INNOCENCE ABROAD

Grey River Argus, 2 December 1920, Page 4

INNOCENCE ABROAD

v During the course of his speech at a dinner tendered him by his Labour colleagues, Mr E. G. Theodore, Premier, of Queensland, recounted the following two humorous incidents. He was commenting on the ignorance regarding Queensland and the neccssitj' for boost and advertisement: — He had interviewed one of the chief officials of the Guaranty Trust Company of New York, one of the foremost financial institutions in the "United States. That gentleman had tod him that, although tho time might be propitious for he raising of a loan -for Queensland in America, the handicap Queensland would have would be that it was not well known. That official added that it was his business to keep fully informed on all foreign affairs, and, of course, he knew about Mr Theodore's State — which was part of New Zealand — but the man in the street did not. That was the kind of thing Queensland was up against. He then quoted a case where he attended a dinner at which there were two speakers — ex- '. President Taft and himself. Aftei:j the speeches had concluded Mr. j Taft had called him aside ami requested an interview, as he was very much interested in Queensland, having met another Premier from thai State some time previously. All lhat Mr Taft remembered about the name of the previous visitor was that he was "Sir Joseph someone." Mr Thoodorj had asked whether' it was Mr T. .1. Ryan. Mr Taft Tcplied in' the neg:i tivc. Suddenly the ex -President of the Republic remembered the name — it was Sir Joseph Ward, one time Prime Minister of New Zealand.