SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2758, 23 January 1907, Page 38

SIR JOSEPH WARD.

ENTERTAINED IN CHRISTCHURCH.

CHRISTCHURCH, January 20. The Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, arrived iii Christchurch by the first express from Dunedin this evening, and at 7.30 o'clock he was entertained at a farewell dinner by the commercial and business people of the oiry on the eve of his departure from the colony to take part in the deliberations at the Prime Ministers' Conference in London in March. In the absence of the Mayor (Six John Hall), the Deputy-Mayor (Mr G. Payling) presided, and amongst those present were the members of the Government in Christchurch — the Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister of Labour), the Hon. G. Fowlds (Minister of Education), and tlie Hon. Dr Findlay (Attorneygeneral), — Captain Atkin (British Commissioner), the Hon. A. Kirkpatrick (Chief Secretary in the South Australian Government), Mr T. H. Race (Canadian Commissioner), the French Consul for New Zealand, Mr F. de C. Malet (chairman of the Bank of New Zealand), the president of the Chamber of Commerce, the president of the Industrial Association, the president of the Trades and Labour Council, the president of the Employers' Association, the president of the Workers' Political Association, and the members of both Houses of Parliament at present in Christchurch.

The toast-list had to be curtailed to enable the Prime Minister to catch the late steamer for Wellington. The toastlist was as follows: "The King," proposed by the chairman; "The Prime Minister," proposed by the Hon. C. C. Bowen (Speaker of the Legislative Council), and responded to by Sir Joseph "Ward ; " The Parliament of New Zealand," proposed by Mr G. T. Booth, and responded to by the Hon. H. F. Wigram, M.L.C., and Mr G. Laurenson, M H.R. ; "The Mayor of C'hristchurch,"' proposed by Mr T. IT. Race (Canadian Commissioner), and responded to by the Deputy-Mayor ; and "The Visitors," proposed by Mr W. Reeoe, and responded to by the Hon. Dr Findlay, Captain Atkin, and the Hon. A. Fitzpatrick. In responding to the toast of "The Prime Minister." Sir Joseph Ward re»;rrcd to the disastrous earthquake in amaica, and announced that he had asked the G~overnor to cable to the Secretary of State for the Colonies that New Zealand desired to send £1000 as a fir^t contribution to assist the unfortunate people in Kingston. He dwelt on tlie subject of defence, and exhorted employers to encourage the Volunteers by allowing those who were in their employ leave to oarry out their military dutieß. The defence of the Empire was a subject that would have to exercise the attention of the Imperial Confeience that was about to sit in the Old Land, and he felt that the colony wa« bound to take a greater share of responsibility of defence than it had done in the past, and he had no hesitation in elding that sooner or later an Imperial Council would have to be created as a means of self-preservation foi- the Homeland and the outside posses'ion*. He felt sure that at the conference there would be men of sufficient experience to submit a scheme which the countries they represen'ed could either endorse or improve upon. The Prune Minister also referred to the forthcoming Maritime Conference, and eaid that, as Australia proposed to send four representatives, he had asked that New Zealand nnght also be permitted to 6t.-i d four. Referring to the Legislative Council, he said that when the alteiation* in the Council had been made it would be found that the Council had been greatly improved. The desire of the Go\ernment was to improve the Council, and to Reo that tLe different sections of the community were fairly represented in the selection that was made, and to keep an oye to th© just claims of ihe different piovincps. It was not possible— and lie did not behove himself that it ever would be- to ha%e a Parliament of ci)" House only. It wa.s more practical u~e for the peop'f\ of New Zea'and, ip«S?ad of fightirsr for an almost impossible ld^al of ft un'ca'iK-ial svatem, to 6av that the s\stcm thov had was to be improved, and to sef that crood men weie sent to r^pre?"nt the people in the Upper House Tl'i: Government was doing that which thp pr>oplp of tl,r> colony expected of it. ir-\ what it had to take tlie full responM b.htv for. The Prime Minister made a passing reference to the International Exhibition, and eaid that if tho debit showed anjthiDß like the amount which the Government said it would, the Exhibition would have b<>en a good thing for the colony as a whole. In conclusion, he expressed the hope that the universal pornv postage proposal would be adopted. The Prime Minister, with the other Ministers, left for Wellington by the late s teamer.

A « oman was sentenced to three rnonthV hard labour at Talmereton North last week fcr wing in.<fcceg{ language in the