Speech by the Acting-Premier.

Colonist, Volume XLV, Issue 10416, 23 May 1902, Page 4

Speech by the Acting-Premier.

Westpobt, May 22. The dominant note of Sir J. G. Ward's address at the banquet at Denniston last night was an effort to inculcate a feeling of nationality in the people of New Zealand. As regarded the great Commonwealth, he said that was overshadowing New Zealand's destiny, but apart from that -of the Commonwealth, geographically speaking, New Guinea and another island (which he could not mention at the time) were the only islands in the Pacific that fell under the natural control of the Commonwealth. All other islands in the South Pacific were, geographically, in such a position that New Zealand must be the central and controlling power, and once in that position the fixed policy of New Zealand would be so strengthened that it would then be able to decide its own terms as regarded the tariff that should prevail between the Commonwealth and New Zealand. With regard to the connection with the Old Land, he reiterated what he stated at Westport as to an Imperial Zollverien. He thought the time had arrived when the Colony should have an official in the Old Country with such a salary as would enable him to represent the Colony with dignity and-credit ; at the same time, he should hare a seat in the British House of Commons. This, he thought, for the time, might be accomplished by appointment to the position of Agent - General. He thought also that one of New Zealand's senior Judges of the Supreme Court should also represent the Colony in the House of Lords. This would go a long way towards strengthening Imperial unity, for when matters of great import, such as any great war or other complication, arose, then from this representation a more thorough feeliag of patriotism would be engendered. The speaker predicted that in five years the cables between the Colon/ and the Mother Country would be understate control, and the rate for cables wqbld be Id per word. In support nf

bis idea, he mentioned his advocacy of the ; Pacific cable at the Conference of Premier! in Brisbane in 1893. At that time he mdi-; cated ..the route of the Pacific cable; which. J with one slight deviation, had been carried out, or will be completed within the next seven months. At that Conference the rate for cables if Europe was 10s 4d per word. It had been Hi iced to 5s 2d per word, and would soon fc| Mluccd to 3s 4d per word.