POLITICS IN OOMINION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14987, 14 August 1919, Page 2

POLITICS IN OOMINION.

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S OPINION. BEGINNING oFa NEW ERA. The political outlook in Ne^y Zealand .was discussed by Sir Joseph Ward at , the civic reception in Wellington to the returning leaders. He said he appreciated very sincerely the work that had been done by the Ministers in New Zealand during the absence of Mr Massey .and himself. He had a general knowledge of the many difficulties that bad been encountered by the Government during their absence, and he believed that the Ministers deserved the commendation of every section of the community. The Dominion had gone through a period that, at all events on the surface, had been completely, - clear of party politics, i said Sir Joseph Ward. The suspension of party politics had been absolutely necessary when the very existence of the nation was threatened by an external foe, and- public men could not possibly have justified themselves if they bad hampered the effective prosecution of the war on anything like personal grounds. The war had ended, but to have expected a war" of <|uch magnitude, to end without giving rise to other troubles would have been to expect the impossible. If it had been possible during the last , four years and a half to block the mouth of one of New Zealand's great rivers, added Sir Joseph Ward, nobody would have been surprised if the waters of the river found new channels and broke beyond tbeir recognised lines. The people of jthe Dominion had had their normal peace conditions blocked for four years and a -half, and it was only to be expected that the tributaries of tho river, industrial, commercial, and social, should have broken bounds in places. It would haye been foolish to have expected otherwise. The duty of the people of the Dominion now was to exercise their independent rights and their judgment to ; the; full and. see that any perilous con- ' ditions were stopped. The people of the Dominion were not going to De deter- ■• red, by anything in the nature of sec- li tional role from supporting the laws of the. country .and .getting, back to sound • conditions under the new order. '•We shall never return to the old prewar ■-ooiMßtions^. said^tbe Miraster. ."It is our duty to help to restore this, country under tho new conditions, in the new era we have entered. I am persuaded that the Peace Conference, culminating in the signing of the Peace Treaty, is the beginning of a new era hr which •. New Zealand .will have > position in the forefront. I have heard New Zealand people and , New Zealand laws and New Zealand soldiers spoken of in many ; countries in a way that would make any *j mab. feel proud of his country. I do not ! believe that any 111 judgment or tempor- , ary difficulties will be allowed to stand ' blithe way of the future prosperity and .! development of this -bright and happy j country of ours." ■ ]