TRIUMPHANT TOUR

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 134, 2 March 1929, Page 10

TRIUMPHANT TOUR

PRIME MINISTER’S JOURNEY TO NAPIER ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOMES A POLICY VINDICATED Dominion Special Service. Napier, March 1. A particularly enthusiastic reception was accorded the Prime. Minister (Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) during his journey today from Wellington to Napier. Welcomes were extended by the Mayors and representative citizens at Levin, Woodville, Dannevirke, Waipukurau, Waipawa, Hastings, and Napier, at all of which places cheers were given for Sir Joseph Ward as the express moved out of the station.

In each case the speakers congratulated Sir Joseph on his return to power, describing the result of the election as a personal triumph to his popularity and reward for past services he had rendered the Dominion. The reception at Napier was spontaneous, and immediately the Prime Minister emerged from the station he was greeted by a large cheering crowd. Introducing Sir Joseph Ward, the Mayor, Mr. J. Vigor Brown, said the Prime Minister was out to do his best for New Zealand and to adjust the matters which had weighed heavily on the people in the past. Replying, the Prime Minister said that New Zealand was bounding ahead in, various ways. The Dominion had responded in splendid fashion to the need for the provision of public utilities, and from the ghastly world upheaval had emerged with a country unsullied and free from foreign domination. (Applause.) Perhaps the biggest sacrifice of all was of the fine men who went out and did not come back. What New Zealand had now to solve was the difficulty of effecting closer co-operation between the different sections which comprised its population. It had to create a system which would prevent the occurrence of unemployment and provide such closer land settlement as would enable men and women to make their homes and work out their.own destinies so that New Zealand would become sufficiently attractive to invite settlement from overseas of those people who would not become a burden on the population here. Closer settle* ment was wanted. Already the Government had made one purchase of a holding for subdivision, and the Minister of Lands was making personal investigations with respect to others. Although the Government had been in office only two months and a half, it had already put life into the town and country dwellers. Over that period financial provision had beep made through the State Advances Department for 680 settlers. and 500 workers, and the sum of £1,600,000 was still available for those who wanted to improve their holdings or build homes. The wheel of progress was indubitably being turned by the Government in its aim to help every section of the community. The policy of the Government had been clearly stated, and all he asked was what every Britis.her conceded, i.e., fair play to put it into operation. Of course the Government would remain in pow'er \only, so long as the people desired it should, but he was of opinion that the vast majority of the public wanted the United Party to remain in office. When the £70,000,000 loan was first mooted many had said the money could not be raised, but the first instalment of the £70,000.000 had been, and at 4J per cent. A letter to hand from a leading London financial authority described the result as the most wonderful on the London market for a long time. A voice: Good old Joe. The Prime Minister was cheered as he enter the car which took him to his hated.