A PREMIER'S DUTIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9113, 19 December 1907, Page 1

A PREMIER'S DUTIES.

HARD TIMES FOR, STR JOSEPH A •;.-. WARD. \, FAST TRAVELLING. £Fmon Ova •Cobbbsponbewt.] . ; WELLINGTON, December 18. f Tt is not all joy being a Premier, *jbpart from ; political considerations. iDuring the session and the troubles, teonsequent upon a general election, he ls> frequently called upon to perform am amount of work, which, if imposed 'upon jthe average citizen, would be regarded -jas aonlething which would call for expressions of disapproval, to say the very least. As an instance. Sir Joseph' .Ward left Wellington by the 7/50 train "era. Tuesday morning, and before 8.40 b.m. had opened the new post oifice at /Taihape, which was lying inches deep in dust, and sweltering in a temperature of approximately 98deg; also bush )Eh*es were raging near by, and they are never, very pleasant. Deputations laetjed f or an hour or bo after that, and at B p.m. he was called to a tl.nquet given in his honour. Naturally, he had to Sake a speech. That was easy, but he .ii also to listen to other people making .speeches until about 11.30 p.m., entd it, is suggested that the revellers aid not help to sooth his elumbers'later. :, However that may be, he woke about io a.m., caught -a special at 5.45 a.m., aijd , breakfasted at Palm erston North .about 8.30, then off for Martinborough, jatfayviif the-backblocks of the Wairarapa, through the Manawatu Gorge, idown the main line from Woodville, arriving at Featherston shortly after |L 2.3- No time for rest there. 1 Motors Were waiting to convey the . party *to plartinborough, and tiiey had to be up jand away. A howling gale was. blowing,- though the sky was blue, but the roads were inches deep in dust, , and idufst is. not pleasant to swallow. Howfever, there is an old saying that one .has to eat a peck of dirt before he dies, jarid the cha.nces.are that Sir Joseph Ward did his share. At any rate, all the other members of the party consumed their share, and what they did not «at they carried away on their clothes. * x At Martinborough thene was the fasual happening. It was the. Premieres first visit, and the population rose en anasse and annexed him. It .made speeches- about, him, and also, quite injradpntally, of conns©, about the new >aiiway it wanted, took him to lunch, pad© more speeches, listened attentiveN jy .while he talked about the prosperity )bf the dominion, found that !he wag a Really genial guest with a pleasant knack of avoiding direct statements, ■and generally had a good time with kirn. _ V, Then Sir Joseph was off to a bridge "which haid to be opened. All bridges tare important factors in the histoiry of Jbhe development of the backblooks, but, Jrvf; oourse, none^ were oyer such imporfcant links as this, and Sir Joseph made that fact sufficiently clear. There again ihe made himself more than, popular, although as the moments went by. it was cleary that he would have a difficult task to reach Wellington in time to ftoin with the Public Servioe Association in' congratulations on the passing of the Superannuation and Classification Acts, x »ut that was a mere detail. Bridges fere just as important as superannuation., in some cases more so, ano? this [was a case in point. _ Also, he had .to visit the wonderfully carved. Maori House and partake of tea ,Vith'\ the Maoris. Then off on a motorcar for Featherston to catch his special jaii^eady sadly delated. Even then his ptroubles woto not ended. The ipobor broke down,- and another oar had to be [requisitioned. Throughout the trying time, however, his good humour {prevailed. Care had no seat at his feasts, and when^ shortly after 6.30, he teot into his- special at Featherston on Ris way to keep his Wellington engagement, "he looked as fresh as when he left Wellington. What he felt may be another story. It was a long and arduous trip, and provides an excellent instance of the sacrifices which Ministers •sometimes make to please the people, ffhroughout he was accompanied by four {Pressmen, hut they have no choice.