THE NEW PREMIER

Grey River Argus, 29 May 1925, Page 5

THE NEW PREMIER

CONGRATULATIONS I I From Manv Friends ( I\ i r Press A ssocia-t-ion. / WELLINGTON, May 28. Hon. J. G. Coates to.day received hundreds of congratulatory messages from .ill parts of New Zealand. One from the French Consul was couched in the following glowing terms: — “1 am happy io congratulate the recently chosen leader in this new victory taming while La Basseville and Mailly.Maillot are still fresh in our minds. ’ ’ A typicai soldier’s message came from an Expeditionary Force com»ade, viz.,— “Manage the country as you did your Company, and you’ll do me, Digger! ’ 1 Heartiest congratulations came from many leading men. Mr Wilford (Leader of the Liberal Party) in his congratulatory message, points out that this is the first time in the Dominion’s history that both the Premiership and the leadership of the Opposition are held by New Zea-land-born men. Among the congratulations are messages from Hon. Carncross, Sir W. HallJones, Mi- Ngata, and other Members of Parliament, both Government and Opposition. SIR F. BELL RESIGNS. WELLINGTON, May 28 Sir F. Bell tendered his resignation of the Premiership to the GovernorGeneral this morning. His Excellency sent for Mr Coates and asked him to form a Ministry. Mr Coates is now consulting his coli eagues. It is expected that he will he sworn in as Prime Minister this afternoon. Meanwhile, the Ministers are’ carrying on as usual. REFORM LEAGUE MEETING. WELLINGTON, May 28. At a meeting of the New Zealand Political Reform League, described as the most enthusiastic ever held, and fully representative, .110 delegates signed their names. Air Coates was congratulated and cheered to the echo by the delegates. He addressed the meeting. A resolution pledging the meeting to support Mr Coates as Leader, was carried, amidst cheers. Another resolution congratulated Mr Jarvis (Secretary of the Legaue) on the splendid work he had done on behalf of the Party. Whatever the Caucus had done was fully approved, but the question of a fusion was not discussed as a specific, issue.

A resolution of appreciation of the splendid work of Mr Massey, regret at his death and sympathy with his widow family and relatives was passed.