Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, MAY 17, 1930. SIR JOSEPH WARD’S RESIGNATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 144, 17 May 1930, Page 8

Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, MAY 17, 1930. SIR JOSEPH WARD’S RESIGNATION.

Politicians of all schools of opinion will regret Sir Joseph Ward’s enforced retirement from active political life. The right hon. gentleman’s resignation of the Prime Ministership was not altogether unexpected. His medical advisers have for a long time, ever since his serious breakdown in health last October in fact, and even before that, been averse to his continuing the arduous duties he has undertaken in his public capacity, fearing that the worry and anxiety would be all too much for him. But, with that patient devotion tp duty and self-denial which have been so characteristic of the man, Sir Joseph continued at his post giving unselfishly of his best to the country. His friends have long been opposed to liis continuing to undertake duties which were imposing so great a strain upon his reserves of strength, and now, despite the magnitude of the loss sustained by the party of which he has been for so long the honoured leader, they will unquestionably find relief in the decision forced upon him by his medical advisers, and rest more contented in the hope that freedom from work and official worry' will result in his more complete restoration to health. Sir Joseph’s retirement comes as a great loss to the country as well as to the United Party, which placed him in control of its fortunes in 1928. No man in political life to-day can claim to have given more of his time, strength and abilities to the service of his country than Sir Joseph Ward has done as member of Parliament, Minister of the Crown, Prime Minister, and as the representative of the Dominion at postal and Imperial conferences, and as New Zealand’s joint representative, with the late Mr Massey, on the Imperial War Cabinet during those fateful years when the Empire was faced with its greatest perils. During his long career in political life Sir Joseph Ward. has, at various times, been in charge, as Ministerial head, of practically every department of State, beginning ns a member of the Ballance Ministry in 1891-93 with the office of Postmaster-General and Electric Telegraphs Commissioner. He continued to hold those offices in the Seddon Administration in 1893-96, combining with them the even' - more important offices of Colonial Treasurer and Commissioner of Customs and Minister of Marine. He subsequently held the portfolios of Railways, Industries and Commerce, Public Health, Colonial Secretary (an

office since abolished) and, as Prime Minister in succession to Mr Seddon at the latter’s death, ■when, in addition to the Ministry of Einance and other departments, he took the portfolios of Defence, Lands and Agriculture. In this Avay the right hon. gentleman obtained an intimate knowledge of the workings of the several departments of State, and introduced many reforms, particularly in the Post and Telegraph and Railways Departments. He was the first to advocate the All Red cable service, and was also responsible for the introduction of penny postage in New Zealand. In recognition of his services in that direction he was created a K.C.M.G. in 1901, and it is interesting to recall at this time, in view of his 1928 assurances that he would be able to provide cheap money for the Advances Department, that he visited England in 1901 and raised a special loan at 3 per cent, to finance the Advances to Settlers Office which he initiated. It is of further interest to note that he was the first Minister of Health holding such a portfolio in any Government in the world.

SIR JOSEPH’S SERVICES. As Postmaster-General, Sir Joseph attended the various postal conferences held in Sydney, Brisbane, Wellington and Rome, and at the latter, held in 1906, strongly advocated universal penny postage in which he received a good deal of support. Sir Joseph Ward has been a member of twelve of the twenty-three Parliaments of New Zealand, and sat continuously as member for Awarua for 32 years, from 1887 to 1919, his defeat by Mr J. R. Hamilton in the latter year resulting in his retirement from Parliament until 1925, when lie was elected as member for Invercargill, and re-elected for that constituency again in 1928. Eor 37 years, therefore, he has been a member of .the House of Representatives. Naturally, as he himself says, he has met with strong opposition during his Parliamentary and Ministerial career, but (as he also says) he “has made many friends,’’ and his friends at the present time include many of his political opponents, who will view his retirement from political life with sincere regret. Honours fell thickly and fast upon him during his political career. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1907 and received a baronetcy in 1910, following the presentation .of the battleship New Zealand to the Imperial Government. He received the Freedom of the cities of Edinburgh, London, Bristol and Manchester, and had the hon. degree of LL.D. conferred upon him by the Edinburgh University and Trinity College, Dublin, the latest honour he received at the hands of His Majesty, King* George V., being that of G.C?M.G. Had he so wished, it is said, he could have received a peerage. It is due to Sir Joseph Ward that New Zealand received Dominion status in 1907, and he has done much by his sturdy Imperialism to uphold the honour and dignity of the Empire. What will happen to the party bereft of such a leader it is not easy to say. A realignment of parties may possibly follow the Prime Minister’s withdrawal from the Ministry, which must necessarily undergo reconstruction, but until Sir Joseph’s resignation is actually in the hands of the GovernorGeneral, and his successor is sent for with a view to that reconstruction, not much can be said concerning the future. In the ordinary course of events the Acting-Prime Minister, Hon. G. W. Eorbes, may be expected to be recommended for His Excellency’s acceptance, but at least two other members of the existing Ministry are aspirants for the office Sir Joseph Ward is vacating, and complications may arise. The situation is intriguing and fraught with possibilities which, with a little judicious handling on the part of the new leader of the Government, whoever he may be, may end in the formation of a much stronger Government than that existing at present. It :s possible, of course, that Sir Joseph Ward’s resignation may precipitate a general election, though that should be avoided., as, in the present state of public opinion, it is doubtful if an appeal to the country would result in any very material alteration in the position of the three main parties in Parliament. Whatever happens, however, it is advisable, nay, more essential, that if Sir Joseph Ward’s health permits it liis undertaking the sea voyage, and the release from his present official duties should in the opinion of his medical advisers enable him to do sc, he should go to Geneva and Tjondon as New Zealand’s representative at the League of Nations at the former international centre and at the Imperial Conference in London. Sir Joseph is the one man fitted to act in the dual capacity if his health permits. There i° certainly no other member of the Ministry possessed of liis knowledge and capacity for so acting.