CORDIAL RECEPTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 270, 19 October 1925, Page 7

CORDIAL RECEPTION

PRIME MINISTER IN KAIPARA. MUCH ENTHUSIASM DISPLAYED. Per Press Association. DAKGAV ILLE, Oct. 18. Tho Prime Minister had a wonderful reception in his own electorate. All the way up from iielensville to Huaruu on the North Auckland Main Trunk line little knots of electors met him, and when he left the train at Huarau, en route for Dargaville, being m his own territory, naturally the welcome became more cordial. Old settlers from miles around turned out at little villages along the route to give him a welcome us Prime Minister. He had a particularly good reception at his birthplace, Matakohe, also at Paparoa, wliera lie first entered public life as councillor, and later as chairman of the Otamatea County Council.

The greatest reception of all, however, was left for Dargaville, the chief town in the electorate. Ho was met on the town boundary by the Mayor, councillors and representatives of local bodies and escorted by a band and pipers through gaily decorated streets, the ear being pulled over the latter part of the. journey by a body of returned soldiers. On arrival in the centre of the town he was given a welcome by the Mayor (Mr If. A. Jones) on behalf of the borough, and Mr V. Trounson, of Hobson County Council, Mr George Smith, of the Otamatea Count,v_Council, and Air Parore, on behalf ol the native race. Air Coates, in reply, said that he was deeply touched with the warm reception he had received right along the line, and thanked the people for turning out in such large numbers to meet him. The gathering was one of the largest ever seen in the district, and the proceedings were most enthusiastic. In the evening Air Coates spoke at the largest political gathering ever seen in Dargaville. The Alayor, Air Jones, again presided, and extended a hearty welcome to the Prime Minister as member for the district.

Mr Coates, in a speech lasting two hours, after paying a. tribute to Air Massey and touching on a number of local matters, spoke oil lines similar to those in other centres. lAIAIIGRATION POLICY.

He referred to the statement that had been made that immigrants were being brought to this country to become. a charge on tue charitable aid boards. Ho defended the methods of tho Immigration Department and said that tile people coming out were oil the whole ol the right stamp and eventually would become good citizens. He said that it was the Dominion's bounden duty to assist the Mother Country in taking some of her surplus population and said that providing tlie right class of people was selected, wo could absorb quite a lot more immigrants.

He gave an emphatic denial to the statement made that if his Government were returned to power, it would reduce civil servants’ wages by 7s 6d n week. He went on to explain how the previous cuts in the civil servants' salaries had been made “and i say now that no further reduction in regard to the civil service is necessary and none will be made. 'J hat ought to be plain enough.”

The whole thing was a case of putting a political construction on the report of the head of a department, who was quoting someone else. Tho Government had never thought of making a reduction of 7s 6d a. week in wages unless through times of stress and deprivation the Court of Arbitration and Parliament thought it should tako place. These charges were based on sand and the base was blown away when one understood there was no foundation of fact in it.

He saw no objection to a protective tariff within reason. Such a tariff would be for the purpose of giving the industries a start and lie did not see how we were to get any local industry going without a protective tariff.

Regarding agricultural banks, he explained why the commission, Messrs Poison and Cox, and Colonel Essou, had gone abroad to investigate their working in other lands and denied it was a trick sending them away. Mr Coates defended the Military Service Act and said that the people of New Zealand were too loyal not to want to defend their own country. THE SHIPPING STRIKE.

He touched lightly on the seamen’s strike question and said that ho was sorry for the position which had arisen and had dono his best to fix the matter up. However, it was not our job and ho had advised the seamen and owners to take it where it belonged and fix it up. The ships and produce were going overseas and he congratulated these men who had gone down to man the ships so that our produce could bo got away. At this stage of the proceedings, a request was made from an audience of 600 people in another theatre that Mr Coates address them. The Prime Minister therefore cut his remarks short and concluded by making an appeal to his hearers to again return him to Parliament so that he could form a strong government, reflecting the democratic spirit of the nation and one which would maintain the principles of freedom and equality of opportunity. The only questions asked were ones of local interest.

The meeting concluded amid a scene of great enthusiasm 'after a motion expressing continued confidence in Mr Coates as member for Ivaipara and as head of the Government, and also freeing him from the necessity of delivering any more addresses in the district so that ho could devote his time and energies to the other electorates in the Dominion. To-day Mr Coates unveiled a war memorial at Northern Wairo*. Hospital, Te Kopuru, in memory of soldiers from the locality who fought and died in the Great War.