BANQUET TO THE HON. J. G. WARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 17

BANQUET TO THE HON. J. G. WARD.

'A LARGE GATHERING. (By Our Special Repoeteb.) INVERCARGILL, January 31. !X. very successful banquet was tendered to Wie Hon. J. G. Ward this evening as a mark of appreciation from his constituents, and in celebration of his return to a seat in the Ministry. All the members of the Ministerial party from Dunedin and the Hon Mr Feldwick, M.L.C., Mr M'Nab, Mr Gilfedder, and iMr Hanan, M.H.R.'s, were present. Mrs jWard was one of the guests. The attendance .■was measiired by the capacity of a very large square hall in Guthrie's Buildings in Dee street. About 500 ladies and gentlemen sat down to exceptionally weU-provided tables, ihe catering being remarkably well done by Mr'Kingsland, and the hall profusely and itaatefully decorated. Among the mottoes .were one in Maori (a war cry), one in Gaelic (expressive of welcome), and one bearing the words "God Defend Our Empire." The chair was taken very soon after 8 o'clock by Mr Dunlop, chairman of the Southland County Council, who was supported on his right by the guest of the evening, Mrs Ward, the Hon. J. M'Kenzie, and the Hon. Mr Twomey, and on the left by the Premier, the Hons. W. C. Walker, J. Thompson, and W. M. Bolt. At 9 o'clock, the Chairman, after welcoming the visitors, .proposed the toast of "The Queen and Royal Family," and read apolo?ies for non-attendance from the Rev. Father J'Neill, Hong. Messrs Hall-Jones, J. Carroll, A. Lee Smith, D. Pinkerton, Major Steward, Messrs T. Pratt, G. W. Russell, J. F. Arnold, W. W. Collins, T. Y. Duncan, A. li. D. Eraser, M. Hisson, and W. A. Shields. The toast was drunk with enthusiasm, the company, led by the Premier, singing the National Anthem.

This was followed by "The Army, Navy, end Volunteers," proposed by Mr N. Johnston, and responded to by Colonel Feldwick. ' The Rev. D. C. Bates proposed "The Contingents," and delivered a fervidly patriotic speech. We had, he said, sent our boys to fight for peace and good government, and for the rights, the property, and the liberties of our Tellow Britons, and we knew that from beginning to end they would be a credit to our country. New Zealand had no prouder sons than those selected to join the great army of our Queen. Our boys had real work to do, and meant to do it, and be true to the nag of freedom for ever. The speaker also paid a high tribute of esteem to the ability and character of the guest of the evening, remarking that those who had known least of the Hon. Mr Ward were the most unqualified in their censure, while those who knew him best had always honoured and trusted him. He looked forward to the time when our Empire would have a federal Parliament, one flag, one fleet, one throne, and then, he believed, the Hon. J. G. Ward would be one of the foremost representatives in the Parliament of the Empire. The toast having been drunk, the song "Tommy Atkins" was given, and Captam Hawkins suitably replied. . Mr John Sinclair proposed "The Ministry and Parliament of New Zealand. He said there was one thing for which Southland ought to feel very grateful to the Ministry, and that was the loyal manner in which they had stuck to their colleague, the Hon. Mr (Ward — (applause) — and reinstated him into the very honourable position he now held.— (Loud applause.) , r The next item was a song by the Hon. Mr Seddon, " Hard times come again no more. In rising, the Premier was vociferously cheered. Before commencing to sing he said a song was generally introduced into proceedings of the kind to give a speaker an opportunity of collecting his thoughts, in his case, however he had to collect his thoughts while he sang his song.— (Laughter.) The song was heartily applauded, and an enthusiastic demand was made for an encore, to which the Premier acquiesced, and sang a new song entitled " Our native volunteers. The Premier, in replying to the toast, teaid this was an historical meeting for the colony, and one that would ever be remembered in Southland, and more particularly in Inver car gill. That it was a representative gathering could not be denied, and in respect of the guest of the evening it represented the mind of the people of New Zea-land.—-(Applause.) It was therefore a very great pleasure to himself and his colleagues, and of the members of the party to attend to <lo honour to his worthy colleague, the Hon. J. G. Ward. Adversity tried friends, and there was nothing proved the grit there was in a man more than the necessity of overcoming difficulties almost unsurpassed, and -well-nigh unconquerable, and thfA had been, met with success by the Son of Southland, the gueßt of the evening. He would not say a word beyond this: that the Premier had never deserted, and never -would desert a friend in trouble.— (Applause.) Without desiring to say anything to cause feeling, without wishing 'to bring up the wretched past, he said now that the whole persecution of his honourable colleague had arisen from a desire to bring down the member for Awarua for the purpose of crippling the Liberal party. — (Loud applause.) It was true they had not succeeded, but that was what had actuated powerful opponents, and in this respect an unscrupulous press. There had been, therefore, all the more reason for the Liberals to rally round the Liberal party and to do their duty to a man. He claimed that the Government had done its duty to the people of New Zealand.' How the people had x % esponded had been shown by the elections of 1899, which had given the answer of 'the people to the opponents of the Government. — (Applause.) The 7th of December had proved a proud day to him, since that morning had shown how the people approved of the Government. The Hon. Mr Ward was a worthy colleague, and the Minister of Lands and Education and the late Minister of Defence were shown to be the pride of the men and the darlings of the women. — (Laughter and applause.) There were now no sheltersheds and relief works, and he gladly admitted that it was largely the discernment of the women of the colony that had produced the success achieved by the Liberal Government at the general elections. He wished also to say that the policy of the Government had been progressive, and that the Administration had been clean, notwithstanding what had been said to the contrary. They all knew that charges had been levelled against the Government, but none of them had been proved. Why should the Government do wrong? The people expected the Government to be true to them, and that being so, no man would willingly wrong the people who elected and trusted them. — (App!au<">.) No, :t »,inot that tho r Gen >iiun<nl moij^cu the people, but it wjs tins. J) ll." cmir^u of their admiiiiitralim) tWy had li.ul io tiiiuplc on and to leino-e i^oiionolif-., ■ u<\ to lontuid against tho-n who v, i-,o solfi-ii aid tho=c who were unscrupulous, and iij caay isg out these duties* cnJ. in insisting

on fair play and on opportunities being given to all, they had made bitter enemies. While they had made those bitter enemies, however, it was proved they had made friends of the great bulk of the people of the country. — (Applause.) Every emergency had been met. There was now land and cheap money for the people, and he would in that connection tell them a secret that the Liberal party had discovered — how to increase the population of the colony. — (Laughter and applause.) The process would be explained by the Hon. John M'Kenzie. — (Loud laughter.); The gathering might be given a glimpse of the process he referred to. It was this : To obtain land for the people, to put the people on the land, and to give them an opportunity, and in that way* it was wonderful how the population would increase. — (Laughter and 1 applause.) As lie had said, he would leave the details to his worthy colleague. — (Laughter.) The Government had also protected labour. The working men of the colony now had security. The first case that had caused him as Minister of Labour any anxiety was a case that recently occurred at Westport ; but, as Minister of Labour, the award having been made as between the parties, he v/ould support the maintenance of that award and the upholding of the law, and those who had done wrong must pay the penalty. — (Applaiise.) In cases where employers had flouted awards, he had stood to those awards, and in the case he referred to he would also stand by the award. In that way a great problem had been solved. — (Applause.) And what had also been done ? Capital had been given greater security than it ever previously had in the colony. — (Applause.) The proof was in the fact that capital was forthcoming; now for every legitimate venture that was put on the market. — (Hear, hear.) The Government had alro tried to shorten the hours for which the women and the children of the colony were employed, and it was hoped next session to pass an amended bill by which the working hours of the women and children would be reduced to 45 hours a week.— (Loud applause.) The young had been protected, and provision had also been made for the aged in the passing of the Old-age Pensions Act. — (Applause.) Coming to the question of Imperial unity, he said it was a matter that was sought to be brought about not only by himself but by his colleagues, and all who worked for an Imperial federation that would secure for all time the constitution of the colony, and maintain the flag that ever upheld justice and freedom. — (Applause.) The press of r the colony he was sorry to say was not mindful of what was going on around them. In 1897 a Conference of Premiers of the colonies was held in England, where they conferred with the Secretary of State, and he had the temerity then to say that in the course of a few years representatives from the colonies and Canada would go home and would be consulted in many matters affecting the Empire. And what did the cable say only the other day? It was stated that the Secretary of State had invited those who were connected with Australian federation to^meet him in London, and there to assist and guide in the passing of the Federation legislation in the Imperial Parlament. — (Applause.) New Zealand ought now to appoint a representative to watch the course of that legislation through the Home Egrlioment because New Zealand was interested in it in this direction : that there were matters on which 'Ye could with safety federate with our neighbours in Australia. The defence question for instance, was one on which we could work with them. But there were other questions in which an opportunity, an opening, should be left, bo that New Zealand and the Australian Federation could so arrange conditions that would be profitable to all parties.—(Applause.) What was now missing in their legislation was this, that no power was given to the Federal Parliament under the present law to make a reciprocity treaty between New Zealand and Federated Australia.—(Applause.) New Zealand, then, should be represented at Home, and should ask that in the passing of any legislation, through the Imperial Parliament it should be left in such a way that New Zealand, while saving the freedom and maintaining what it believed to be wise, should work out its own destiny. — (Applause.) After making complimentary reference to the speeches of the Rev. Mr Bates and Captain Hawkins, he said that in years gone by it was stated that whenever the colonies had arrived at a certain point of strength they would then desire to cut the painter. But where were the Little Englanders now, and others, who had said this would occur? Why, the thought that was now uppermost in the mind of every man and woman in the colony was as to how they could best help their kindred in the Transvaal, and as to how they could best uphold the glorious flag and that Constitution which had given them all such freedom and so many opportunities as they now possessed. The young New Zealanders in South Africa were proving the stock from which they had sprung.—(Applause.) The reverses and the adversity had brought out the latent feeling that was ever in them, and the manner in which they had acquitted themselves proved only what had been expected — that they would go to the front and fight. Some of them might die, but those who remained would come back crowned with victory and covered with laurels, when they would be given such a welcome that the entire world would know how we estimmated those who fought for their country. — (Applause.) In conclusion he would let the press into a little secret. They had been anxious to know whether the Government had been doing their duty in giving effect to the wishes of the people. They had naturally and rightly asked : Are we in New Zealand prepared suppose an emergency should arise? He would like to ask why that question was not asked when years ago an attempt was made to smother the volunteer movement by the insistence of having a standing army defending the four principal ports of the colony. There were those, however, who saw that the volunteer movement would prove the salvation of the colony, and now who was right? The military experts and those who wanted a standing army, or the practical Liberal Ministry who stood by the volunteer movement and the volunteers. — (Applause.) Their opponents reduced the capitation grant to 30s, but one of the first things this Government did was to raise it to £2 10s. — (Applause.) Then the Government had decided that 8000 volunteers was not a sufficient number for the colony, and had resolved to increase the number by 2000. — (applause), — and to arm them. They had decided, too, that more rifles wore wanted, and the rifles were ordered, and would ere long ho hoped be in the colony. — (Hear, hear.) He would not say any more on that point however, but he might add that at present they were in a position to givo three rifles to every volunteer in the colony. — (Applause.) As regards the field batteries it was evidently forgotten although it was a, matter that was reported every year to Parliament, that twelve months ago they ordered a field battery of six 15-pounders, up to date and quick-firing, which tho A gen I- general had informed him left London on Lhe 10th of November. But, as regards munitions for the

heavy guns, the colony had never been better prepared than it was at present. Then, in sparsely populated districts, where volunteer corps could not be formed, either of rifles or mounted infantry, the Government had decided to assist in the formation of rifle clubs, to which they would give ammunition and other aid. With all these preparations, then, it would be admitted that any enemy coming to New Zealand would get a much warmer reception than the Boers had given the British troops. — (Applause.) As Minister of Defence, he had felt called on to say something on this matter. Re wished to ask the people* of Dunedin to change from the remounts and to give the colony an opportunity of sending fighting men. He wanted the people of Southland to take up the movement to tend men, a-> they had sent them before — fully equipped and ready to fight the Boers at a moment's notice. In conclusion, he thanked the gathering for the very cordial manner in which they had received the toast. The hon. gentleman resumed his seat amid tumultuous applause. The Hon. J. M'lvenzie referred to his long acquaintance with the Hon. Mr Ward, and to Mr Ward's kindness to him during his illness in London. The Hon. W. C. Walker also spoke in high terms of the Hon Mr Ward. The toast of " The Guest " was proposed by Mr Jenkins, a local farmer. Mr Ward, on rising to reply, received an ovation. After thanking the speakers and his constituents, he referred briefly to his Xiolitical history. He had fought 23 local elections, winning every one. His thanks were due to the men and women to whom he appealed, and who would not let him be put under. On leaving the House in 1896 he had told them they had not seen the last cf him. He was conscious of knowing that he had never intentionally wronged man or woman. He had made up his mind no power would stop him, and he wished to put on record the warm-hearted reception he had had in season and out of season, in good or evil repute, from his constituents. He had never directly or indirectly written to the papers about his opponents, and he would like to state that one man who had been employed to write against the Administration and himself had written him on his deathbed asking him to forgive and forget what he had done to earn a living; for his family. It was a matter of extreme regret that in this country the idea prevailed that it was a right thing to asperse the character and attack the private affairs of political opponents. It was a bad thing for any country to destroy the reputation of its public men in that way. He had visited the old world in his public capacity and privately, and desired to put on record as a tribute to the high-minded men of the old country that without exception they had met him with extended hand and invited him to their homes. It showed that the miserable system of trying to vilify public men had missed its object, and he had cases of letters testifying that the best man had repudiated_ the attitude which had been assumed against him. He was personally prepared to forget and forgive, but was not going to waive one jot of what was due to his wife and children to put on record as far as the future was concerned once and for all at a convincing time. He had known for the last two or three years that when the time did arise for his return it would be with the acceptation -of the people of the colony.

The Hon.- John M'Kenzie excused himself from making a long speech by saying that he desired that the audience should remember the very able speech they had just heard from the Premier. It was exceedingly pleasant to him to attend such a gathering, and to find it so manifest that the Government enjoyed the full confidence of the people, and to notice the pleasure so many took in doing honour to the guest of the evening. The courage which the Hon. Mr Ward had evinced had been most remarkable, for the ordeal he had passed ..through would have killed hundreds of men. The speaker also acknowledged in feeling terms the kindness the Hon. Mr Ward had rendered him and his family in London, and mentioned that his doctor had spoken in terms of very high praise of their guest, remarking that at the time of the operation he had stood by him as very few men would have done. Reference was also made to the Hon. Mr Ward's conduct in paying to London creditors sums which he was not legally required to pay, and to the high esteem in which he was held. In referring to political matters, the Minister of Lands spoke of the opposition which had been encountered, and of the immense amount of work undertaken and accomplished by the Premier during the last session of Parliament. He complimented Southland upon sending a compact party to I support the Government, which, he said he ! had no doubt would be able to introduce and to pafes further legislation that would tend, as the Premier had said, to the prosperity of the colony, and indirectly to the well-being i of the British Empire. The Hon. W. C. Walker also responded, rej marking that he would willingly have trai veiled further in order to honour the Hon. Mr Ward amongst his friends and supporters, lie was one of those who had early recognised the business capacity, alacrity of intellect, : and great ability of their guest, and while he ; regretted that he had been for a time separated from his colleagues he believed that by I virtue of his triumph over his trials he was ! now even better and more valuable as a public man than before. He exprefsed the hope that an elective Legislative Council would never be accepted in the colony, and said that ! the Council, as now constituted, was an effective and useful branch of Parliament. The Hon. T. Thompson, the Hon. J. W. Twomey. the Hon. W. M. Bolt, and Messrs J. A. Millar, A. Morrison, and Hanan, | M.H.R.'s, also spoke. The toast of the evening was not reached until a-quarter to 12, when Mr Jenkins, in a few eulogistic remarks, proposed " The health of the Hon. J. G. Ward." Speaking as a farmer, and for the electors- of Awarua, he said it was to the constituency a source of much satisfaction that the Hon. Mr Ward had been readmitted to the most Liberal Ministry in any country in the woi'J. The Hon. J. G. Ward was received with prolonged and enthusiastic applause, which was continued for some minutes. He said there were times in the experience of most people when it was difficult to find words with which to convey the emotions one felt, and he was sure the present occasion was one upon which ho would be readily forgiven for the utterly inadequate expression of his sentiments. He desiied, however, to extend to the Right Hon. the Premier and those who accompanied him, representatives from every part of the colony, his sincere thanks for the honour they had conferred upon him, and upon the Southland district by their presence. He also wished to thank the ladies and gentlemen who had worked so nealousfy, and with such success in connection with the banquet. To them his warmest thanks were due, and he legretted thab owing to the dimensions to which it had grown the inten-

tions of the promoters to hold it in Awarua had had to be abandoned. He felt he could endorse the Celtic motto " A hundred thousand welcomes " upon this occasion. They would not regard it as egotistical if he briefly referred to his own political history. It might interest some of them to know that he had fought 23 local elections in Southland and had won upon every occasion. — (Applause.) He had reason, therefore, to regard with affection the people who had so loyally supported * him. In one ca&e for six years, and in another case for five years consecutively he had been placed at the head of local public bodies. He had stood f-ix times successfully for the House of .Representatives, and he believed he had made a record, in that since 1896 he had stood for three elections and been elected three times within three years. That, he thought, was unprecedented in this or any other country, and he mentioned it as showing how the men and women in the district to whom he had appealed had confidence in him and to prove to those who had tried to put him under that the people would not allow him to be kept under. — (Applause.) Allusion had been made to the 'time when his colleagues had shaken hands with him upon his saying farewell in 18S6 to the positions he then held. It was j with peculiar pleasiire that he recalled the manifestations- of regret that were extended ( to him on thai occasion from nearly all sides j of the House of Representatives, and he would ask them to carry their minds back to a little I political history by reminding them that again that afternoon,- when retiring from his official position, he told the members that they had not heard the last of him. — (Applause.) He was then fully conscious within himself that he had never intentionally wronged any man or woman in the country, and having that firm conviction when he left the House xmder pressure, he made up his mind that, with the assistance of the people whom he represented, and by whom he was best known, no power on earth should stop him from again holding a position in the Ministry. He wished now to place on record once more his recognition of the loyalty, warm-hearted generosity, and determined and vigorous support which, in season and out of season, in good repute and bad repute, he had received from the Right Hon. the Premier, the Hon. Minister of Lands, and their colleagiies, and from a very large section of the House. There had been one or two exceptions so far as the Liberal party was concerned, but he noticed that those who were the exceptions had been relegated to oblivion by their constituent*. One result of his experience had been to show him how difficult it was to know friends in prosperity, and how easy it was to discover true friends in adversity. The experience, he believed, had been good for him. He had never directly or indirectly attacked any of his opponents in the pres=s. or caused them to be attacked. He might mention that one man who had been paid to attack him, and the Ministry through him, had a short time ago written from his deathbed asking him to forget and to forgive anything he had done. He was i\ot vindictive, but he could not help some feeling of resentment when one who was glad to be helped out of his own troubles, and should have extended to him an open hand, put wp his knuckles and knocked him till he could not beat him any longer. That was not ordinary British fair play. He regretted exceedingly that politics were not carried on in the colony in the same manner as at Home, where people on both sides met in private friendship and goodfellowship. The practice of attacking people in their private or business capacities for political purposes or reasons "was inimical to the public interest, and ought to be discountenanced by all who desired the welfare of the colony. He expressed his appreciation of the sympathy extended to him and the confidence manifested in him, and said he had quite a box full of letters and telegrams received by him, and conveying expressions of sympathy and respect. _He then referred briefly to some of the social and financial reforms which had been brought into force by the present Government, and said that some of the leading men in England, America, and the colonies were engaged in considering and advocating similar legislation, and that legislation was to be introduced, not in the interests of a few, but most certainly in the interests of the great mass of the people of those countries. The reforms the Government had carried out had affected so many financial institutions and other branches of business in the colony that it was truly wonderful, considering the opposition 4 they met, they had succeeded so well as they had. The lateness of the hour rendered it impossible for him to speak as he desired, but he wished to ea.y 2 this : Although great work had been done, so long as New Zealand was 12,000 miles from the great emporium, which was London, so far as its products were concerned, so long would it be essential for the people in these three islands of New Zealand to legislate purely to suit the special conditions which their 'isolation, and the peculiar characteristics of the country and the requirements of the people demanded. — (Applause.) The Premier and Mr M'Kenzie had alluded to the last general election — an election that showed ; clearly that in an educated democracy, which they had in New Zealand, the people them- j selves knew what they wanted, and the people were to be trusted to return men to give them what they wanted.— (Applause.) Respecting the war in South Africa, he said they were all deeply concerned in it. They realised | that this country had sent almost the flower ' of the land to assist the Empire in its trouble, and they realised, too, th. i, with the support they were getting from every man and woman in Great Britain, Canada, Au* tralia, and New j Zealand, it was only a matter of time when I the flag they were all so proud to be under would wave fully and freely, and soon be floating- in Pretoria, in spite of any force that might be brought to bear against it. — (Applause.) As one of the younger members of the political world, he knew he was breathing that which young and old in the country desired. When they knew their defences were in the hands of the Premier, who was also the Minister of Defence, they could depend on it that the defences would very soon be put in a stronger position than they were at present. — (Applause.) He wished from the bottom of his heart to return his warmest thanks to the electors of Awarua for the many kindnesses he had received from them. It -would ever be to him a sweet, a dear, and a hallowed memory that, amidst the animosity of a few, when the tempest of political hatred raged round him, ■when his opponents were moving in every direction to drive him from political life, he had from end to end of New Zealand thousands of warm-hearted and determined friends, who stood by him with a loyalty and devotion that made him their debtor for all time. — (Applause.) In the future his political duties would require him to reside for a considerable time in the year in the, seat ! of Government that he might properly attend to his duties, but while that was so he did not intend to give up his home in Southland, nor would he sever hi*s_ connection with the district. — (Applause | He would like before he conqlujlei to mention a few facts to ah.pw.

the marvellous development Souti' and Lad made during the term he had had the honour of being their representative in Parliamen ; from 1887 onwards. What were the facts? The Southland district population might b» said to have increased from 35,600 in the year 1387 to 46.000 in 1699. Occupied holdings increased from 3000 in the year 1387-8 to 5309 in 1£99 ; cropped land from 189,000 acres to 262 000 acres ; grass land ploughed from. 387,000 to 607,0G0 acres; not previously ploughed, 34,000 to 115,000 acres; sheep increased from 1,033,000 in 1887 to 1,328,000 in May, 1899; the value of land and improvemerits from £5,687.000 in 1888 to £8,000,000 in 1893; the value of exports, InvercargiH and Bluff, £358,000 in 1887 to £629,700 in 1898: imports. £132,000 to £202,000.—(Applause.) In addition, the revenue of tha Bluff Harbour Board had trebled itself within a comparatively short term of years.—(Applause.) Six times since 1887 he bad stooc? for the House, and ho had the satisfaction of knowing that on three occasions he haa walks-over, and on" no occasion had he spoken in derogatory terms of an opponent. — (Applause.) After giving an account of his careetf, in local polities and making short reference: to his actions since his resignation in 1897, he again sincerely thanked the gathering fo« the many good wishes they had expressed for him. It was a satisfaction for him to find that there were present people from London, from Melbourne, and from all parts of New Zealand. It was a _ well-merited tribute to the district and to the Ministry.- and without 'egotism he might say he thought ifc was o tribute to himself, a tribute whioK""her would never forget.— (Loud and long continued applause.^ After an interval of ten minutes the remainder of the toast list was disposed of, and ■ a remarkably enthusiastic and successful gathering terminated at half-past 1 o'clock