SIR J. G. WARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2667, 26 April 1905, Page 19

SIR J. G. WARD.

ENTERTAINED AT SYDNEY.

SYDNEY, April 19.

The Lord Mayor entertained Sir J. G. Ward at lunch. One hundred and forty representative citizens were present. In proposing Sir J. G. Ward's health, the Lord Mayor said New Zealand was attracting attention all over the world. He referred to the remarkably successful period of recent years.

Sir J. G. Ward, in replying, after dealing with the financial position of New Zealand, referred to friction over Australian federation among the States, and urged them to exercise patience. History showed that it would take some years before former independent colonies could be expected to conform to the new conditions. He also expressed the opinion that before the best financial results were obtained the Federal Administration would require to take over the State debts of the former colonies, and return on a population basis to each State its proportion of revenue after interest and other charges for Federal administration had been provided. Dealing with reciprocity between New Zealand and Australia, he urged the statesmen of Australia to go into the matter seriously, and asked : " Why not let us make a beginning, aud so give an opportunity to further improve trade between the respective colonies ? '

Sir J. G. Ward was the guest to-night of a large gathering of New Zealand residents in Sydney. Speeches of a complimentary character were made.

April 20. Sir Jo-eph Ward speaks very highly of the Sydney tram service. He says it is equal to that in any part of <he world. Captain Seddon, as well as Sir J. G. War.l, was a guest at the large gathering of New Zealand residents last night. Sir Edmund Baiton said that if Austialia and New Zealand wero not politically united there was a unity which might be promoted by s-uch men as Sir Joseph Ward. Things happening in New Zealand and Australia betokened a turn in the tide of prospeiity.

( Messrs Bums, Philp, and Co. entertained Sr J. G. Ward and a large company of colonists. Mr Burns, who presided, said people here looked upon :\ew Zealand as a sort of Paradise. Her -people were prosperous and contented.

Sir J. G. Ward, referring to the San Francisco mail service, said Xew Zealand during the last 30 years or more had been largely responsible for the continuance of this most important service. Naturally, for any uses Au&tralia made of it it was expected she would pay a reasonable amount towards its continuance. While they did not wi.-<h to slip in as outside persons in older to bring about a difficulty as between the Federal . Government and the Oceanic Company, they felt it was an inadequate amount for Australia to offer to pay 2s in the pound for mail matter to enable the American service to be carried on with England. It was contended in New Ze viand that if they were prepared to do what they did for the conveyance of their mails via Suez the Federal Government ouyht to be prepared to pay a fair amount. When the present Oceanic contract expired New Zealand would a<-k why she was paying much for a st-ivice the greatest benefit of vdiiek went to Australia. He hoped the Federal Post master-grnei.il would look bpyond the narrow view and regard it as being a mail seiviee of as much impoitance to Australia a» to New Zealand, where tiie steamers, only touched en route to Sydney. Jle alluded to tliii because Nuv Zealand Mas anxious not io lo^e the benefits, to bo obtained both to New Zealand and Austialid b_y luuiu^ . x

connection with the United States. They wculd be acting very stupidly if they had not seized the oj>portunity to develop trade with Africa, particularly when this gave an oppoitunity of conveying mails by an alternative line to England. From a ptirety business standpoint New Zealaud was anxious that the Vancouver line should be extended there as well. She proposed to give a modest contribiition of #£0,000 per annum to enable that to be done, so as to maintain the San Francisco service side by side with the service.