PREMIER'S NORTHERN TOUR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1041, 2 February 1911, Page 6

PREMIER'S NORTHERN TOUR.

TWO MOEE SPEECHES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Rotorua, February 1. Tho Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) arrived at Putaruru at 4.30 p.m. yesterday. A deputation brought under his notico the need ot a local post and telegraph office, anil reminded him that a sum of ,£701) had been placed on the Estimates for the work. Tney referred to the delays'in handling the mail.now occasioned by tho tact that tho railway station hands had much other work to attend to. They trusted the work would be proceeded with early. Sir Joseph Ward stated he would seo that the building work was put in hand with the least possible delay. Sir Joseph Ward delivered a speech outside tho hotel. He said that the story of Now Zealand at the present time was one of progress, • brightness, and prosperity on every hand. After reviewing tho [uist session, he said he would bo content all the way through if the people judged by tho results of what the Uovernment were doing. He wanted to say a word or two about the .£5,000,000 loan. They had no doubt heard a lot of criticism about it.

A voice: ."Got .£10,000,000 if you ran, sir. Tho farmers can do with help." The loan had been most favourably obtained, and was to be used to the best possible advantage. Those who said shut down on borrowing, when asked what Ua-y would cut olf the money supplies from, were not able to give an answer worthv. of serious notice. Ono of the Opposition's leading organs said, in reply tp his question as to what work should be stopped in order to do without the money, that it should be out off all but tho Dreadnought Fund. Ho was now tho senior Minister of the Crown in Australasia, and had almost completed his quarter of a century of Parliamentary work, and he felt -that at tho end of that time it was a good thing to have come through air the Kicks and criticisms, and to have turned aside tho shots whioh every public man must meet in the course of his career.

From Putarnru the Prime Minister proceeded to Rotorua. At Mamaku, en route, he was invited to'the hall, and there he delivered another speech, several listening outside the windows. He expressed sympathy with them in their bush-firo difficulties, and trusted they would soon be extinguished. Great prosperity would'follow in their wake. At the conclusion of tho meeting the Prime Minister was accorded a vote of confidence "in the Liberal Government, of which he is tho distinguished head." Sir Joseph Ward leaves this morning iior Tepuke, thenco to Tauranga. He turns to Rotorua to catch the express on Friday morning for Matamata; Morrinsvillo, Te 'Aroha, and Cambridge, reaching Auckland on Saturday night.