THE PREMIER'S VISIT SOUTH

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 135, 7 June 1912, Page 8

THE PREMIER'S VISIT SOUTH

GRATIFIED WITH HIS RECEPTION. As a result of his recent visit to the South, Island, the Prime JJinister (Hon. T. Mackenzie) returned to Wellington more than ever convinced that the South is distinctly favourable to him and his Ministry. "I was told," he fiaid to a Poet reporter, "that the feeling was strong against me in Dunedin. Yet, when I opened ihe Young Men's Christian Association's magnificent new building, my reception, wae such that I had to comment on it. I said t * This reception really astonishes me. 1 was told that I dare not put my nose in the place. 1 knew Dunedin better, and that the hearts of the people of Dunedin were eound and true.' " The same thing occurred, the Prim© Minister added," when he opened the Winter' Show, and, again, j when he later arrived at Invercargill, where he was received, in the snow and sleet, by a band of eighteen pipers, playing the Mackenzie march. " Everywhere," he continued, "I received the utmost encouragement from many who ! had previously -been politically opposed to us, and I have not the slightest doubt i in my mind that if an appeal was made to the country (and I know, of course. 1 that such an appeal may not be possible) we would be returned with a comfortable working majority. -The people desire administration rather than legislation. They see that every member of my Cabinet ifi straining his utmost to do good work. We are attempting in various ways to deal with the problem© that are in people's minds, and especially are we devoting ourselves to pushing on land settlement and the development of agriculture, feeling assured that if we can continue to enlarge and widen the prosperity of those great industries, the" community generally will chare in that prosperity." ]