THE TRIP HOME

Otago Witness, Issue 3335, 13 February 1918, Page 24

THE TRIP HOME

* SIR JOSEPH WARD'S VIEWS. A MATTER OF.DUTY. The impression which appears to exist in some quarters that the coming trip of Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward to the Old Country will be something in the nature of a "pleasure jaunt"" was referred to in no uncertain manner by Sir Joseph Ward on Saturday morning (says the Christchuroh Press). Neither he nor Mr Massey, said Sir Joseph, had the slightest desire to make the visit; in fact, they would prefer not to go. However, they had been asked to go by the Imperial authorities, and it was their duty to do bo. Any who thought there was any pleasure about such a journey should try it for themselves. One had only to read of the sinking going on in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and other places to recognise the danger of the route, whib the stay in London under war conditions was the reverse of pleasant. The trip was by no means one of pleasure or interest, and certainly no public man would from choice leave his country in a time of war. The question of the Pacific Islands stood right out in these oversea countries, Sir Joseph continued, and was of pre-eminent and dominant importance. If this country •were unrepresented and conditions were arrived at for the restoration of the Pacific Islands to Germany, it would be a worse calamity for this country than the losing of 20 elections. It would mean for all time a danger centre overshadowing this country, and even if after a strenuous fight the elements were against us and the islands were to revert to the enemy, at all events the country would have done all in its power to prevent it, and in his opinion it must be prevented. "It seems to me," concluded Sir Joseph, "that any impartial person, irrespective of his political leanings, should recognise that at this juncture of the war. when the Home authorities ask for the whole of the oversea countries to be represented, it becomes not a matter of choice -with the representatives, but an imperative duty, whicn the people as a whole, when peace times arrive, will look back upon (particularly if their efforts are successful) as work that cannot be estimated upon the basis of £ s. d.