MINISTERS' MOVEMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12278, 23 May 1903, Page 5

MINISTERS' MOVEMENTS.

PREMIER'S DEPARTURE FOR

KAWHIA.

MR. HALL-JONES LEFT FOR THE

SOUTH.

The Premier and Ministers had a. busy day yesterday, the most important part of the day's proceedings being a meeting of the Executive Council at Government House, when, in the presence of a number of Maori chiefs Mahuta was sworn in as a member of the Executive Council.

In the morning the Premier received a deputation from the Auckland Board of Education, which is reported elsewhere. He then spent some two hours on the water, Air. J. T. Julian, chairman of the Harbour Board, and Mr. J. 11. Witheford, M.H.R., having arranged to take him a trip up the harbour with Captain Lacy, of the cable steamer Iris, on the Harbour Board's launch. By some misunderstanding the Board's launch was not available, but by the courtesy of Lieutenant-Commander Minett, a launch from the United States gunboat Wheeling was placed at the disposal of the party. Subsequently the Premier had a run on a. motorcar to view the site of the Veterans' Home, and after the meeting with the Maoris and swearing in of Mahuta. as a member of the Executive Council, reported elsewhere, he left by train -for Onehunga at a-quarter to five p.m., going on by the Government steamer Hinemoa to Kawhia to fulfil a longstanding promise to meet the settlers there. Airs. Seddon and family accompanied the Premier on the trip. ' The Minister for Lands (the Hon. T. Y. Duncan) also went to Kawhia, The party expect to reach Wellington on Tuesday. Prior to his departure the Minister for Lands received a deputation of butchers on the subject of the abattoirs site. The deputation laid before him their objections to Otahuhu, and suggested that either the site of the present abattoirs or Salmon's site, should be adopted. The Minister undertook to give the representations of the deputation every consideration.

The Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Minister for Public Works, also left yesterday afternoon on a trip over the route of the Main Trunk railway to Wellington. The Minister was accompanied by Mr. W. T. Jennings M.H.R., and Mr. F. Mander, M.H.R. The Hon. J. Carroll remains in Auckland till Tuesday. On account of Sir Joseph Ward being unable to come North Mr. Carroll will represent the Ministry at the laying of the foundation stone of the Veterans' Home on Monday.