MINISTERS ON TOUR.

Evening Post, Volume LXV, Issue 122, 25 May 1903, Page 5

MINISTERS ON TOUR.

MR. lIALL-JONES ON THE NORTH TRUNK LINE. (By Telegraph.— Special Reporter.) PIRIAKA, This Day. The Minister for Public Works and party arrived at Piriaica yesterday. The Minister was banqueted by the co-opera-tive workmen. Ho told them that the I Department would as far as possible allow the men to group themselves as working parties according to individuul ability, no matter how high the earnings averaged. To reduce freight over the- Public Worka Department section of the line, the Minister will make a /long distance through rate from Auckland u.s far as the engine nuui — that is, to Matapuna^ on the Mfonganui River. Tuis shall apply only to neocrearics for co-operative workmen. Tho Minister also speaks* favourably of tho workmen's co-operotivo s^pro started bore, which # has been tho means of reducing tho previously high prices of supplies. Tho lower freight will further ii wist. The Mat«puna Bridge, for which Scott Brow, are the contractors, should be completed by September, and by November tho whole, lino to tho Wanganui River should be handed over to 'the Railway Department. To-morrow tho Minister intends to go through tho Waimarina forest. THE UON. J. .M'GOWAN. [rotas association-,! ASHBURTON', 23rd May. Tho Minister of Mines, who returned to-day from a visit of inspection to the coal mines at Mount Somor», expressed iwrpriso at finding that such large bodies of coal existed in tho district', and tlvo extent of the development of the niimvt. 110 promised . ho woold get all availableinformation, and thought, if this* proved satisfactory, tho request for increased facilities for transit should bo granted. MR. SEDDON AT KAWHIA. Mr. Sedtfon and tho Minister for Lands visited Kawhi& on Saturday, and were given a hearty reception. ' Replying to various deputations, tho Premier snid ho thought the work of laying out avd surveying tho township and oxtenditig tho wharf should preecue tho reading of tho dintnot. It should be put in hand without delay. Boplying to a dopnl^ation of ladies, ho said tho Government intended to deal with tho subject of sly-grog selling. Meanwhile tho law wHfld be strictly enforced, which uhotild reduce- tho evil to a minimum. At a social gathering in the evening, Mr. Seddon, referring to Mahuta's appointment to tho Execuw tive Council, said it would result in thou8»n(U» of acres being thrown open for settlement, to the great benefit of both races.