ONLY ONE AIM

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 41, 16 February 1918, Page 4

ONLY ONE AIM

"OUR PARAMOUNT DUTY*

STATEMENT BY SIR JOSEPH

WARD,

Sip Joseph Ward made a statement 'last; evening in regard to the present

situation: —

The greatest war in. history, Sir Joseph said, was responsible for many changes in aE parts of the world, and it.,would.be an extraordinary circumstance if New Zealand, though the most distant outpost of the t British Empire, did not, \n common with, the rest of the world, feel the vibrations of this huge upheaval.. We were, however, so far removed from the centre oi'ifc that we felt the effects to a lesser extent ihaix those countries that were, colnparatively speaking, close to the unparalleled disturbance that had been waging for three, and .. a-half years. That wae a long period for tye active, '.■virile spirits ia a democracy such as ours to restrain themselves from taking sides in party conflicts such as were tsual in this country for many years prior to the beginning of the war. In reviewing the position so far as the present election 'in Wellington North is\concerned, Sir Joseph eaid we required to look back to the period when the National Government was formed. . It had to be remembered that neither party after the last general election , was anything like strong •erittaglCio carry on the Government of ths country through a war period with' safety in the interest^ .of every class of the community. It was not by any means—nor would it be in any country in the world —an easy matter for ,the lank and> file of the parties in the country itself,, much less the members of Parliament, who had for many years grown accustomed to what is known an party warfare, to bury the hatchet and to agree to sink party questions, and for the members of the two great parties to come together for the purpose of carrying on the Government during the war period. "It was |no exaggeration to say that it took some courage and the exercise- of • the all-powerful spirit of forbearance between the parties before such a new and previously unexampled situation could be met. " He need not recall.'the fact.that the members of the Liberal .party and also those of the Reform Party met in their respective caucuses several times to discuss the whole situation and to consider what was the right, course to follow in the best interests' of the country. .At its. last meeting .on .the subject the members of .the Liberal Party agreed unanimously to join in the formation of a National Government, and he was authorised to convey that decision to the Prime Minister. The result was a compact, about which there was no privacy or secrecy, ■ that the two' parties for the time being were to come together with equal representation by responsible Ministers in the National Cabinet, that party- questions were to be dropped during the existence of the National Government, and that in the event of any by-election occurring as the result of the death or the resignation of any member upon either side, the leader of the party to. which that member belonged, was to nominate a candidate, whom both aides were to support. Prior to the vacancy occurring in Wellington North, three by-*elections had taken place since the formation^ of . the National •• Governmenty-on© in -the Bay of Islands, one in Hawkea Bay, and one in Pahi&tua—and in eaoh^case the -candidate selected by the leader of •the party who hail the right of nomination was loyally supported by both leaders. That was; also .the position at the moment in '.connection with the vacanoy caused \>y the death of. the Liberal Maori member for the South Is-land,.-both .leaders .having publicly anHoutfCfed''their 'support of the nominee of ■•the liberal leader. '..And so now with. (Wellington-:North. The nomination of asuccessor ".to-:the.:retiring;-'member was, .under the arrangement entered into at (the time ; of :the formation of th& National Government, the right and privilege of Mr, • Massey, the leader of the Reform 'Party. Mr. Massey, having selected M*. Luke, he (Sir Joseph Ward) had at once assented, and with the Prime Minister he- wished to see the chosen . candidate successful itif the coming poll.' ! Asked if he had anything to say concerning tho candidature of tho Independent Liberal, Sir Joseph Ward said he had. not been in any way consulted as to the bringing out of that candidate' V -he was not a party to it in any ■way, and had no knowledge concern■ing. it until he saw the announcement on print. He could not, without acting a dishonourable part to the people of the country, as well as to members of.both parties that had' agreed to the conditions which he had outlined, sup.port the of anyone, but the candidate' nominated by the leader of the Reform Party. ,As a number of his own followers had asked him what his attitude was, he'felt it his duty to them and to the country that lie should- make the position, on this point clear. He held the same opinion now as he did at the time of the formation of the National Government—that neither party alone could carry through ttie obligations of the Dominion in a time of the heaviest strain that the country had, ever known. It would be impossible to successfully do our share in the great task of assisting the Empire in its hour of trial if we split the country against itself and embarked" upon bitter political local quarrels. He considered our first dnty was to put forth every effort to help to win the war, and that was the paramount duty of all classes and parties at the present tim».\ Nothing else mattered.