SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3098, 30 July 1913, Page 4

SIR JOSEPH WARD.

NEW ZEALAND POLITICAL SITUATION. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, June 13. Sir Joseph Ward’s holiday visit is coming to an end. Next Thursday he will travel overland to Marseilles to join the P. and O. s.s. Mongolia on his return journey to New Zealand. It has just been decided that Lady Ward and Miss Ward shall remain here for another three months. One main reason for this change of plan is that Mr and Mrs Wood, of Christchurch, wish to stop in (his country until September, and. of course, the wedding cannot take place until their arrival in New Zealand. Another reason is that Lady Ward would like to ho hero when Master Pat Ward gets his long summer holidays. He is now at Downside College, Bath. Lady and Miss Ward will cons: quently he leaving towards the end of August, and in the interim they will most probably take a furnished house at Richmond -on-Thamos. Mr Vincent Ward is in London on a fortnight’s visit, having come specially from Montreal to see his parents. Sir Joseph told me that he had originally intended returning via Canada, hut he considered it unwise to go there in the unsettled political state of that dominion. If he had gone he could not have avoided speaking, especially as he has had several invitations to attend various functions, and ho would have found it very difficult to keep out of the naval controversy. In reply to my query. Sjr Joseph said* ho had had a very interesting and pleasant time in England, and his only difficulty had been tiiat he found it, absolutely impossible to accept the innumerable kindnesses of people throughout the country. It was the first holiday he had had for many years, and from the health point of view it had done him an immense amount of good. He felt physically bettor and stronger than for the past 15 years. During the four months that Sir Joseph has been Home lie has attended on an average at least one function a day, either in London or the country. When ashed about the political situation in New Zealand, Sir Joseph said: ‘‘l am going hack on account of sessional duties in order to represent my constituents of Awarua. I cannot say anything further. I have not discussed New Zealand politics since I left the dominion, and I do not intend to until after my return.” His visit, Sir Joseph continued, had been absolutely free from politics. In conclusion, he mentioned that Lady and Miss Ward wore extending their stay. They had had a strenuous time, and tho next few months would be spent by them quietly at Richmond.