SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12989, 2 June 1904, Page 10

SIR JOSEPH WARD.

VISIT TO OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND. THE MINISTER INTERVIEWED. Sir J, G. Ward, Minister of Railways, readied Dunedin last night by the express from the north. This morning at the Grand Hotel Sir Joseph will receive a deputation from tho City Council, and will thereafter bo engaged with departmental business. Tho foundation stone of the new railway station at Dunedin will be laid at 10,30 a.rn, to. morrow, and Sir Joseph has accepted the invitation of the president of tho Dunedin Jockey C!ub (the Hon. G. M'Lean) to attend theraeos at Wingatui in, tho afternoon. On Saturday he goes 'south/and will address a meeting o£ his constituents at Winton, probably next week. Ho also hopes to spend a coupio of days in tho Catlins district, and to open tho Kaikoiai Valley bridge on behalf of tho Kos'iyn Borough Council. ■Interviewed by a Times reporter last night, Sir Joseph said that he had received a telogram from Mr Seddon that morning stating that the doctor reports that " he is round the coiner, and is improving." Air Seddon added: "I feel much better for the change. The rest lias dono mo a considerable amount iof good." Sir Joseph is not sure whether tho Premier will be well cncmgli to face the session, but it is hoped ho will be. In any case, as far as it is possible to help, his colleagues will do all in their power to make things easy for him.

Asked if the finances were strong enough to obviaio tho necessity of the colony going on the. London money market, Sir Jceoph replied that he could not disclose tho policy of the Government on that, point at present.

Tho C.nbinot recently considered a jjoiition for the release of Mrs Sarah Fogo, who murdered her husband in IHincdm sonic years ago, but decided not to take action in iho meantime.

Regarding the statement (bat th» Bank of Now Zealand, had a record year, lie said that all he know was of a, confidential character, and that tjie bank's directors would disclose the results of the. business of tho institution at tho proper time. When questioned respecting licensing legislation, Sir Joseph said tho matter Imd not been considered by Cabinet, but would be dealt with when the Minsters met before parliament opened, when the whole question would be gone into. There was" no doubt that tho outcomo of the Newtown case would be to hasten tho settlement of the policy of licensing legislation generally, His opinion was that tho House, as well as ■private- indivciuals, had a great deal of - hesitancy in making any proposed legislation retrospective or retroactive. Ho knew that some contended tliis should bo done, and whilst he could not say what form the. legislation would take, lie-recognised'tint retroactive legislation was a very dangerous principle to adopt. The Victorian postal mistake, referred to in Tuesday's cables, had nothing to do with this colony. In other words, if, ae stated, Victoria sent (d New Zealand any payment that was due to the contractors, the money would not be retained by NewZealand, but would in turn be passed on to Messrs Sprockets. - Thcr« liar]-'been no mistake as far as Now Zealand was concerned, this coiony having strictly carried out tho terms of its contract.

Aeked as to whither thcro was any significance in tlio fact that 80 applications had been received for employment in the railway service last Monday morning, as stated by him to the railway delegates, Sir Joseph said there was nothing significant in the fact. at all. The applications- generally came to about 15,000 annually. That number was, of course, much in excess of what the railways could look at, or were ever likely to look at—that was, if the increase of applications went on proportionally with tho increaso of population. Hβ was very well satisfied with the condition of the railway service throughout, and the returns from all branches of.his department were keeping , up splendidly. Regarding Hanmer, Sir Joseph said that tho surveys of the route were being made, and that after, thoy had been received the question of providing for the lirio would bo brought up for consideration on the Public Works Estimates for next session. Provision was being made for a water'supply and a drainage scheme for Hanmer. Both these worka would bo completed within a reasonable time.

Tho Railway Department was obtaining details and reports regarding tho proposed night express between Dunedin and Christchurch, and he hoped soon to be able to annountio the commencement of that service. It wus not intended to mako it an absolutely night service, tho object being to got over ft portion of tho journey in daylight. The train arrangement would be easy from the Ohristcjiuro'i end, (ho trouble being to fix tho service up from the Dun-, cdin end. He wanted to mako the service of the greatest possible use, not only to the termini, but aho' to the intervening stations.