THE PRIME MINISTER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 313, 28 September 1908, Page 7

THE PRIME MINISTER.

HONOURED BY THE UPPER HOUSE. AN INTERESTING PRESENTATION. Members of the Legislative Council assembled in full numbers in their chamber at 12.30 on Saturday to do honour ,to the Primo Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) on the completion of the twenty-first year since his entering Parliament. Sir Joseph'and Lady Ward, the Hon. Dr. Fiiidlay (Attorney-General) and Mrs. Findlay, Mr.'Stow (Clerk of Parliament), Mr. Cyril Ward, and several lady relatives of Councillors were, among those present. , The Speaker (Hon. C. 0. Bowen) read the following address Wellington, New Zealand,' September 26,' 1908. The Bight Honourable Sir J. G. Ward, . K.C.M.G., P.C., LL.D., Prime Minister of New Zealand. We, the undersigned members of the Legislative Council, desire to congratulate you on attaining the twenty-first year of' your' Parliamentary -career as a member of the General Assembly of Now Zealand, during which period you have, as a.private member and as a,member of the Ministry under successive Governments and finally as Prime Minister, distinguished yourself in promoting the interests of the Dominiou and of the Empire of which we form a part. Your special services as a representative of New Zealand in the Councils of the Empire in England, and in the part you took in the Postal Conference, .which resulted in cheaper postal service'between New' Zealand and the outside world, have been generally acknowledged as bringing about closer ties with the Mother Country. We, therofore, would like you to accept this' testimony as a record of such public service, and the accompanying piece of plate, which may be , handed down as an heirloom in your family. "I hope, Sir Joseph," added tho Speaker after reading tho address, "that you may live long to receive other marks of recognition from public bodies for tho. services you have rendered to this country." (Applause.) ' The Speaker then presented the Prime Minister with a handsome solid silver dessert service suitably inscribed. Sir Joseph Ward, who was greeted with applause, expressed, very warm thanks to Mr. Bowen and the members of the Council for the honour that had been done to him in the presentation of such tokens of goodwill and respect. Tho period reviewed in tho address had been one of many changes, for himself, for Parliament, and for the country, and he realised that, out of all .the Legislative Councillors of 1887 there now remained only oight. There had been sad changes of a similar naturo in the other branch of the Legislature. And during those twenty-one years, .while this young country had seen remarkable indications of change and growth, they had to regret tho passing away of many familiar faces. He would always have the most kindly remembrances of past members of the Legislative Council, and of the help they had given him in carrying on the work of' the country. In regard to the allusion which had been made to his work at the Postal Conference, he would like to say that nothing in his public life gave him more pleasure than to know that in tho march of progress in the postal world the Dominion of New Zealand to-day was foremost, thanks to the. goodwill of the people and of the Legislaturo in endorsing what was looked upon at the time as a bold step from the financial point of view. New Zealand now stood in the forefront in postal matters, not even excepting our Mother Country, which was for many years ahead of the rest of the world. "I thank you very niuch indeed," concluded tho Primo Minister, "for this tangiblo token of your goodwill. It will be treasured by myself and my family, and will always servo to remind us of a happy ovent, I feel a very proud maii to-day, bocauso, irrespective of all party considerations, the members of this legislative House have honoured mo with such a tribute of goodwill. This day will stand high among very many happy memories." (Applause.) After a photograph had been taken, tlin gathering dispersed. ' Tho address, which, on Saturday, was only ready in tho rough, will bo choicely engrossed, and will be signed by all the members of the Council.

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