MR J. G. WARD.

Hastings Standard, Issue 84, 3 August 1896, Page 2

MR J. G. WARD.

On the authority of the Evening Post we learn that the speech delivered by Mr J. G. Ward in the No-confidence debate on Thursday evening last " was probably the best parliamentary speech of his career, and it was a distinct gain to the Government that he was in his place to come to its aid against such a doughty foe as Mr George Hutchison." This from a journal that never appreciated" the Colonial Treasurer as a politician is indeed a compliment. Mr Ward appears to have made a decided hit, and in the hour allotted to him his arguments in defence of the Liberal Government's policy were decidedly to the point. It was interesting to learn that although the public indebtedness of the colony had during the past six years been increased by £4,928,000, the people were only called upon to pay interest on £301,774, which at 3| per cent, was £10,500 per annum. This distributed over the whole of the population of the colony, only means an increase of 3£d per head per annum. It will be a difficult matter to make the ordinary financier see through the same spectacles as the late Treasurer, but his figures are worthy of consideration. The feeling is growing that such speeches as that delivered by Mr Ward will do the Government cause a deal of good, and that the result of the No-confidence debate will be to strengthen the hands of Mr Seddon.