STRONG PERSONALITY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 115, 17 May 1930, Page 10

STRONG PERSONALITY

MR. HOLLAND'S TRIBUTE

A NAME WITH LUSTRE

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

TAUPO, 16th May. Appreciation of; the services of Sir Joseph Ward to the country, and regret at his enforced retiremgnt, were expressed by Mr. H. E. Holland, leader of the Labour Party, in an address here this evening. Mr. Holland said, that as a political opponent of the Prime Minister he desired to join, with every section of the. people of the Dominion, in sincerely regretting that, as a result of his illness, Sir Joseph Ward should have found himself compelled tb resign his office as first citizen of the Dominion. He paid a high tribute to Sir Joseph's strong personality, and said that his long association with the political life of the country, and the many items of legislation standing on the- Statute Book to his credit, left his name a lustre no one would wish to dim. His.hold on the allegiance of a large section of the people was responsible for the measure of success achieved by the United Party at the last election, for it was fully.re- I cognised that no, other Liberal leader ; could have succeeded in bringing to- j gether, in one camp, the s diversity, of political interests which made up the j United Party, and his task as head- of ' the Government must have been ren-1 dered all the more arduous by the fact that only two of Ms Ministers had had previous Cabinet experience, while some of them had not even had previous Parliamentary experience. Whoever might be chosen' to succeed Sir Joseph as Parliamentary leader would undertake a perplexing responsibility, continued Mr. Holland; and none would envy him his task. It was a tribute to the popularity of Sir Joseph Ward that, in the evening of his life, he had been able to win his way back to the Prime Ministership, and his strongest opponents, equally with his most ardent supporters, while deploring the circumstances which compelled him to stand aside, would join in wishing him the speedest possible recovery from his illness and full enjoyment, of the rest which he had now decided to take, and which he had fully earned. Mr. Holland indicated that, at Wairoa on Monday night, he would make reference to the possible effect of Sir Joseph Ward's resignation on the political, situation.