PARLIAMENT'S SYMPATHY

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1930, Page 11

PARLIAMENT'S SYMPATHY

TRIBUTES FROM ALL SIDES RECOGNITION OF GREAT SERVICE. HOUSE ADJOURNED FOR A WEEK. By Telefrrar/h. —Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The ordinary programme of business was suspended when the House of Representatives met this afternoon and sympathetic references to the death of Sir Joseph Ward were made by representatives of all parties. The Prime Minister moved that the House place on record its high sense of the devoted and distinguished services rendered to New Zealand and to the Empire by Sir Joseph Ward as a member of the House and as Prime Mi.nister and respectfully tender to his family an assurance of sincere sympathy with them in their bereavement. Mr. Forbes briefly outlined Sir Joseph’s career both as a politician and in public life before he entered the. House of Representatives. At such a time as the present, said Mr. Forbes,all members of the House laid aside their political differences. When. Sir Joseph retired from the Prime Ministership he left behind a feeling of personal loss. It was truly said that the greatness of the country was built up on the actions and accomplishments of its public men, and where a high standard of public duty was set by those public men that country was on a sound foundation. It was to men like Sir Joseph Ward ‘that this country was indebted for the soundness of its constitution and foundation. When they looked back on the long record of public men who had servefl New Zealand they had every reason to be thankful. Sir Joseph had contributed in very large measure to the building of New Zealand’s foundations. He had won a host of friends by his kindly nature and\ his unfailing courtesy. He had brought a spirit of optimism to the House of Representatives at a time when optimism was badly needed. KIND AND CONSIDERATE LEADER. Mr, Forbes recalled his early association with Sir Joseph Ward and said he had always sincerely admired the man and his ' methods. There could be no kinder hearted man nor any more considerate leader, When, after he had stepped down and had taken his place in Opposition, Mr. Forbes was his Whip, he found him always the soul of honour. In every way he had maintained a high standard of duty. When Sir Joseph again took office he was in failing health, but thought that he would be able to be of some service, to his country. He did not think of sparing himself when he felt that he could be of assistance to New Zealand. Sir Joseph felt that his counsel, advice and long experience would be of value to the country, and he gave it until ho felt his strength would no longer permit it. Ho never shirked the hardest work. No one who asked for an audience with him was ever refused. Right throughout New Zealand there would bo a feeling that a long and distinguished record had come to a close and the verdict would be, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” No monument to his memory would be more fitting than his record and the high respect in which Sir Joseph was •held by the whole of the people of New Zealand. The Right. Hon. J. G. Coates, Leader of the Opposition, associated himself with the expressions of sympathy and added a tribute to the achievements of Sir Joseph Ward. “He had led a full and active life,” said Mr. Coates, with some great successes and some defeats. From the latter he had always returned with cheery optimism to take his place in tho ranks. His history ran over more •than half of the Governmental record in New Zealand. In one form or another he had served his country for over 50. years.

ADVOCATE OF EMPIRE UNITY. As an Imperialist everybody would pay tribute to tho work which Sir Joseph had done in tho interests of the Empire, especially in the direction of adequate defence and protection of trade routes. He had recognised that the Empire was worth defending. Sir Joseph had always been an advocate of Empire unity, and it was their duty to carry on his work in that direction. They would remember Sir Joseph Ward as a personal friend, apart • altogether- from politics, and many hard things said across the floor of the House would be forgotten when they thought of the great part he had played in the history of New Zealand and indeed of the Empire as a whole. The Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. H, E. Holland, in supporting the motion and joining in the message of sympathy said that Sir Joseph Ward had had half a century of public service to his credit, including nearly forty years in active political life. Few men could have endured as Sir Joseph Ward did the strain of hie long and active political career. Mr. Holland said he marvelled that Sir Joseph had been able to return to the House and to the Prime Ministership at the age of 70 years. • Even those who were most strenuously opposed to him maintained close friendship with him. He was one of nature’s gentlemen. Mr. Holland referred to the severe blow of Lady Ward’s death to Sir Joseph, and eaid that Sir Joseph’s letters at the time revealed how sorely he felt his bereavement. Everyone who. had to enter the conflict of political life appreciated tho help and comradeship of a good woman. NEW ZEALAND’S HIGHER STATUS. Referring to Sir Joseph’s part in tho proceedings of tho Imperial Conference in 1911, Mr. Holland said that everyone' who read that phase of his career must ba struck with the efforts he had made to secure for New Zealand a higher Dominion status. Tho thanks of New Zealand was due to Sir Joseph to a large extent for tho attitude he took up on that occasion. There were measures on the Statute Book of New Zealand which would serve to keen his memory alive. * Speaking on behalf of the Labour Party t Mr. Holland said they had dif-fer-enees with Sir Joseph on fundamental principles, but in their strongest conflict the deceased statesman was always exceedingly gentlemanly and courteous to those opposed to him. The conflicts of the past were forgotten in hia

death, and he was remembered for the great deeds he had done. The Hon. P. A. de la Pcrreile expressed the belief that no more brilliant figure than Sir Joseph Ward had adorned any Parliament. There was no more honoured man in the Parliamentary life of New Zealand. Everything he had attained had been the outcome of his own effort, ability and determination to succeed. His private life had been beyond reproach, and nothing that was mean or in any way repelled had ever entered into his career. He had had his political opponents, but no political enemies. While on his death-bed he had remarked to members of the Cabinet: “I’m going out with a clean sheet and I’m not a coward.” That, Mr. de la Perrelle said, summed up Sir Joseph Ward. Southland loved him, and his work had done much to make Southland the great province that it was to-day. TRIBUTE FROM THE MAORI RACE. Sir Apirana Ngata said he wished to express sympathy and appreciation on behalf of'the Maori people. Sir Joseph Ward’s record as a business man and ~as a statesman, as detailed by the Prime Minister, had become part of the history of this country. • There were, two names which could never be. separated in the minds of the Maori peq-. ple—Scddon and Ward. While these.two, statesmen had worked together -previously, Sir Joseph Ward’s own attitude towards the Maori race had not completely been revealed till the peiiod from 1900 to 1912, when he was Prime Minister. It was then that his general kindly attitude towards the Native race had enabled the late Sir James Can oil to perform his great work as Minister, It might be said that more could have been achieved, but it had to be remembered that it was tnen still a time when Maori affairs were party questions. During Sir Joseph Ward’s brief return to office in 1928 he had gone so far as to initiate a scheme and eventually administer the finances so as to make possible the development of native lands, thus carrying on the traditions of Sir James Carroll and making it possible for the Maoris to say that at last the pakeha was'beginning to have more confidence in his. own handiwork —the handiwork of civilisation. It was a great step in moulding the destiny of the Maori race under modern civilisation. Referring to Sir Joseph Ward s political life generally, Sir Apirana Ngata said he was one of the most brilliant men in the matter of political conception, though not so great in stage managing his schemes. In the speakei s opinion it was in that sphere that Mr. Seddon was tho greater. He was the greater executive, but the great legislation of tho past, with which no party had dared to interfere materially, could be traced back to the conception of Sir Joseph Ward. The late leader was always courteous, but beneath that courtesy there was a determination unsurpassed in the history of this country. In conclusion Sir Apirana Ngata stated that he had received . messages of sympathy and appreciation fiom Maoris throughout the country, and they expressed tho wish that these should also apply to Sir Jdaui Pornare. A. RECORD HARD TO EMULATE. Mr. M. J. Savage said that in all his political battles Sir Joseph Ward had always had the happy knack of bringing in a personal touch that left no sting behind. He had left a record that it would be hard for those following him to emulate. Sir Joseph Ward could aptly be described as a man among men. Ho was an institution, and his passing had left a gap in the ranks of the country that would' be hard to fill. Mr. H. M. Ruehworth said he had ‘been deputed,by the Independent members of the House to add their tribute. It must have been a great experience for all new members to come in contact with Sir Joseph Ward and find that such a great statesman was at tho same time such a kindly and courteous friend. Mr. E. J. Howard said ho felt it his duty to place on record the appreciation of the people of Christchurch, and especially of the old-age pensioners, of the work of the deceased statesman. The Hon. H. Atmore also paid a tribute to Sir Joseph Ward’s work in connection with the old-age pension scheme and his help in other directions. An officer of the Salvation Army had told Mr. Atmore that the late Prime Minister had been one of its greatest benefactors. His ability had been so undoubted that he had become one of the greatest leaders in the commercial world at the same time as he was one of the leaders of the people. Mr. G. C. Black as the youngest member of the House expressed the appreciation of young New Zealanders for the work of Sir Joseph Ward, who had always looked at matters affecting 1 the Public Service as one who had gone through the mill himself. Mr. P, Fraser said he felt lie was voicing the opinion of all the people of Wellington when he expressed the deepest regret at the passing of Sir Joseph Ward, who had spent so much time in the Capital City during his career that Wellington people had come to regard him as a fellow citizen. Mr. Fraser added that he thought the last year of Sir Joseph Ward’s life would always be remembered for hia wonderful and courageous struggle against the ravages of the disease attacking his weakened body. The motion was then adopted. Replying to Mr. Coates, Mr. Forbes outlined the arrangements for the funeral. He said Sir Joseph Ward had expressed a wish to be buried in the Bluff cemetery, where his wife rested. The House adjourned at 3.30 till 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday next as a mark of respect for the memory of Sir Joseph Ward. SCHOOLS TO CLOSE THURSDAY. INSTRUCTIONS BY MINISTER. Wellington, Last Night. The Minister of Education, the Hon. H. Atmore, announced to-day that he had issued instructions for the schools throughout New Zealand to bo closed in the afternoon, also on Thursday, as a mark of respect to Sir Joseph Ward.