WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 July 1929, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS

, . SIR. JOSEPH WARD. 4 FINANCE AND RAILWAYS. (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 25. The speech delivered by Sir Joseph Ward in the course of the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives' on Tuesday should finally dispose of the stories that have been assiduously circulated concerning his physical health and his grasp upon public affairs. With a full House and .crowded galleries the Prime Minister held the close attention of his critical audiences Ifor . well over his allotted hour, inviting interjections from the Opposition benches and retorting with ready good humour. Without going deeply into the subject of finance—which he reserved for his Budget next week —he made ludicrous, to the galleries at any rate, the stories that had been told of the “seventy millions” and refused to be held responsible for the miscalculations of his predecessors ill office. There were differences of dpinion between him and the Hon. W. D. Stewart on one or two points, but generally he seemed to be getting his own way. Mr Stewart’s reply later in the evening scarcely seemed to balance accounts. A MATTER. OF THOUSANDS. The only score the Opposition made at this stage in the proceedings was when Sir Joseph, misreading his notes, stated that the amount to the credit of the State Advances Account when the late Government left office was only £4OO. “How much?” demanded a dozen surprised members and Sir Joseph repeated “ £400,” and the repetition of the amount evoked a shrill whistle from the Government benches. A few minutes later Sir Joseph returned to the State Advances Account to justify one of his contentions and stated, incidentally, that when the Reformers retired there was only £450,000 in *thc account. “You said just now there was only £400,” interrupted M. Samuel, the member for Thames. “ Well, if that is so,” retorted Sir Joseph, smiling, “ I put £450,000 on to it now,” and laughter ran around the House. This, ak far as a stranger in the gallery could discern, was the only slip in a speech which touched in pass:ng upon many intricacies of finance.

RAILWAYS. The real sparkle of the speech was reached when Sir Joseph asked the House to follow him in a brief survey elf the railway construction problem with which the new Government had to deal. Taking the Taupo-Rotorua line first, he bluntly stated that he thought this undertaking a “political line.” Cries of dissent, brought from the Minister’s pile of papers a letter addressed by a Mr E. E. Vaile to the leader of the Opposition which seemed to justify the Minister’s opinion of the line. At any rate, no member raised any protest against it being placed on the “waiting” list. Turning to the Palmerston North deviation Sir Joseph produced the reports of half a dozen experts strongly deprecating the expenditure of some £BOO,OOO upon this work within the next ten or fifteen years. As for the South Island Trunk Railway, the Minister seemed to have persuaded a majority of the House t' his way off thinmng in this respect and there is little doubt that the work will go on.

AFTER SEVENTY-THREE YEARS \ The fruits of the present session, and, of the present Parliament, d~pend so much upon the health of Sir Joseph Ward, that the looker-on may be pardoned a little more pel's mil speculation than would he appropriate in diiterent circumstances. It is a fact that the Prime Minister has come through his strenuous labours ot 1 1 e last few weeks much better chan many of his friends expected he wouicl. P- r. liaps it would he more precise to say he has carried an enormous load of work and responsibility without suffering to the extent they feared he would. Again it is permissible to say that he is taking more care of himself than he ever did in his earlier terms of office and that he is surrounded by assistance an.l precautions which lie never before enjoyed. With these advantages at his command, and with a stout.heart that lias surmounted many difficulties lm still may remain numbered among ’.lit young old nmn.of the Dominion’s history makers for years to come.