SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 75, 2 August 1913, Page 7

SIR JOSEPH WARD.

THE DREADNOUGHT GIFT

[Peb Press Association.] Auckland, August 1

In the course of his speech at the reception, Sir Joseph Ward said that he regarded it as only a right thing, while in the Old Country, even though there as a private citizen, to do everything in his power and in every direction possible to privately and publicly help in sustaining the strength and position of the Dominion. (Applause.) Referring to the Dreadnought gift, he remarked that he had never at any time attempted to take individual credit for the presentation. It was true that nobody had suggested that the gift of a Dreadnought was a desirable way to help the Empire at the time, but he did have knowledge of the circumstances ; and that occasion was one for the outlying Dominions to show the outside world that if one hair of the head of the parent was touched, the younger colonies had to be reckoned with. (Applause.) The gift served the purpose of showing the closeness of the ties existing between the Mother Land and the Dominions. It was his firm opinion, however, that the great subject of the defence of the Empire should be kept clear of party politics, but this was not done by his opponents at the last election. A vast majority of the people, independent of political opinion, believed that the solidity of the navy meant the solidity of the Brtish Empire; and from the standpoint of protection of all interests, small or great, one thing and only one thing kept us right. This was having the Empire navy so powerful that no combination of powers would attempt to attack it. In the Old Country, New Zealand stood in the highest position. Hty had met leading men on all sides of the great political world, but he never discussed either the present Government or dealt with the politics of this country behind any one’s back, or oven out in the open, on the principle that in New Zealand they required to deal with all affairs in the way that the majority of, the people desired. In his view there was not a general do- j sire that public men should go abroad j to discuss politics for tiie purpose of j gaining any advantage.