THE PRIME MINISTER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15524, 26 January 1911, Page 7

THE PRIME MINISTER.

AN APPRECIATION OF HIS WORK. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, January 25. When the Prime Minister passed through Ohakune last time he was met and welcomed by a large gathering of supporters of the Liberal party in the district. An address of a congratulatory nature was also read to him. The address has since been illuminated, and was presented to Sir Joseph Ward to-day by Mr P. J. Dunne, on behalf of the contributors. Tho text of the address is as under:— "To the Right Hon Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister of the dominion of New Zealand.—On behalf of your friends and supporters in Ohakune we desire to express our appreciation. otf the splendid record of legislation which, through your Government, has been added to the Statute Book of the dominion during the long and arduous .session just closed. We recognise that your noble devotion to duty and statesmanlike ability have been largely instrumental in securing the enactment of further progressive legislation and in helping to advance the prosperity of the dominion. We have watched closely the deliberations of the Hine Commission and congratulate yourself and the Government on the fact that the impeachment does not affect your administration in the 'slightest degree. We desire to tender our respectful sympathy to yourself, Lady Ward,' and your family in the gratuitously insulting and unmerited attack made upon you in a base and scurrilous publication recently scattered broadcast, and to oxpress a wish that the miscreant who indited it would have been brought to justice. It is, doubtless, a source of satisfaction to you to know that the vile production, which will react on the porpetrators, is reprobated by every fairminded right-thinking man and woman of all shades of political opinion in the dominion. We wish you a pleasant voyage to England, and a safe return on the high and important mission which you are about to undertake as the representative of the dominion on the occasion of the coronation of our beloved Sovereign his Majesty King George V. We trust that you will have many years of health and vigour to continue your splendid service to the dominion and to the Empire."