THE PRIME MINISTER.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13363, 3 March 1909, Page 7

THE PRIME MINISTER.

Th» Right Hon. the Prime Minister (Sir J. G. Ward) arrived by the Maori from Wellington yesterday, accompanied by Messrs J. Hislop and F. Matthews, and left for the South by the second express. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGIIAM.) DUNEDIN, March 2. Sir Joseph Ward, who arrived by tho ■econd express to-night, leaves for Invercargill to-morrow morning, and will return on morning. Ho will leave. Dunedin by steamer on Friday afternoon, and s_:end Saturday in Christchurch, leaving for Welitngtm ' that night. A full meeting of Cabinet is to bo held next week, when a largo number of important matters will be dealt with. llie Prime Minister informed a reporter this evening that the final .payment to tho Wellington and Manu■natu Railway Company of £415,000 had been made to the Company in London on Saturday. Payment for the stores taken over by tlie Government his also been made in Welling- ■ too, while payment for the adjustment of interest has been made to the Government by the Company. The vholo of tho Welliiigton-MannwaMi ■ railway ptirchaso has, therefore, now bwi completed in accordance with tho krrns of tho wntract. ■' Sir Joseph to-dfiy received a reply dated March Ist, from the High Commissioner, in answer to tho cablegram tent by him on February 26th, concerning assisted passagi-s to in i migrants, ai fol'ows :—"Your cablegram 26th Tebniary received. (1) All New Zealand (Jovernment a.«si<=ted immigrant* are strictly limited to farm •workers, female domestic workers, ard those nominated by friends in New Zealand (2) The New Zealand Shipping Company have had lectures. (3; All the shipping companies nnd shipping agents are naturally desirous of obtaining passengers. (4) lam making enquiries whether there is any reduction in passages, outside of those •'ealt with by tbe High by shipping companies. (5) Ido not hesitate to inform unsuitable persons of the position of the New Zealand labour market." Sir Joseph stated that he was cabling to noint out to the shipping companies that anything - in the shape of a general selection of pfople by them tinwtitable for absorption in tho Dominion should be pre- . runted.