MR. HERRIES IN THE SOUTH.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1134, 23 May 1911, Page 2

MR. HERRIES IN THE SOUTH.

VISIT TO THE WEST COAST, A prominent member of the Opposition, Sir. \V. H. ilcrries, arrived in Wellington yesterday from the ymtli, alter having made ail interesting tour of the northern portion ol the boutli Island. Describing. his trip to a Dominion representative Mr. ilcrries said that lie went first to Kelson and spoke at Wakefield, in the Motueka district, his meeting being'largely attended, lis next journeyed by train to Murchison and addressed a big gathering there. Mr. Herries then proceeded down the West Coast to Westport and spent a couple of days there, though he (lid not address any meetings, lie states that ho was charmed with tlio magnificent scenery of the Duller Gorge (it was his first visit to the Coast);'and tlio magnificent animals which Messrs. Newman employ in their eoaehes lor the Duller trip quite aroused his enthusiasm. It was the finest set of coaeh-iiorscs in Is'cw Zealand, declared Mr. Ilcrries. He reached Greymouth, via Reef ton, and then went on to Hokitika by train. lie addressed meetings at Hokitika, Ross, Kimu, and Kumara, and had good gatherings at each place. In tho Grey electorate, which is represented in tlie House by the .Speaker (the Hon. A. li. Guinness), Mr. ilcrries did not speak, regarding I his as neutral ground. 110 then proceeded across to Canterbury, via (lie Otira Gorge. From Christchurch Mr. Ilcrries went to Temuka and addressed a largo gathering there. On this occasion the hall was crowded. From Christchurch Mr. Ilcrries returned to Wellington.

This evening ho speaks at Palmcrston North and he then proceeds to Auckland.

Mr. llcvries was very pleased with his West Coast trip. lie had small idea of the resources and potentialities of the district'. It seemed to him that there was still a great futuro there for goldmining, especially at Ross, llokitika, and Kumara, if only water-power wero available. Ho hoped the Government would not continue its dog-m-thc-manger policy of preventing private rights over waterpower being acquired. Some of the pastoral land, especially that of the Murchison and Grey Valleys appealed to him by reason of its great fertility ami its suitability for farming and grazing purposes. Ho expresses much surprise at the excellent accommodation to ho found on the Coast, while the hospitality pf the people was exactly what he had expected to discover. Ho found everywhere staunch Opposition supporters, and there wero evidences that the West Coast is not. such a stronghold of Sir Joseph Ward's as it was of tho lato Hon. E. J. Seddon.