TUESDAY, FEB. 6, 1900.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 105, 6 February 1900, Page 2

TUESDAY, FEB. 6, 1900.

Much honour was done to the [ Hon. J. G. Ward on Wednesday evening last at Invercargill. A great banquet was then and there given to the new minister, and the Premier, himself, with three other members of the Cabinet were present. M.H.E.'s from Otago and Canterbury were as plentiful as blackberries iv summer. There was an enormous attendance, apparently, ladies being present in great numbers. Even Mr Ward's opponents in politics came, and some of them made speeches, eulogising, in warm terms the hon. gentleman. It is certainly marvellous. If the days of miracles were not gone we should say that one had occurred. Here is a man who was most bitterly denounced by the bulk of the colony but a few months ago. The Press, from one end of New Zealand to the other, shrieked " Crucify him ! Crucify him ! " He, was a swindler and a scoundrel, a bankrupt and a blackguard. No one could feay anything too bad about him. And now no one can say anything too good ! The same people, and the same Press that clamoured for his social, political, and mercantile extinction aie now vicing with each other in sounding his praises. Even the Olago Daily Times says' :—": — " He is far and away the most popular man in Southland. In his unfailing geniality and his unvarying urbanity he possesses the most winning qualities, while the public is invariably attracted to a man with such an inexhaustible stock of splendid optimism as he constantly displays. Ready endorsement will be given also to | the claim for the possession by |Mr Ward of great business capacity and uncommon alacrity ot intellect. The colony as a 1 whole cordially recognises in him a man of undoubted ability, and for that reason it has welcomed him back to a place in the Government. Not a single discordant | note was pounded in the chorus of acclamation with which his restoration to Ministerial rank was received. It is generally felt that the management , of ' the Postal and Telegraph departments cannot be in better hands than those of Mr Ward,' and his presence at tn*e head of the Railway department encourages the hope that the, administration of the great carrying system of the State will be conducted on the ( most- progessive lines. We do' not believe that there is a single political* opponent of Mr^Ward wlio is not honestly 'glad /tjo*-*pee' him entrusted with. , tile ;con- ! trol <of rr tiese departments.'* -i SBCis? best f rieiid v cojald V iiardly:-^a&y

more of him than tliat. Truly, indeed, it is a miracle, and Mr Ward may well feel a proud man to-day. At the Invercargill banquet, he said his experience the ' last few months would be a lesson to him fill his life. It should be a lesson not only to him^fout to \ the colony. The howls of execration began from a most unfortunate judgment of Mr Justice Williams. A question as to some part of Mr Ward's estate came before that usually most painstaking and admirable judge- It was argued not in the open public court but in chambers. Mr Ward was not represented in the argument in any way by counsel, and yet the learned judge, for once in his life, made a mistake. He went out- of his way to make some severe strictures on the way in which Mr Ward's business was conducted. It was a grave error. It is now universslly admitted, as far as Mr Ward was concerned, there was no foundation for these strictures. We believe the judge, hiniseH", now deeply regrets the incident, but of course he can do nothing now. Judges ' cannot give judgment one day and say they regret it the next. But all the same there is liitle doubt that if the judge could so he would. The lesson the colony should learn is not to be in a hurry to condemn. Had not Mr Ward been so prominent a man in the political world as he was, probably the colony would have heart* little about the matter, and it would have, been quietly put right in time, as often enough happens. But, of course, the Opposition press and the political enemies of Mr Ward seized the judge's hasty words as a bon bouche. They rolled the sweet morsels under the tongues. They trumpeted the news from the housetops. They took a malicious pleasure in parading every detail of Mr Ward's financial troubles. They put him in the pillory and overwhelmed him with all the filthy garbage they could rake together. Never was a man in a worse case. And lo ! to-duy — in a few short months — he emerges serene, calm, triumphant — admiredi red and applauded by all ! Truly, indeed, it ought " to be aya v lesson to us — a lesson that should teach us not to be swift to condemn, to cullerate and practise a little, more tbdn We ore accustomed, the virUe of chlmty, and to have a special care of evilspeakers of slanderers, and of low class, and unscrupulouspoliticians. We think the man who could work this modern miracle will not find the administration of the telegraphs and railways beyond his abilities.