THE GOVERNOR'S TOUR.

Evening Star, Issue 12094, 15 January 1904, Page 7

THE GOVERNOR'S TOUR.

[Fbom Ora Own Reporter.]

GORE, January 15. Lord Ranfurly had a busy day yesterday. After receiving an address of welcome at Riversdale, and being taken for a short drive, he was entertained at lunch. Here Hia Excellency impressed on the "cockatoos" of the district the advantage and necessity of bringing up their song and their sons" sons with a complete knowledge of the great Empire to which they belonged. He emphasised the need of education in the schools' curriculum in regard to the deeds that made the Empire what it was, and pointed out to the farmers the urgent necessity for maintaining the navy, as, if trouble arose, Britain's food supplies would be intercepted wherever possible. The Veterans' Home he described as a truly national memorial to the deeds of the army and navy. None would be admitted to that institution except those of unblemished characters as soldiers and sailors and colonists.

Lord Northland, who is, as already mentioned, a subaltern m the British Army, received quite an ovation for bis spirited reply on behalf of the army and navy, Eome of the bucolics fervently declaring him to be a "chip of the old block"—a compliment which appeared to be greatly appreciated by his respected parent. Another drive round the district filled in time till the screech of the engine reminded <the gubernatorial party that it was time to board tlft* rain for Gore. On arrival there the inev D( le formal address was presented from thirty rough Council, necessitating the ••iquafly vie ole re P'y- Then the party l-fere to the Council Chamber, and was indulged in. The Mayor J'Jlr Beattie) '•enlarged on the unbroken °?P erit y 5* x/ ore as »d surrounding district sd.*mg His . g: -Uency's lengthened term of - ,fice, and ■ - ; of the popularity of the departing re £'- ? tative of the King. Lord Rtttfurly mi ./rather lengthened response. He had wafened (he said) the progress of Gore during the past seven years, and was satisfied that it was of a permanent character. His own popularity had been referred to, and that had been set out to Lis visiting the various parts of the colony. It was useless for a Governor, a Minister, or Miyone else to travel round the country and to keep his eyes shut Notice should be taken, and the weak spots as well as the good ones should be pointed out in regard to the public institutions inspected, so that improvement where wanted might follow.— (Applause.) He was happy to say that so far as Gore was concerned he had no fault to find.—(Laughter.) The personal insight he had gained in regard to the colony's initifcutions, and in regard to its laws and how they were carried out, would-be of advantage to him when he got Home j and when the occasion arose for him to aay anythin" m regard thereto he trusted that he might be- able to dissipate eome of the fallacies entertained by the people of Great Britain as to the supposed inpecuniosity of the people •rf New Zealand generally.—(Laughter and applause.) People at Home appeared to be unable to understand that the Government of this colony were not only governing it, but were running every possible kind of business, which businesses in many cases might possibly be better run as they were run in the Old Country—by private individuals or by companies. But private individuals and private concerns were slow, and if our railways had been left to them to construct and manage he was. not at all sure that even Gore would have had a railway at_ present—(Applause and laughter.) Where the necessity existed the policy of the Government of the colony-had been to do what was necessary, and so they had railways from one end of the colony to the other owned by the Government and the people. At Home, when they talked of New Zealand's National Debt, they did not probably credit it with, an asset of the value of some nineteen or twenty millions sterling under the care now of his friend Sir Joseph Ward. This particular asset was paying a considerable rate of interest bask into the public exchequer, and at the same time was carrymg both passengers an* . 'ds cheaper than in all likelihood they Vhave been carried by a privately-owned railway in the absence of competition. There were many other assets in the shape of public requirements which helped to counterbalance our supposed enormous Public Debt, but which it was unnecessary for him to enumerate. There was no doubt that roads and bridges, which paid no interest at all, were to all intents and purposes dead «asets, but eveu these dead assets were not so when looked at in the right way, in that they opened up the country and promoted settlement, and thus indirectly by taxation contributed to the government of the country. He (His Excellency) hoped that when ho got Home he might be able to use the knowledge that he had acquired of the colony to the advantage of its people.— (Applause.) They might be sure of one thins—viz., that when his opinion* was asked he should give it straight out, and that he would not be found bolstering up anything that he did not think to be of the best. He mentioned this because he recognised that if he were to be of any real value to New Zealand and to her people when he got Home thev must know that they would get from him a straight opinion of what was really his belief. He thought he would be of some service to them, and though he should never come back in a position such ss he now had the honor to occupy, possibly when visiting his property in Australia he would find time to take a run through this colony again—a colony wherein he had spent so many pleasurable years.— (Loud cipplanse.) The health of Sir Joseph Ward having been received with enthusiasm and felicitously replied to, an adjournment was made to the bowling green, where Lord Ranfurly, Lord Northland, and the Minister of Railways took part in a game of bowls. The visitors shortly afterwards left Gore for Pukerau (where the night was quietly spent) amid the cheers of the Gore residents, the band playing' Will he no come back againr* us the train glided out of the station. Fine weather favored the proceedings, in which much enthusiasm was manifested. e_ .