ADDRESS TO THE PREMIER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10130, 2 December 1910, Page 5

ADDRESS TO THE PREMIER.

BY LIBERAL MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE. MUTUAL ASSURANCES. . (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. An address, signed by all members of the Liberal Party, was presented to Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister, in the Whips' room of Parliament Buildings to-night. The Hon. A. R. Guinness, Speaker of the House of Representatives, said that although the idea" was only suggested an hour before, the response had been so spontaneous that the whole of the matter was completed in that-hour. The address is as under:— ■ =. .. "We, the undersigned members of the Liber/il desire.to tender to you our rjgspceWul sympathy with you, Lady Ward, and your family, in the attacks made upon you in connection with your personal affairs. We also congratulate you upon the able and convincing statement made by you in the House yesterday, which clearly provod that- you had, by sheer pluck, ability, and perseverance, • satisfied all claims of your English, Australian, and New Zealand creditors, and built up a position in the commercial life of the Dominion of which both yourself and your party may be justly proud. We recognise fully the statesmanlike manner in which" you have led. the country since the Prime Ministership devolved upon you, and desire to assure you of our complete and unabated confidence. We beg, in conclusion, to wish you many further years of successful work for the Empire and this Domiuion." The Prime Minister, before he replied, was cheered with enthusiasm. He expressed his warmest acknowledgement for so fine a mark ,of goodwill. He was deeply grateful for the references to his personal affairs,, and would try to merit the sentiments of goodwill conveyed in the address. He trusted the future public life of New Zealand would be such that tbose responsible for its affairs might be able to devote themselves solely to public interests. He deeply appreciated their allusions to Lady' Ward.