity of a well-known West of England paper, which, in publishing a photograph of your Prime Minister, lets us into a secret of the photographing of public men up-to,-date. "Sir Joseph," says the journal, "was in the middle of one of the r multitude of interviews which he has to give every day, and try at the same time to cope with the 40,000 letters that he has received recently —some of them before he left New Zealand—but has not yet had tims to deal with. Our photographer was allowed to pose his camera in position, and when everything was ready Sir Joseph stopped his business for a moment and the photograph was made. This picture wustak;en at eleven o'clock in the m6rriing, and up to that time Sir Joseph had not had time to have his breakfast." At the annual meeting of the Institute of Marine Engineers (Incoiporated), last night, at the Hotel Cecil, Lord Pirrie, president,"in;the chair, a special welcome was tendered to Sir Joseph Ward, Premier of New Zealand, who, in replying, said that he hoped that the Confe:ence would be productive of good both Old World and to the new. He had a mandate from New Zealand to consider how best to \ ro' mote the interests of that country, but, as loyal citizens, New Zcalanders were anxious ,/to do nothing inimical]to|the and it was their desire to welcf the two, countries together. After paying a tribute to the memory of Mr Seddon, Sir Joseph Ward presented to Lord Pirrie, oh behalf of the marine engineers of' Australasia, the golden emblem of New Zealand, suitably inscribed, and spoke in felicitots terms of his Lordship's high reputation in the shipping world*

A similar emblem was to have been presented to Mr A. Denny, but as the latter was absent from the dinner through ill-health, Mr James Mills was askpd by Sir Joseph to accept the emblem and convey it to MrjDenny. The adoption of the annual report was moved by Sir P. Flannery, seconded by Sir William White and agreed to. The hew president is Mr James Knott, jj Yesterday Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, Dr. Jameson, the Hon. F. R. Moor and Miss Moor, and Dr. Smartt, along with a party of soma thirty other Indies and gentlemen, left London for Edinburgh, where the colonial, Premiers are tc be the recipients of the honorary degree of LL.D. from the University of Edinburgh. The visit is under the auspices of the British Empire League. From Edinburgh the party, with the exception of Dr. Jameson and Dr. Smartt, who return to London, proceed to Glasgow where they are to bo entertained at dinner by the Lord Provost. The Premiers return to London on Sunday in time for the opening of the Conference on Monday. The Premiers will dine with the Prince arid Princess of Wales on April 17th, and Sir Joseph Ward and his daughter will attend a party at Marlborough House the same evening. The Manchester Corporation have sent your Premier a special invitation to a luncheon on the way back from Glasgow, but, as this is not feasible, he will visit that city later on. Sir Howard Vincent, founder of the United Empire Trade League, gave a luncheon, yesterday, in the Lords' Room of the House of Commons, in honour of Sir Joseph Ward and Sir William Lyne, Minister of Trade and Customs for the Common-

wealth of Australia. The Prime Minister of Australia was unable to be present. Among those present were his Excellency the ( Marquis de Villalobar, Spanish Minister; Mr Ridgely Carter, United States Minister; Mr Herbert Gladstone, Home Secretary; Mr Lewis Harcourt, First Commissioner of Works; Mr Alfred Lyttelton, ex-Colonial Secretary; Sir Charle Dilke, M.P.; Sir Gilbert Parker, M.P.; Mr Maxse; Sir C. Kinloch Cooke; Admiral Archibald Dougla, G.C.B.