POLITICAL SPEECH BY SIR JOSEPH WARD

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 118, 20 May 1914, Page 10

POLITICAL SPEECH BY SIR JOSEPH WARD

(BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) HASTINGS, 19th May. Sir Joseph Ward addressed an audience of between 800 and 900 electors at the Princess Theatre, Hastings, this evening. The heavy rain experienced .during the last three or four days still continued, yet, notwithstanding this, every seat in the theatre was occupied, and standing room had to be refused to late-comers. Sir Joseph and Lady Ward were accorded a great reception on arrival, and the applause was renewed when Sir Joseph Ward arose to speak. Although suffering from a cold, he spoke strongly for two hours. There were no interjections, and the applause which punctuated the address showed that he had the meeting with him. He spoke mainly on Hie lines of his open-air meeting at Christchurch on 4th May, and broke very little new ground. Speaking concerning the Prime Minister's statements that when the Reform Government' came into power they found the Treasury chests depleted, Sir Joseph Ward stated that the Prime Minister did not tell the people the real truth as to the cause of the tightness of money that he experienced after he attained office., He did not tell them that the scarcity of money was due to the fact that deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank had fallen very considerably during the first year of their term of office. Sir Joseph Ward repeated his previous remarks regarding the naval policy of New Zealand, and added that he would use every means in his power between now and the election to induce the people to protect against a local navy being established. Dealing with Advances to Workers and cheap money, he stated that he had received letters from all parts of the country telling him of the difficulties facing borrowers in obtaining loans, and complaining of the high rate of interest asked. Since he had come to Hawkes Bay he had received two such letters from persons who paid 8 per 'Cent, and procuration fees of 1£ per cent. Referring to the watersiders' strike, he said he believed in every man and woman having the right to strike, though he did not consider the strike the best method of obtaining what they considered themselves entitled to. ' He repeated the assertion that the strike could have been settled in two days. There were two Acts on the Statute Book which could have been put into operation, and prevented the strike from spreading. He did not believe in syndicalism, and prior to the last election told • the candidates standing in the interest of the party now known as the "Red Feds." that he could not subscribe to their policy, and the result was tha.t at the second' ballot they voted for Reform candidates. Referring to the Hawkes Bay seat, he said that during the last few weeks meetings had been held with a view to crystallising the opinion of the electors in the matter of the selection of a Liberal candidate. Delegates from all parts of Hawkes Bay had assembled that- day, and had unanimously selected Dr. Robert M'Nab— (loud cheers)— who they considered had the best chance of winning the seat. The following resolution was carried unanimously, and with loud cheers : — "That this meeting conveys a hearty vote of thanks to Sir Joseph Ward for Ins address, and expresses confidence in his party, and congratulates him on his able leadership, and pledges ,itself to support the selected candidate at the coming election."