SIR JOSEPH WARD’S ILLNESS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17232, 11 April 1930, Page 9

SIR JOSEPH WARD’S ILLNESS

(To tho Editor of the Herald.) Sir, —A number of letters have appeared in various newspapers, and one hears of rumors from various quarters about Sir Joseph Ward being incapacitated through illness and unable to attend to his duties. To listen to these complaints, one would think that Sir Joseph Ward was the first Prime Minister who has been absent through illness. One has only to cast one’s memory back to see the number of previous Primo Ministers and Ministeis who have been absent from their official duties through illness. Take, for instance, that grand old statesman, Sir Harry Atkinson, who, when Prime Minister, was laid aside with illness for a considerable time and ultimately retired from the Lower House, and was appointed as Speaker to the Upper House. What happened next? Worn out with the cares of office, lie had not long been in the council before ho died from heart failure. A well-known citizen once told mo that he walked up through Parliamentary grounds with Sir Harry tho day before he died, and Sir Harry asked him not to walk so fast, as ho said his heart was like a clock that had been overwound and the spring was ready to snap at any time. r J he following day it did snap. Sir Harry Atkinson had just presided over a short meeting of the Legislative Council, and ho was taken from tho chair in the chamber to his private sitting-room. Ho was assisted to an armchair there, and a few minutes afterwards expired. Then, again, there was John Ballance. known to many as “Honest John” Ballance. Was not ho for weeks ill and unable to attend to bis duties, and ultimately operated on and died shortly afterwards? Then, again, was not the Rt. Hon. Richard John Seddon laid aside with illness, and did not ho for weeks at a. time commandeer ono of the Government steamers, either the Hincmoa or Tutanckai (the Tutanekarj T think), and go voyaging round the North Island in search of renewed health? On ono occasion ho took with him a medical officer, Ur. Valintine, who is now Uiroctor-General of Health. I remember Mr. Seddon at a public meeting speaking! of bis voyage, and savinc bow severo Ur. Valintine was in connection with him, and bow bo got him kept to a strict regime and diet, and made him do certain exercises on Hie voyage. Then, again, was not Sir William TTnll-Jones. when Minister of Public Works, laid aside with illness, and was it not thought for a time ho would not get better, but that esteemed gentleman is still with ns? Then there was Sir William Herries. Was not jin erne of fhe Ministers laid aside with illness, and ooirid not attend to any public duties for weeks, and ultimately rl’ed from bis illness? Then the Rt. Hop. William Ferguson Mnssev. whom we all revered. Was not be for months laid aside with a serious illness, and could not do bis work, ultimately dying? Has not the Hon. W. Uownie Stewart been ill for months, and did bo not .go to America- for treatment, accompanied hv a, private secretary and messenger? Ho. lias since bad at times to go .to Rotorua for treatment. Anri writing! of these political leaders (whose sickness was not- made (ho excuse of embittered. attacks, nor the medium of an endeavor to advance the interests of less able political opponents), calls to mind I lie fact. that for months Sir -Tillius Vogel bad to he wheeled into tho House on an invalid’s chair! All reasonable people regret (lie illness that in some instances caused the death of some of tho foregoing, and nothing but svmpathv was extended to them and their relatives, but why make a difference. in fhe ease of Sir Joseph Ward! He, I understand, is transacting business whilst at Rotorua trying to recover his health, and has tho assistance of a private secretary there. T think some consideration and sympathy should be shown to this gentleman. I think T noticed in some of tho pro-sessional addresses of Mr. IT. U. Holland that, he expressed svmpatliy with Sir Joseph Ward in his illness, and hoped that he would soon recover.—l am. etc.. FAIR, PLAY LS BONNTE PLAY.