CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LUNCHEON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13398, 29 January 1907, Page 6

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LUNCHEON.

SPEECH BY THE PREMIER.

At one o'clock Sir Joseph Ward was entertained by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce at a complimentary luncheon at the Chamber Buildings, in Swansonstreet. There was a large and representative gathering present, about 120 sitting down to a cold collation. Mr. Ivor Evans, vice-president of the Chamber, presided, and was supported on his right by Sir Joseph Ward, and the Hon. W. Knox, president of the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce, and on his left by the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. A. M. Mvers), and Messrs. A. Kidd and E. W. Alison, M.H.R.'s. Apologies for non-attendance, owing to absence from Auckland, were received from Mr. J. B. Macfarlane, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and the Hon. E. Mitchelson, chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board.

The toast of " The King" having been i honoured, the chairman proposed the j health of Sir Joseph Ward. The object of J the Chamber, he said, in inviting the Pre- I mier to meet them in an informal way, I was, firstly, to show him a little courtesy, j secondly, to mark their appreciation of the able, conscientious, and painstaking man- j ner in which he had carried out his duties j as Premier, and thirdly, to wish him God i speed on his trip to the Old Land. (Ap- ( plause.) It was the first time that the. i Chamber had met Sir Joseph as Premier, ! and he would take this occasion to remark ; that when death called away the late Pre- i mier, the people of the colony did not find it necessary to look round and wonder who was to be the next Premier. The colony spoke -with one, and no uncertain, voice, and the name they called was "Sir Joseph Ward." (Applause.) The Hon. W. Hall-Jones, and his other colleagues, marked time until the real laeder returned to the colony, and since his accession to office, Sir Joseph Ward had carried out his duties with every credit. The Chamber had decided not to bring any matters before the Premier by way of deputation on this occasion, it being considered inopportune to do so, as the Premier was on the point of leaving for the Old Country. They -were meeting him that day as business men meeting a business man. They wanted to send him away in a happy frame of mind in regard to the merchants' of Auckland, and he hoped that j they had succeeded. No doubt at the Imperial Conference, commercial matters would occupy a prominent part in the discussion. Politicsnot party politics, with which the Chamber had no concern— commerce were inseparably connected, for wherever the British flag went, it became a centre for the germination of the seeds of commerce. In sending Sir Joseph Ward to represent her at the Imperial Conference, New Zealand was sending a gentleman who would guard and nurture her interests in every possible way. The Premier was not only a politician, but a commercial man of wide and varied experience, and was thus well fitted to represent both the commercial and the political interests of the colony at the approaching important Con- | ference. (Applause.)

THE PREMIER'S REPLY. Sir Joseph Ward, upon rising to respond, was greeted with loud and prolonged applause. He said that anyone in the position lie was in for the moment could not feel otherwise than proud to receive so splendid a farewell upon the eve of departure to endeavour to the best of his ability to represent this country at a great gathering of men, each of whom occupied, if not the highest, at least almost the highest, posi- | tions in the countries represented at the Imperial Conference. He most sincerely appreciated the high honour paid him by the commercial gentlemen of the important city of Auckland, and the courtesy referred to by the vice-president was of a nature, he could not readily forget, and he thanked Mr. Evans sincerely for his kind expressions. (Applause.) Quite irrespective of party, he felt that the men who represented the commercial and financial interests were desirous of seeing that the man representing all classes at the conference had the goodwill of all sections of the people. He, was delighted to know that amongst them that day was the representative of a great foreign nation, the Consul for Germany. (Applause.) That day was one of very great importance in Germany, as it was the birthday of tin; Kaiser, and he (Sir .Joseph) might be permitted, through the Consul, to congratulate the Kaiser, and wish him many more birthdays and many more successes. (Applause.) The vice-president had referred to some, of the difficulties experienced on his (the Premier's) return after the tragic death of the. late Premier, and he joined in deploring that death. He felt that had Mr. Seddon been alive he would have distinguished himself at the Imperial Conference, and would have added to the discussion in a manner that would have been in the best interests of New Zealand. (Ao-

plause.) His (the Premiers) only hope was that, in the efforts he put forward, he would no afterwards be charged with anything other than an earnest desire to do the best possible in the .interests of the colony. (Applause.) The matters that more immediately concerned those present were matters connected with commerce, and he felt that no more important conference, as far as the basis on which the superstructure of the commerce of the British Empire was built, had ever been held than the one lie was about to attend. (Applause.) We were on the eve of a great change in the commercial world. The different countries were all trying to get ahead of each other, and we would be wanting in the traditions of the race if we did not use every possible effort to see that the fabric of Imperial commerce was so interwoven as to enable our people to trade on level terms and without restriction. (Applause.) He was persuaded that, without attempting to interfere with internal politics in the Old Land, the changes would result in authority for colonial legislatives to enter into reciprocal treaties with other parts of the Empire, and in some instances with other countries, for the general good of commerce. (Applause.) Colonial representatives at that conference would require to make suggestions that power should bo given them to enter into reciprocal treaties with other colonies for the general benefit of the whole, and at that conference also they would have to deal with matters in which the people of tins country were very directly concerned. The Government had already indicated that a full revision of the tariff would have _to take place next session, and in connection with the revision it was an opportune time for the colony to be able to discuss, at the seat of the Empire, the operation and effect of the different tariffs, and obtain the views of representatives of other parts of the Empire upon them. (Applause.) He was sure his colleague, the Commissioner for Customs, appreciated the advice and suggestions from the mercantile community. He believed the mercantile community did not wish the tariff to be an extreme one, but one intended to promote and develop trade in our own country. He looked forward to the conference with no ordinary concern, for it was no ordinary task he was undertaking, and he required the, assistance and advice, and certainly the goodwill, of the great mercantile community, and also the consideration of those who might not be connected with commerce, or who might hold different opinions to those of the colony's representative. (Applause.) At the conference there would be dealt with many other matters in which the people here took great interest. There would be the absorbing subject of what was to be the system by which the community here could voice its opinions on matters other than commerce, but which were of such vital importance to the carrying on of commerce; one was the protection of our own commerce on the sea, and the protection of our own shores, it', unhappily, anvthing should happen in the future to cause war between the Old Land, and other nations. The. people of this country had common sense enough to know that what was sufficient 10 years ago would not be sufficient now. He had no hesitation in saying that the people of this country would have good reason to wish for a successful conference, and for the forming of a permanent Imperial Council, to deal with these great matters. (Applause.) He appreciated the honour done him to the fullest possible extent, and he was certain all classes in the country would recognise that he was being paid a Very great compliment indeed, and he trusted that the business of the mercantile community might go on extending in the widest possible sense, and he hoped that when he returned those who were giving him that very handsome send off might meet him and shake his hand, and say he had endeavoured to do his best, and to the utmost of his ability had worked in the interest of the colony. (Loud applause.)

ANOTHER TOAST. The Premier, in felicitous terms, then proposed the health of the vice-president, Mr. Ivor Evans, and referred to the presence there of the president of the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Evans briefly responded, and called for cheers for Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, and the invitation was most heartily accepted. Subsequently many of those present said farewell to the Premier.

' THE LEAVE-TAKING AT THE WHARF. The Premier, accompanied by Mr. J. Hislop. one of his private secretaries, left for Sydney by the Wimmera shortly before six o'clock last" "evening. A number of Sir Joseph's personal friends and political acquaintances assembled to see him off, and to wish him '"(Sod speed '" and a safe return. As the vessel left the wharf, cheers were called for Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, and were lustily responded to. Sir Joseph gracefully acknowledged the 'compliment. The well-known airs of " Say, An Revoir, But Not Good-bye," and " Auld Lang Syne," were played from the vessel, and were taken up by some of those on the wharf. At Sydney, Sir Joseph will join Lady Ward and his daughter (they having left Wellington for the New South Wales capital last week), and will catch the Mongolia for Europe on Saturday next, arriving in England in March.