HIS OLD SCHOOL.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18549, 26 November 1925, Page 8

HIS OLD SCHOOL.

MR COATES HELD UP

A CHILDREN'S DEPUTATION. (sricnt TO "Tr* PRISI.") AUCKLAND. November '25. The first visit of the Prime Minister to his northern electorate since the General Election is being marked by'' numerous little acts of and au unending string of congratulations. All along the line l'roui Auckland to Paparon. and on tho motor route from Paparoa to Ruawai, he was greeted bv snnlcs and handshakes and cheery words that spoke always of his ! great victory at tho polls. The brightest incident- in a day that' was devoted almost entirely to travelling, with scarcely a moment's time for eating or drinking was on the Paparoa- , Dargaville road. The Prime Minister's car nau just topped the hill at Matakohe, when it was brought up suddenly by a thin trail line of children, holding hands across tho road. They were pupils of the Matakohe Public School, where Mr Coates was a well-reinember-eJ pupil as a Liov. Mr Coates uuaerstood the position in a. second, lie had alighted from his car, and won tho confidence and admiration of the youngsters with a good humoured colloquial greeting. "WitTi the children still tiarring progress with clasped hands across the road, a smart lad of 13—David Smith was his name —Stepped forward and addressed tho Prime Minister in the following terras: "Sir, on your first visit to Matakohe since i the General Election, we, tho pupils of your old school, wish to congratulate you on your attaining tho highest office in our land. "We are very pleased that an old Matakohe. boy is now Prime Minister, and we wish you every success." The little speech was received with huge delight by members of the Prime Minister's party, and with a little embarrassment by Mr Coates himself. The bystanders, however, were even more delighted when the youthful spokesman. on behalf of the scholars, asked Mr Coates to send the school an autographed photograph of himself. In a few kindly words Mr Coates thanked the youngster and his young colleagues for their little compliment, and told them how proud he was to be an 013 boy of the school. "Three cheers for Prime Minister Mr Coates!" called the boy, and the cheers were given in shrill voices. "Now, Mr McLeod, the Minister for Lands is with us," cautioned* the Prim/* Minister.

"Three cheers for Mr McLeod, Minister for Lands!" shouted the boy, and the children piped cheerily. Mr Coates gave the school a halfholiday. The children broke their human chain, and the cars resumed their journey.