N.Z. CLUB.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1221, 1 September 1911, Page 9

N.Z. CLUB.

PREMIER AND SIR JOHN FINDLAY ' ENTERTAINED. The New Zealand Club yesterday entertained the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) and Sir John Findlay at luncheon.' Mr.- -P. C.. Freeth, president c-f the club, presidod. The attendance was large, and the welcome given to the guests was warm. . ' • .

Sir Joseph Ward said that lie admired one of the sentiments expressed by the parochialism should: bo • kept out of politics—and he also tho statement that personal attack - and' want of generosity, to which public men might be subjected, had a tendency toJieep the best men in--the country out of' politics He hoped that tile club's influence would be of use in "that respect. Passing on to speak of Imperial unity, ho said that he believed that ho woufd yet live to see the fulfilment of tho idea, contained in his resolution at tho Imperial Conference. The interests .of the ■Old Land would force upon statesmen the necessity of establisJiing machinery at tho .heart of the Empire that would allow eachNunit representation in the controlof "Ernpiro affairs, and to. see that, tho great, problem of defence was kept out of .party, politics. In this respect no class 'had so much to lose in tho.event of .any"thing going wrong as the workers.-■ If anything went wrong they ;.would- bo.' tho first to suffer. Ho knew there was a feeling among ..them that it. was not right to' spend largo sums of money in'national dofence; but tho possibility of loss ; of British prestige and tho necessity of her having to mako terms forced one to aski Under what flag the outlying portions.of the Empire might bo called upon to workf 0110 sometimes heard tho opinion that New Zealand could hold out against attempts at invasion, but he asked: What could we do against modern equipments and the guns that threw shells fifteen miles? How, under such conditions, would tho country be kept from bankruptcy, and how would our sea-borno goods bo pro- - tected meanwhilo? Tho only tiling that •could help us would be a ppwerful British navy, and that should be maintained 011' a per capita contribution from tho various Dominions. 110 did not favour tho system adopted by Australia and, Canada, in having separate navies of their own, and he condemned tho attitude of Canada of reserving tho right of holding off in time of battle .between England and any foreign' power. (Applause.) He alluded enthusiastically to the factor that the treaty with Japan was in preserving British status quo in .tho Pacific. Sir Joseph Ward also expressed the opinion that anyono readin* 'the full report of tho conference w'oiild realiso that something had" to be done Englishmen moved slowly, but they would" gradually see the necessity for action,and tho sown would 'in time bear fruit. Nothing could grow until it was. born. (Applause.) The only question now 'was how was the idea to b6 carried out? The Dominions must bo in the position of being considered in this important matter of defence, since they would be drawn into aiiv war in which Britain engaged. In a few.concluding remarks, the Primo Minister referred to tho ignorance that nine-tenths of tho .people .of the Old Country were in in regard to the overseas lands. Not one of .the statesmen had been to Now Zealand, for instance, or - Australia. As to the motion ho had submitted to tho conference, it was better to have been moved and withdrawn than never to have been moved at all. (Loud applause.) Sir John Findlay (Attorney-General), who was also received with 'warm applause, gave a sketch of members of tho British Cabinet. Mr. Asquith he described as a typical John Bull; Mr. Lloyd-Georso as the idol of the masses, a man with t.he bitterest enemies and the warmest friends; Sir Edward Grey as a man of great earnestness of purpose, ■ and one of the most influential statesmen in Britain to-day; John Burns, as one of tho tenderest and bravest spirits in England, and one of the most popular; and Mr. Winston Churchill as a man of striking courage, who was never so happy as when the Opposition wero shrieking defiance at him. The future leadership of the British party would, it was generally thought, devolve upon either Mr. Winston Churchill or Mr. Llovd-George. (Applause.)