ADDRESS BY THE PRIME MINISTER.

Ashburton Guardian, Issue 8346, 10 April 1912, Page 3

ADDRESS BY THE PRIME MINISTER.

MANAIA, April 9. " A gathering of about 400 people welcomeu tiie Prime Minister at a banquet at Aianaia to-night. The proceedings were most cordial and entnusiastic. The Hon. T. Mackenzie, rising to respond to the greeting, was received with continued cheering, tie said he considered it the greatest honour to represent HJgmont m the House. It was only a year ago that he came to lay the foundation stone of the post oltice, and now he was elected by the Liberal Party to carry on the political operations of this country. He praised the settlers for their good work m dairying. Referring to the cutting, up of his former electorates m, the South Island, he said the large landholders had- threatened that he would never get a seat because he advocated the cutting up,-of. estates- so, enthusiastically, lie hoped his constituents would all be proud of him as their" member. He had refused-. to ■ give any promises, but he gave his services to the finest district, then to the Dominion, and then to the Empire. He referred to his. associatison with the lace Sir Henry Atkinson—a man of sound constitutional principles, who was ahead of the times. Referring to the new Cabinet he said each member of it had the interests of the country at heart, and they hoped to act up to the standard set m the speech of Lord Dudley. He deprecated a policy of anathema and improper motives. Good men should sacrifice self Tor their country. The members of the Cabinet intended to answer every hostile speech before they met Parliament. He would make no effort to control a majority, and would accept what Parliament had m store with an even mind. He hoped the people would allow the ■ Ministry. a chance to continue the good government of the past. The country wanted political rest—more administration and loss legislation. The Government hoped to settle down and deal with matters for the good of the people; to utilise the lands and break up the large estates. - He believed the time would come when land must be available to all who wanted it, to give prosperity to | the country and people the land. Good settlers with more scientific knowledge were required, especially m the dairying industry-—men to supervise the produce m London, more instructors, and better stud cattle. He hoped to open up the lands and improve the waste lands of the North. Fruit growing experiments "and testing would prove whether the poor lands could be worked with advantage, which would bring Crown and other lands into greater productiveness. He also hoped to bring the swamp lands into profitable cultivation. He assured his hearers that he was not giving up the portfolio of agriculture. Referring to borrowing, he said the country had a greater income from the money, invested by the New Zealand people than Avas paid m interest. It was improper to unduly borrow; they must i see that their investments were sound, and so push the Dominion along. "The men who are going to rule this country," concluded Mr Mackenzie, are the men who take the people into their confidence and make the country what God meant it to be. If we -cannot fill the position, we shall retire.. He promised that if he were put^out-ji Ministerial office, lie would fulfil ..the promise he had made to come and live m the Egmont district. The Prime Minister <was enthusiastically applauded when he resumed his seat.