SIR JOSEPH WARD'S JOKE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12258, 5 July 1909, Page 2

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S JOKE.

Seme interesting reminiscences were heard at the gathering held at Dunedin on Wednesday night, in the railway station, when railway officers sought to do honour to their retiring traffic superintendent, Mr A. Grant. The latter gentleman himself told a "J. G. Ward" story that was apparently new and was hugely appreciated (says tho "Otago Daily Times"). It would seem that in 1880 railway conditions in tho lnvercargill district made retrenchment necessary, and certain valued servants had to go. It was decided that a man had to be dismissed from the Bluff staff, and Mr Grant had to choose between two men. One man was a married man with s-even children, the other was single. In Mr Grant's estimation the single man was higher* but, despite the fact that he was a capable, promising young fellow, it was finally decided that he must be the official to receive notice. The seven children were not to be gainsaid. The young man left. His name Avas Joseph Ward, now Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister. He promptly entered into another walk of life; was apparently not to be kept down. Ho succeeded, and shortly afterwards was Mayor of the Bluff, and then a member of Parliament. Subsequently Mr Grant met him in lnvercargill, and he got a most enrdial handshake from the erstwhile railway clerk. He btire Mr Grant no resentment—said, in fact, that that dismissal was the best thing that ever happened to him. In due course Mr J. G. Ward became Minister of Railways, and one day he was travelling to Invercarglll. He reached Waipahi, ar.d there his train was held up by washout on the line. There was only one man at the Waipahi station, and, what with the flood, the blocking of traffic, the confusion, and the presence of the Minister of Railways, he was about the most worried railway, servant in Christendom. The Minister saw the difficulty and stepped into the breach, offering to attend to the t/egraphic instrument. The other man gladly accepted. Mr Ward remained grimly at the instrument until communication was restored, and did the. work fairly well. But he had apparently lost the knack of us;ng the key, for the receiver at Duned n was iestless. Just before leaving the office, therefore, the Minister sent a wire on his own account, and this is what a horrified telegraph man deciphered : "Sorry you are not^ pleased with my work on the wire; did mv best; long out of practice.—J. G Ward."