A GREAT TRIBUTE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16906, 21 March 1929, Page 3

A GREAT TRIBUTE

BANQUET TO PREMIER

BRILLIANT ASSEMBLAGE

IN V Ell OAR GILL S 11 KG EPTI ON

(Per Press Association.)

INVERCARGILL, last night

Probably no greater tribute could have been paid to the Prime .Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, than the welcome accord ed him this evening, when over 2000 people assembled in the Drill Hall_ on tlie occasion of a monster banquet. The decorations and the lighting amounted to the most ambitious undertaking of the kind in Southland. Those present were representative of the whole province, fn addition, there was a notable gathering of Cabinet Ministers.

A crowd of upwards of 1000 congregated iri front of the hotel at which the Prime Minister is staying, and lie was given a rousing reception as he entered Ins ear. which, preceded by the Ripe Band, and followed by a- long procession of ears, proceeded to (lie bail. Ihe route was lined by large crowds. .

In proposing the toast of “tAir f inest Mr. J. C. Thomson, former Liberal member for 'Wallace, said, that, considered from the point of view nl public service, .Sir Joseph Ward was the most distinguished Southerner that the province had produced in the 73 years of its history. There was cause for rejoicing dial within its 1 borders there bad arisen a statesman gifted with foresight, initiative. wise discernment, quick judgment and prompt action —qualities always associated with greatness—who, for over 34 years, bad helped to share the destinies of our rich and. beautilul land one who bad achieved a world-wide reputation as a financier, whose pronouncements on any of the great financial problems in ,the spheres ot commerce and politics were always received with respect, and who had readied -a position in Stale and Empire which fell to the lot cf few to obtain. Southland had united in that vast assemblage—the most brilliant of its kind ever witnessed in the southern part- of the Dominion—to acknowledge its indebtedness for the service rendered by Sir Joseph Ward and to do honor to a citizen and a. statesman to whom every honor was ilue.

ONE BRILLIANT MEASURE. Referring to Sir Joseph Ward's work ill Parliament, the speaker mentioned that there was one measure which the well-known author, Sir Rider Haggard, called a brilliant piece of legislation and which lie recommended for adoption in Britain —the State Advances to Settlors Act —which had placed thousands on the road to independence. It was a piece of legislation that- marked a. new era in statesmanship and which would be a more lasting; memorial of Sir Joseph Ward than anything else lie hail done. Sir Joseph had reached the time of life when service would give him more pleasure than self, and there was no reason why, granted health and strength, he should not he spared for many years yet lo serve his country with the same ability and devotion, as had ever characterised his services. Disraeli reached the Prime Ministership of Great Britain when lie was 64 and held the position until lie was 76. Gladstone decided to withdraw from the political arena when tie was 66, but changed his mind, reentered the service of Jiis country and was the dominating ligure for 20 years afterwards, establishing a record of 66 years of Parliamentary life, and .reaching the age of 85 before he retired horn the position of Prime Minister. tin rising to reply to the toast. Sir Joseph was accorded an enthusiastic reception. In addressing the vast assembly, he thanked those through whose efforts Hie banquet, was organised, “f think 1 am right in saving that any man would realise, in these circumstances, that anything he had attempted was a mere consequence, with the pouring out of appreciation that lias taken place tonight,” he said. He realised the small requirement of age m his position and lie did not appreciate the expressions of those who had been sympathetically inclined towards him. He was afraid that the wish was father to the thought, and there were some who would be glad to have him out of the arena, in which both were engaged. He wished to say that all over the Empire, in trying to gain positions, politicians should lie, above sacrificing the best interests of Hie people.

STATE ADVANCES. Sir Joseph Ward spoke of the Government's desire to overcome the unemployment difficulty and by closer settlement, ho believed that country areas could absorb 5000 or 10,000 more people. The Government’s policy was to complete productive railways and, since taking office, be had stopped work on one railwav which it was believed would not prove productive. Continuing, Sir Joseph Ward reiemul to the State Advances system, stating that thi'. Government took office on December 10 and. since that date to March 15, £1,617.000 had been authorised to settlers and workers at low rates of interest, and there was approximately in hand now available for settlers and workers £1.600,000, so I hat those wanting money from those branches had only to comply with the Act in having their valuations sent into the board to have tlieiu considered and dealt with, and where the valuations warranted favorable consideration, no unnecessary delay took place. The board could not, of course, make advances beyond the Due value, but it was wonderful wliat had been done and was being done by flic relief and assistance given, irrespective of party. The system had been invaluable from its inception. At a low rate of interest 'the department, laid advanced to date upwards of £40,000,000 and was at present, providing funds at the rate of between £6.000.000 and £7.000,000 a year. “if 1 allude,” continued Sir Joseph Ward, “to the fact that T was responsible for the preparation of both the settlers’ and 1 the workers’ scheme and introduced and piloted the legislation for loth through Parliament, anyone would tc entitled to a feeling of .pride that, over a very long series of years of effective operation, they lmye. in the teeth of some of the most vicious criticism ever directed against a- public man, been completely successful. Sir Joseph Ward also touched upon the question of a direct Melhouriic-Blul! shipping service, and stated that. 11)6 matter was' in hand. At present negotiations were under way for the estab-

lishmenfc of two steamer services running each wav.

RAILWAYS POLICY

,Short railway lines, lie said, were not paying, and ■ nothing further would be done in the extension of short line's. The Government would concentrate on long lines and main trunk railways. The solution of the unemployment problem lay in land settlement, and this would be pressed forward without delay, as soon as the Government was in possession of all Hie facts.

Ollier speakers were Uic chairman, Mi-. R. Alexander, president of the Southland League, who made the introductory remarks: Messrs, D. McDougail, M.P., 'Mayor of Core, and L. A. Neiderer, chairman of the (Southland County, who supported the toast of “Our Guest” ; His Worship the Mayor of Invercargill. Mr. John Miller, who proposed the toast of “Tile Parliament of New Zealand,” and the Hon. 11. Atrnore. Minister of Education, and "Mr. Adam Hamilton, M.P.. who replied; Mr. ,1. A. I’rooni, Mayor of Winton, who purposed the toast of “The Navy, Artnv and' Air Force,” and ( apt. Lionel V'. Wells and Maior 11. O. McHugh, who replied. The toast of “Tourist and Health Resorts,” was proposed by Sir Harry Lauder and replied to by the Hon.',!. A. I-lanan, M.L.C.

The speeches were much longer than was anticipated, and the banquet, instead of concluding at 11 p.m., did not terminate til! well after midnight.