THE PRIME MINISTER

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 42, 18 February 1921, Page 5

THE PRIME MINISTER

ON THE WEST COAST. (IT TiMSRAPM.—KIt«SS ASIOCIATIOX.) GREYMOUTH, 17th. February. The Prime, Minister arrived this afternoon from Hokitika. He met members of local bodies and visited the scene of i river erosion. Later he received deputations re local needs from the Grey County Council, the Bortmgh Councils of Greymouth, Eunanga, Brunner, Cobden Town Board, Miners and Wa-ter-siders' Union, R-unanga Co-operative Society, Hospital Board, Progress League, and the Repatriation Committee. Mr. Massey promised' favourable consideration to their requests. Later Mr. Massey visited Runanga, giving satisfactory replies re housing and local improvements. The miners' deputation stressed the fact that men were leaving because they could not get houses. There was a large crowd in the evening at the Town Hall to welcome Mr. Massey. The Prime Minister's speech dealt at length with the need for solidarity of Empire. When he went to Britain he would stand for greater Imperial unity. He spoke optimistically of the Otira Tunnel as a factor in advancing tho West Coast. He stated cases proving the success of the soldier settlement policy of the Government. He stressed the need for public and private industry and economy in the next eighteen months. A good motto would be : "Take courage and keep busy." Mr. Massev dealt briefly with the financial position,,also with gold-mining prospects, expressing the hope that the new dredging venture at Rimu Flat would load to a revival of gold production on the Coa-st. He believed much gold was still to be got in the Coromandel Peninsula. The sugar position, said Mr. Massey, was improving. Regarding immigration, he pointed out the restriction against undesirable foreigners, but ■we would welcome French people, and others i who would be good settlers. He paid a high tribute to the French people. Mr. Massey dealt with ?he coal position, saying the Dominion wanted more production, as we were importing coal from' as far away as Wales, whence a shipload left only that.day. . He would do his utmeet to make the miners' conditions and wages the^Eest possible in order to get more miners, as the country was losing £300,000 per year through having to import conl. He thanked the people of the Coast for the' splendid welcome given him at'all places visited. Mr. Ma-ssev was later entertained, by the local bodies. , •

The Prime Minister will leave early in -the morning for Reefton and Westport. .. •