A JOLLY PREMIER

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9547, 20 July 1909, Page 4

A JOLLY PREMIER

There are literally thousands of m. a n begging for woi*k i.i this country, but New Zealand's Premier is having a jolly time of it. These days of democracy unionism what jolly times they are! It simplly reauires the prica of wool to fall for a few years and.we should all be satisfied that fie national debt is quite large enough. Sir Joseph Ward understands the whole position. There is nothing like rilaking hay while the sun shines, and.if patiiotism demands the expenditure of five or sȣ millions sterling, at the least, surely

someone ought to be "honoured" and feted, and gushed qver on account of

it. It is really beyond the patience of the most long-suffering that anyone should suggest that the proper place for a Prime Minister, when his country is in trouble, is at the helm of the State. But Sir Joseph cl u ariy recognises that if "the limelight" la not on him now that it never will be, and what Prime Minister "would be so absurd as not to inuky th°. most of his time for himseli! The Premier is to be entertained at luncheon by 400 members of the British House of Commons, and the British Prime Minister and the Leader'of the Opposition will both be present. Sir Joseph Ward will, no doubt, be delighted with his reception, and imy he gain all the honours that his heart desires, so far as we have any wb'.i to the contrary, but we trust that New Zealand will not be entirely absent from the Prime Minister's thoughts. When New Zealand "is thx*owing Dreadnoughts at the head of her largest creditor," as Mr A. W. Hogg graphically described the action of the Government, the time should be opportune for more borrowing. Bor-, rowing on an extensive scale is Sir Joseph Ward's one great chance of remaining in power for any length of time. If while the iron is hot he can strike a loan of £10,000.000, on this trip of his to "Lunno" town he might be able to vindicate the truth of his contention that there is insufficient money in the Dominion to assist adequately the rapid progress that is being made.