THE HON. R. McKENZIE'S TOUR.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 13999, 23 March 1911, Page 7

THE HON. R. McKENZIE'S TOUR.

(KtESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

GISBORNE, March 22

Tbe Hon. R. McKenzie, who has ; been on a .visit to the Easrf; Coast, north of Gisborne, returned to Gis-

borne to-day by steamer from Toko-

imam. This evening he was enter--2 taiijpd at a large and representative *• banquet by the Chamber of Commerce, ut which his Honour Mr .Justice Chapman, and Mr W. A. Barton, \ S.JL, were among those present. Mr ii 3tcKensio expressed himself as greatly | pleased with .the potentialities of the i district he had Visited. Referring to railways tho Minister said that in a . few months & start would be made at the Gisbbrno end and at the Napier ond with th© Gisborne-Napier railway, . and it wonld be one of the most important lines in ,th© Dominion. He . said tho East Coast main trunk line ■would get to ( Motu inside eighteen months, and when connected up it would be one of the most profitable hnes in the Dominion, tapping vast ■ areas of rich country. The line from Tanranga would probably reach Opotflsi at the same time as the line from Motu reached Ouotiki. The Minister leaves ewly in th© morning for Napier ' overland, via Wairoa. to follow the wute of th© Napier-Gisborne line.