SIR JOSEPH WARD

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11684, 20 June 1901, Page 4

SIR JOSEPH WARD

AnosCr the honours which mark the visit of Royalty to New Zealand, two are especially worthy of notice. the knighthood already laid upon Sir Joseph Ward and that awaiting the Hon. John McKenzie. Mr. MeKenzie' s work belongs to the past. although it is not yet possible to see its ultimate effect upon the economic welfare of the colony. But whatever may be thought of the policy of the land legislation associated with his name, and upon the results of which his future standing as a statesman roust rest, there are none who will deny to 51 McKenzie the respect and esteem due to an honourable, sincere, and capable Minister of the Crown. If Mr. MeKenzie is thus a representative of the past, Sir Joseph Ward in his own domain is equally representative of the future. The very important reforms recently made in our postal and railway services have won public gratitude for the new Minister of these Departments, and it is undoubtedly because of them that he has been honoured by Royal recognition. But the reforms already instituted are only a part of Sir Joseph Ward's programme ; the most difficult part still remains to be accomplished. And we are heartily glad to know that he has been cheered in his herculean task by this early and lasting proof that his labours are not thankless. That the colony to-day is so generally using penny postage stamps is due to his business insight and courageous cutting of the Departmental red-tape which has hampered his predecessors, and the hope of the colony for the speedy removal of other restrictive and oppressive Departmental charges depends upon his unfaltering continuance in the forefront of reform. For we have not yet a complete Penny Post ; among others, our Commonwealth neighbour still demands twopence on our letters and surcharges any penny letters accidentally posted. Hardly less important to the public than a Penny Letter Post is a Half-Penny Newspaper Post, for it is not necessary to point out that publishers do not pay postage. It now costs as much to send an ordinary newspaper to London as to send a letter; it costs as much as threepence halfpenny to send such a paper as the Royal Visit edition of the Auckland Weekly News : yet the daily and weekly newspapers have lons been recognised as among the most important factors in international communication and as being the best advertising medium which New Zealand has. while every individual knows the general desire to use the local press as a means of informing distantfriends and relations concerning the local life. Sir Joseph Ward is entirely sympathetic with these necessary branches of postal reform. He intends doing all he can to advance these matters at the Postal Congress to be held next year at Rome, but we hope that he may be inspired to attack the unreasonable newspaper rates in the same spirit that he did unreasonable letter rates. We do not really need to go to Canossa to make reciprocal postal arrangements with any individual country. Nor is the postal policy of our Post-master-General limited to an appreciation of cheapness; he aims not merely at improving our internal arrangements, but at making our external services among the best in the world. We have already seen a great pain in time to London under his administration, &n$ mav confidently expect that he will exert all his influence to secure even greater improvements. Passing to the telegraphic Department. Sis Joseph Ward is the Australasian chamnion of cheap cables as of cheap postage. In his programme is a Halfpenny a word Cable to Australia; and we all know that he is at heart an adherent of the Fleming scheme for a Shilling Imperial Cable. We shall be altogether content if he will give us a Penny a word Cable to Australia and a Shilling a word Cable to London, reforms with which we believe Sir Joseph Ward will yet be identified and which are imperatively demanded. In railway matters we have had under his regime pleasing reductions in rates and freights and are promised more. In his unrestrained moments he would unquestionably agree that in every branch of railway management there is abundant room for improvement. Tin's is indeed the whole meaning of the universal public appreciation of Sir Joseph Ward's work—he is the only man in the Seddon Administration who seems to understand business matters and to have a practical grasp of methods by which our public Departments may be made of great public service. Thus he has earned knighthood already, even though our needs are still voluminous and his programme has only been commenced on.