BACK HOME AGAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 143, 20 June 1938, Page 10

BACK HOME AGAIN

AN EXACTING TOUR

PRIME MINISTER RETURNS

MEETING THE PEOPLE

(By "The Post's" Special Reporter.)

On the road between Dannevirke and Woodville there is a little bridge undergoing repairs, and on the approach to the bridge is splashed in large red letters the words "Now then!" As the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) crossed the bridge on his way south on Saturday afternoon he smiled when he noticed them, and remarked, "Well, I am at least well known for something." His unconscious use of the phrase when rounding off a sentence caused amusement to his country audiences whenever he used it during the recent tour, and he used it a lot.

Mr. Savage and the Minister of Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb) and party reached Wellington in good time for dinner yesterday, after a particularly strenuous trip that lasted seven days and covered ten electorates in the Wellington, Taranaki, and South Hawke's Bay Provinces. Except for a huskiness in his voice, the Prime Minister returned to Wellington unimpaired by the exacting demands made on him during the trip.

He made from ten to twelve speeches a day on the average, many of them to school children, and if they all accept the offer he made them thousands of wide-eyed boys and girls will invade Parliament House during the coming session to have a look at Parliament in action. Except for formal speeches at the main centres, where he dealt with various aspects of Government policy, Mr. Savage avoided politics as much as he could. He made the tour primarily as a good-will mission, to meet the people, and the manner in which the people turned out on all sides to meet him, in spite of the sometimes atrocious weather, was a striking demonstration of his popularity, and the affection in which he is held.

In quite a number of cases the wayside places at which he stopped had never been visited by a Prime Minister before, and the formal receptions tendered him in the smaller townships were an excuse for a temporary general holiday while the residents went along to see and hear him. He spent much time chatting with people, and everywhere he went he was surrounded by autograph hunters, many of them young folk who pursued hi'm with the tenacity of hardened autograph collectors. At this moment the Prime Minister's signature reposes in autograph books, ordinary notebooks, menu cards, and slips of paper almost all over the lower part of the North Island.

The strict schedule arranged for him was observed without incident, and in spite of the many fortuitous delays en route the party kept pretty well to time. The Minister of Mines takes much of the credit for this. When he

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was not consulting with local authorities about employment of labour, he elected himself official timekeeper, and when he thought the Prime Minister had spoken long enough he waved his watch at Mr. Savage, who smilingly took the hint—though not without commenting occasionally on the close eye that was 'kept on him by Mr. Webb, whom he described as the "curly-headed boy of Cabinet." The watch was not a very good one, because it did not go very much, and Mr. Webb has long since lost whatever curls he may have had. Mr. Webb spoke in support of the Prime Minister on a number of occasions, and was highly popular with the school kiddies, particularly at the point where he offered to give away to them some of his "curls."

AN INFORMAL WELCOME. An informal welcome awaited the Prime Minister at the little school house at Kopuaranga, just north of Masterton, on Saturday evening. The party did not arrive there until it was dark, and the children, equipped with hurricane lamps, waved the cars to a stop. They then formed a guard of honour for the Prime Minister with the lamps, and guided the party into the schoolhouse, which was lit by candles and lanterns, and by the light of a cheerful log fire. Mr. Savage was formally welcomed by Mrs. R. Miller, chairwoman of the school committee, on behalf of the children and the residents. It was one of the most picturesque greetings accorded the Prime Minister during his tour. On Saturday Mr. Savage spoke at Norsewood, Takapau, Ormondville, Makotuku, Matamau, and at Pahiatua was given a civic reception by the Mayor (Mr. S. K. Siddells). The Hon. Sir Alfred Ransom, M.P., accompanied the party through the Pahiatua electorate. Mr. Savage visited the hospital, and on his journey to Masterton he attended a reception at Eketahuna and stopped for a while at Mauriceville. Immediately on at Masterton he was accorded a civic reception, a packed hall greeting him with great enthusiasm. The Mayor (Mr. T. Jordan) presided. Later Mr. Savage and his party attended a Labour Party social in the Municipal Hall.

En route to Wellington yesterday Mr. Savage called in at the Maori pa just outside Masterton,, and also drove through the grounds of the new high school.

Mr. Savage made his main speeches at Feilding, Palmerston North, Wanganui, Stratford, Dannevirke, and Masterton.

He was unable on this tour to get as far as New Plymouth, but he indicated during his speech at Stratford that he definitely intended to- visit New Plymouth at a date to be arranged.

During his journey yesterday, from Masterton to the top of the Rimutaka hill, the Prime Minister was accompanied by the Wairarapa A.A. road patrol.