ROTORUA PLEASED.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 134, 8 June 1929, Page 18

ROTORUA PLEASED.

PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT.

INTEREST APPRECIATED.

BIG CROWD ENTHUSIASTIC,

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.),

ROTORUA, this day.

Rotorua gave the Prime Minister a very warm welcome on his arrival last night. The Mayor, Mr. T. Jackson, be rough councillors, county councillors and supporters gathered at the railway station to cheer Sir Joseph as he alighted from the express. After meeting old friends and supporters, introduced by Mr. C. H. Clinkard, M.P., the Prime Minister motored to the Grand Hotel, passing down streets strung with flags and banners of welcome. Sir Joseph's public address in the Majestic Theatre was listened to by a great crowd, despite the fact that heavy rain was falling for an hour prior to the opening of the meeting. The theatre was full, and when Sir Joseph made his entry he was loudly applauded and cheered, the big audience singing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" as he mounted the platform. The Mayor, in introducing the Prime Minister, said his name was a household one. and the Rotorua citizens would give him a fair hearing. The Prime Minister was greeted with prolonged applause on rising to speak. He said the exacting duties of his office made it difiicult to visit the Rotorua district at an earlier date, but ho had made up his mind not to start the session of Parliament without meeting the people of Rotorua face to face and explaining why the Government had stopped the Rotorua-Taupo railway—and .stopped it for ever. Sir Joseph reviewed the country's finance, and said that the Government had honoured in part every pledge made at the general election, and it was proceeding along the lines of fulfilling every promise. Speaking of land settlement, he said one of the solid planks of the Government's policy was the subdivision of estates, which would be roaded and made available for settlers in small areas. The Dominion must look to land settlement for its future prosperity. A storm of applause signalised the end of the Prime Minister's speech, and a. resolution of thanks and confidence was carried by acclamation without a dissentient voice.

The Mayor expressed the appreciation of Rotorua in respect of the good things foreshadowed by Sir Joseph. A ripple of laughter was occasioned by theMayor's statement that at some future date he would bring under the Prime Minister's notieo several further improvements which could be effected at Rotorua with profit to the district and New Zealand generally.