AT LAST!

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8412, 24 April 1913, Page 6

AT LAST!

The independent evening journal has at last been compelled, in the face of tho damning indictment of its assertions and methods furnished by the speeches at the Colonial Liberal Club’s dinner in London, to confess that the scheme for an Imperial overseas navy, to be financed by a per capita contribution, was Sir Joseph Ward’s and not the Hon. James Allen’s. In making this tardy and apparently reluctant admission, however, it completely ignores the fact that it previously deliberately attributed tho proposal, which it now regards as the ideal one, to Mr Allen. It is well that this measure of justice should be conceded, even at this late hour of the day, but nevertheless it is to be regretted that tho concession to truth was not made in a more frank and generous spirit. Evidently the iron of our criticism has entered the soul of tho independent evening journal, because, in tho conclusion of its article, it cunningly suggests that nothing but mischief is done by the distortion, exaggeration and prevarication by which some of Sir Joseph Ward’s followers in this country are endeavouring to support him. The reply to this innuendo is obvious. If there has been distortion, exaggeration and prevarication, and the independent evening journal knows best, it has certainly not been on our side. We have established the truth of every point made in our argument, and have compelled the independent evening journal to concede, no matter how reluctantly, the credit to Sir Joseph Ward for one of his most brilliant ideals of statesmanship, which credit, we regret to say, had been withheld from him and improperly placed in the mouth of a political opponent. Sir Joseph Ward _ has nothing whatever to fear from his friends. But, so far as his enemies are concerned, he has been made to suffer bitterly and cruelly during the last year or two by reason of the malignant and virulent misrepresentation of his policy and motives by biassed _ newspapers and uncompromising political enemies, who are so blinded by prejudice and hatred that they are unable to see good in anything Sir Joseph has done or is doing. It is about time that Sir Joseph Ward began to receive fair play in Wellington, and. so far as ws are concerned, he is going to get it.