WILL DO THE RIGHT THING

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 298, 15 December 1911, Page 6

WILL DO THE RIGHT THING

SPEECH BY THE FRESHER, READY FOR DIFFICCMnS, (By Telegraph.—Press AsaoeUUcra) WELLINGTON. Thursday. Sir Joseph Ward addressed a munbej of ladies and gentlemen inside th« •■' Times " office. Sir Joseph said he was sure crayons recognised the country had been going through a very strenuous fight for sods time past. The returns which had came to hand were not yet final. He was quite prepared to accept the ultimata judgment of the people, but he wanted to make it Jear that at the moment of speaking tilt. Ministerial party was not yet beaten. (Cheers.) Q& recognised that the closeness; of the political parties was going to create a position and feeling of unrest for probably some time. This was quite apparent to him, and, he believed, to the people generally. Continuing, Sir Joseph Ward said it was not his intention to refer in any way to the THftthl employed, during the recent cottest. The time was inopportune for so doing, but he was sure his hearers would agree that some of the men on the Government side who had gone dowa in the fight in different parts had haw true to the people and had done their utmost to carry on the affairs ol the country for the'benefit of New Zealand, as well as for the particular district! they represented, in a way that reflected the greatest credit upon them. He was very sincere in expressing hie sympathy for the men who had fallen in the battle. It looked to him that before another year or so there would be an opportunity given to the people to confirm or other* wise what had just been done as the outcome of what had been placed before them, and unfairly, too, in his opinion. (Applause.) After all the absent voters' votes had been counted, and the eltetmc* properly completed, he would he in a position to judge as to the coarse that should h© taken, but in any case it would be found he would do the right thing, (Applause.) In a survey of the general position, he had come to the opinion that when the elections were completed the Government would have a majority in the House —(applause)—and as he believed this would be the case, he wanted to ' make it clear that the Government would not be deterred in its desire to go on with the important measures in which a great many people were so deeply concerned. He commented upon the sing* lar fact that he was the only. Primt Minister south of the line who had imposed a high graduated land tax upoi people who held large areas of land, sad that throughout the country the peoplf most active against the representativei of Labour and the Liberals were tee large landed proprietors, who wcTe.atj(| to push their 40 or 50 motor cars inta; 4he~ electorate* ia order to ctusJlJ|§g poor man out of political life. It .was* question whether this would not'be looked upon aa being practically a •>•» tern of bribery. He did not believe the people ought to be subjected to the sort of thing which had been going on in WelL ington. Every man and woman should have the fullest opportunity of voting, and if it was deemed necessary to malt*ply polling places and bring them closer to the people, he thought it would hit* to be done. Labour representatives ha* fought honestly here as elsewhere to gaia positions in the House, and yet one heard of a large landed proprietor bringrngt* Wellington eight motor cars on another man's account. (This was not gswnjj Labour representatives a fair chance. One Labour representative he knew of had over 100 people to bring to the poll after 3.30 p.m., and he had been credit ably informed that he could not get tbem to the poll because he had not sufficient vehicles to compete with thoaj running against him. He made the comment because that sort of thing **» becoming part and parcel of our systef of elections. In other countries care was taken t|« excessive wealth had no advantage. Ti» poor man had an absolute right to take his seat in the councils of his coufttry, and there should be no such thing here or in any other countrv as to m * Jce .* poor man poorer when be was stanoU*, to e?«rcise one of the highest privileges it was his to possess. (Applause.) In the course of next week, contmuea Sir Joseph Ward, he vrouid know t» position, and doubtless the people « this country would know what was tat best course to adopt. He did not bdiew the business of the country could dj carried on satisfactorily unless there w» a working majority, and if neither siot had sufficient members,in the House w enable the Government to be carried « properly the people of the country woaw have to decide again, and again ib necer ?ary. ne was exceedingly glad to see i Labour succ-cd in such a practical *+l S on this occasion, and he had always been in favour of Labour. His public record I showed he had been on the side of t" ! workers and the farmers, and there n*a I been deliberate misrepresentation in. _«• ! gard to himself on those points, and IAtJ I were only a #mall part of the misreprt- , sentations. If the Government was found to be in a minority after a PrOP W t*JJ had been maue they could take it Iron him he would be just as much a P luos °\ pher out of office as in power. (-&?" plause.) He wanted to see the country governed well, and doing well. He de- ! sired to see the pcorle doing well, ana I his colleagues shared that desire. HI i could onlv express re £ rct that a " bcr of candidates, including nr.e of™ I colleagues, had srnne down in the battle, | but many -'"■! men had succumbed unoel I similar circumstances. I "I am always ready to meet difflcuj' | ties," added S.r Joseph Ward. "IHfBW* i tics are made to be overcome. (Ap plause.) 1 am not eoing to ilinch front the situation that faces us, nor will my ! colleagues. (Cheers.) 1 want to thai" our friends from end to end of New Zealand, and the supporters of my Government, and also all tho.-e who worked f<* us, and to say how much 1 regret some very fine men have not been successful However, if you are not successful the right thing to do is to congratulate tM winners. That is the feeling 1 have on this occasion. (Cheers.) I am not g°* ing to say die yet, because thp Govern* -ncnt is not beaten. (Txmd cheers, an* the ..inginsr of "He's a Jollv Goo 3 Fellow.") I want to <!iank you all aga" l very much indeed."' Cheers were again ffiven. There was »a enthusiastic scene for a few minutes? snd soon after Sir Joseph Ward left M* ilus home. |H