HON. W. NASH

Grey River Argus, 16 January 1941, Page 2

HON. W. NASH

WESTLAND VISIT A Busy Day The Minister of Finance, Customs and Marketing, Hon. W. isasn, yesterday continued his visit to tne Duller and Westland electorates, iui filling a numoer of engagements and attending several receptions. me Minister, who was accompanied by Mrs Nash, Hon. p,. C. Weoo (.Minister of Mines and Laoour), and Mr James O'Brien, M.P., visited tne State Housing scheme at Holland Settlement, Cobden, eariy in the morning prior to leaving for the Grey valley. ... At Brunner, the Ministerial party was welcomed by the Mayor (Mr J. Smeaton) and Messis W. Purdy and W. Barber, being entertained at morning tea by the Borough Council. After a short stay, during which several matters were brought to the Ministers notice, Mr Nash left lor Blackball, where he was welcomed by Mr K. Clark and escorted round the township, inspecting the school, domain and mines, A visit of inspection was made to the Dobson Mines Rescue Station, where the party was given a demonstration by the Superintendent, Mr F. Duffy, Mr Nash being greatly interested in the work being accomplished. After lunch in Greymouth, the Ministers left for Kumar a on the first stage of their journey to South Westland. At the Kumara Memorial Hall a welcome was extended to Mr Nash by the Mayor (Mr A. B. Spiers) there being a large gathering ol citizens. Later the party left for Hokitika where a civic reception was tendered Mr Nash at All Saints’ Hall last evening.

Between Greymouth and Hokitika, Mr Nash inspected several dredges, and this morning he will inspect further dredges after leaving Hokitika for the south. Stops will be made at Ross. Hariha”! and Watarca. at each of which townships the Minister will meet the citizens. To-nignt he will stay at Franz Josef Glacier and to-morrow will pro.ed to Fox Glacier at Weheka. During the next few days, Mr and Mrs Nash will rest in the southern region, and if arrangements cm: be made will fly io Jackson Bay beo.e leaving the district for Otago and Southland.

Hokitika Welcome ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION. There was a large attendance at the All Saints’ Hall, Hokitika yesterday evening, when a welcome was extended to the Hon. W. Nash and Mrs Nash. Mr A. R. Elcock (DeputyMayor), presided and with Messrs J. O’Brien, M.P., and J. A. Murdoch, M.C.C., and Hon. P. c. Webb, welcomed the Minister of Finance and Mrs Nash to the town. A bouquet was presented to Mrs Nash by Miss D. O’Neill.

Replying to the speeches, Hon. Mr Nash again referred to the possibilities of closer settlement in Westland, mentioning the need for greater production.

His visit to Westland, he said, was to see the district and to find where a tremendous amount of money had been spent, also if that expenditure had been justified, from a national viewpoint, and whether further expenditure could be justified. From what he had seen in the three short days of Jiis visit to the northern part of the West Coast, he was satisfied

that the possibilities constantly referred co by iviessrs webu and o niien had well justified the great amount of work that had been accomplished. At the conclusion of his address, cheers were given tor Mr Nash and the Ministerii a Party, was later entertained at the Hotel Westland. Prior to the meeting, Mr Nash inspected an impressive assembly of more than 150 Home Guardsmen, in Weld Street, and, in a brief address, congratulated them on their line turn out, and thanked them on oenalf of the Government for what they were doing for the defence of New Zealand.

Practitioner Service GOVERNMENT’S OFFER TO DOCTORS. “For two years we have been trying to persuade the Doctors to give the people of this Dominion wnat they require, not because they can pay for it, but because they need it,” said Mr Nash, speaking yesterday at Hokitika, on the general practitioner service. “With the Prime Minister, I met a committee of the Doctors, and told them, on behalf of the Gov ernment, that we were prepared to give them the total income that their members had declared in the last year, and to add five per cent, or more to it, letting them determine, as far as practicable, how that sum should be distributed, if they would agree that the people were entitled to medical treatment, not because of their ability to pay, but because of the necessity of it. The full benefits of the Social Security Act can be given to the people only when the Doctors agree . with the proposal—that was made two years ago, and I hope that, before this year ends, we will have the full scheme in force.”

Mr Nash at Brunner CIVIC RECEPTION Hon. W. Nash, Minister of Finance, yesterday morning visited the mining district of Brunner in company with Mrs Nash, Hon. P. C. Webb, Minister of Mines, and Mr and Mrs H. Aicken. The Mayor of Brunner, Mr J. Smeaton, addressing a very representative gathering of Brunner and Dobson residents from the steps of the public library, extended to Mr Nash and party a very cordial greeting from the oldest coal mining district of New Zealand. Brunner, he explained, had had experience of all th e tragic features of mining, with fatal, explosions, as well as the many ups and downs of that industry, but at present was in the happy position, thanks to the Labour Government, of having within rhe boundary no unemployed whatever. He hoped that Mr Nash would give a patient hearing and liberal support to a home-building scheme which theii’ Member, the Hon. P. C. Webb, was at present negotiating with the local mining unions. Better housing was needed in the mining districts, and he felt sure that they could rely on the Minister of Finance to assist I hem in this project. Mr Wm. Purdy. President of the Dobson Miners’ Union, said that he wa s pleased to be associated with th c ‘ welcome to Hon. Mr Nash, and he appreciated the efforts which the Government was making to better Ihp conditions’ of the workers, especially in th e face of difficulties with which the Government had to cope on account of the war. He considered that they had done wonderful work indeed.

Mr W. Barber, Vice-President of the Wallsend Miners’ Union, conveyed very cordial greetings to the Minister, ’ who, ho hoped, would find pleasure in hi s visit to the West Coast, and obtain much benefit from his tour. Hon. Mr Nash, in thanking the

gathering for the very cordial welcome extended them, outlined many of the difficulties of government, particularly at the present time. The Government wished to assist all of the people. The efforts of Ins Party would at all times b e put forward to improve the conditions of the workers. After visiting the mining townships, he had more than ever realised that the conditions of the coal miners must be improved. Better 'housing was absolutely essential. They could rely on his very sympathetic consideration of any scheme put forward by the residents of mining townships. He felt proud indeed to meet the Brunner men who had agreed to help the Government’s war effort by a regular deduction from their wages to be paid into the National Savings Scheme. Furthermore, the response to the Home Guard movement on the part of the residents of Brunner had been a magnificent one. Out of the borough’s total population of about one thousand men, women and children, he wa s informed that there had be°n received one hundred and twenty enrolments in the Home Guard. This response was most commendable, and one which it would take a lot to equal on (he part of any other community in the Dominion. The Borough Council litter entertained the Ministerial party morning tea, daintily provided and jset out by Mrs Rostern, of the Union Hotel.' By request, Mrs C. IL'. Broad of Greymouth, rendered the late 11. E. Holland’s verses, _ “Red Shadow of Right,” and Mrs Smith recited “Rosa.” Mr Nash, at the conclusion, thanked th e community, for the very pleasant stay ’ which his party and himself had had in Brunner, expressing regret that their visit was not to be a longer one.