A STRENUOUS TIME. AUCKLAND, September 30.

Otago Witness, Volume 06, Issue 2899, 6 October 1909, Page 33

A STRENUOUS TIME. AUCKLAND, September 30.

Sir Joseph Ward, in the course of an interview, said that leaving New Zealand as he did on the 18th of June he had in the short space of 102 days encircled the globe. Out of that period 26 days were spent iv London, and the balance (76) in travel. There had been no stop on the road Home. From the day of his arrival in Sydney until joining the train in Marseilles for Calais immediately after the arrival the steamer there, and indeed until * his arrival in London, it had been an unbroken travel. The work connected with the conference was- completed 1 late on the evening of August 20, and the following morning at 10 o'clock he left by train to join the steamer Campania at Liverpool, sailing that afternoon for New York. He spent one day in Montreal, to meet by appointment the British Ambassador in America, who had travelled a very long_ distance through America to see him there. A couple of days were spent at Ottawa, where an opportunity was afforded of discussing public matters with Sir Wilfrid Laurier. On the road to Vancouver a stay of one night was made at Niagara Falls, this being the only diversion — and that for a short period of three hours only — in the whole journey from the beginning of the trip until its comeompletion. The greatest interest was taken in the representative of New Zealand, and many courtesies were extended to him. This Sir Joseph naturally took as a compliment to the people of New Zealand, expressed through himself. Upon arrival at Fiji a short stay of a couple of hours only was made, and the Challenger was then joined, an immediate start being made 'for New Zealand. Every effort was made by Sir Joseph to get back earlier, but the work of the conference, highly important as it was, rendered it impossible for him to leave London sooner than he did. CFbom Oub Own Corbespondekt.) WELLINGTON, September 1 30. | So far no mention has been made in Wellington of a welcome to the Prime Minister. Wellington's attitude in view of the sess-ion is one of '" weird expectancy."