LORD BLEDISLOE

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 November 1931, Page 3

LORD BLEDISLOE

VISIT TO WAIMATE. . [PEB PBESB ASSOCIATION.] WAIMATE, November 2. The Governor-General greeted a lai-ge gathering of farmers and others, when he stepped from the train at Morven railway station oil Saturday afternoon for the week-end visit to 1 Wai'mate. ‘ '■ '

His Excellency was met by the Mayor (Mr George Dash) and Mr J. Bitchener, M.P., heads of the local farmers’ organisations, and " representatives of the Borough and County Councils. After the welcome by Mr Bitchener, Lord Bledisloe addressed the farmers, touching on a. variety of subjects. “I myself am an optimist,” declared)

Lord Bledisloe, in the course of the address. “I have travelled more on agricultural investigation than any Englishman, and can say I have never seen a country anywhere in the world with greater potentialities than New Zealand. Only right methods must be adopted, and excessive national and local body debt avoided.” He touched on the difficulties facing the farmers and comihunity, and the possible benefit from the abandonment by Britain of the gold standard, the necessity for curbing governmental and local body expenditure, the heaviness of present financial commitments, need for care in fostering secondary industries, wisdom of buying British goods, need for quality and uniformity in our products, necessity for lower costs of production, and co-operation among farmers. Visits were made to a purebred Jersey farm, and stud of Romney, Southdown, and Border Leicester sheep. Lord Bledisloe exhibited keen interest.

On Saturday night, an official reception, attended by representatives of the Waiinate local bodies, was accorded Lord Bledisloe. Addresses of welcome ’ and loyalty were given by the Mayor and Mr Bitchener. Lord Bledisloe mentioned the anxiety he had felt in the illness of Lady Bledisloe, wlio was now improving. He said the laudatory remarks respecting the King were no exaggeration. His Majesty kept in close touc?i with Dominion affairs.

Lord Bledisloe spoke on farming topics, and stated that New Zealand could be made the best country- in the Empire. "If the country is*td develop to prosperity and retain its position in thq Empire and world, it would’be wise to copy to aii ever increasing extent, the grand qualities of courage, resource, and self-help which characterised the early pioneers’ of this country,” he asserted, “i want you to bo optibiists. You have every reason for optimism.” He appealed again for economy. - - ■ Yesterday, His Excellency attended divine service at St. Paul’s Methodist Church, he reading the Lesson. The sermon by Rev. W. B. Scott was “The Value of Christian Citizenship.”