WARM WELCOMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 275, 20 November 1935, Page 10

WARM WELCOMES.

MR. FORBES ON TOUR. EMBARRASSING POPULARITY. SOUTH OTAGO ADDRESSES. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) GORK, Tuesday. "When we were young wo were mystified by the old trick of drawing rabbits out of a hat, but now we are older we know that the rabbits have to be put in before the conjuror can get them out. All those promises and schemes of other parties have to be paid for by someone. Money has to go into the hat first." This simple analogy, used by the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, in ono of the South Otago addresses today, vas keenly appreciated by his audienc,.. At all his meetings during an extensive tour of the southern electorates of the South Island Mr. Forbes has attacked the promises of Labour as impossible of operation except by recourse to inflation. Of the Democrat promises he confined his remarks to the short statement: "That party does not count," and an indication of his view that the party's candidates were of no more significance than the Independents.

On his tour of Otago and Southland Mr. Forbes is attracting very big audiences, which are friendly almost to the point of embarrassment. Cn some occasions, when the party is pushed for time, frequently the desire of children to secure autographs, the desire of the men and women anxious to shako the hand of the Prime Minister and assure him of their support, and other manifestations of the traditional hospitality of the people, cause delays which sometimes give both Mr. Forbes and Mrs. Forbes little time f6r anything else.

The spirit of the people all over the countryside and in the centres seems exceptionally friendly and probably even more so than the Prime Minister expected. Mrs. Forbes has probably received more bouquets in less than a week than any other prominent woman visitor who has passed through South Otago. Address at Balclutha. The Balclutha Council Chambers wore crowded for a short address this morning by Mr. Forbes. There were at least 500 in the large hall at Owaka for an address after lunch and 150 schoolchildren cheered lustily when Mr. Forbes asked that they should be allowed a half-holiday as a consolation for their having listened to a political speech so attentively. The last Prime Minister to visit Owaka was Mr. Seddon, who drove a bullock waggon along the main road. His listeners applauded heartily when Mr. Forbes told them that as soon as finances improved he hoped one of the first things done would be the full restoration of the salaries of public servants.

Nearly 700 electors listened to Mr. Forbes at Gore this evening, and gave him one of the friendlieet hearings he has yet had in such a larga town. The audience applauded often, particularly for his defence of his decision to go Home to repreoent the Dominion at the King's jubilee celebrations, and to the high standing of New Zealand in England. New Zealand people, he said, were not going to be led into the dangers of inflation by glittering promises. The Prime Minister was given a very hearty vote of thanks. To-morrow he will leave for Invercargill, speaking' at several centres on the way.