THE PREMIER AT TIMARU.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13236, 23 July 1906, Page 5

THE PREMIER AT TIMARU.

TRIBUTE TO THE -LATE MR.

SEDDON.

THE COLONY'S PROSPERITY.

[l»T TEEfiGRAPH.—TRESS ASSOCIATION.] ,~: ■ v-:' : TiMARtr, Saturday. The Premier (Mr. Hall-Jones) arrived from the North this afternoon, and was welcomed at Timaru, as Prime Minister, by the Mayor and a large number of citizens. The Mayor spoke very feelingly of the late Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, and said lie was proud that the member for Timaru had been chosen as Premier. While they sympathised with Mr. Hall-Jones in the trying and arduous duties which had devolved upon him, his constituents as well as the people of the whole colony, admired the able, tactful, and very dignified manner in which he had carried them out. On behalf of the people of Timaru, he wished now to heartily congratulate the Premier. Their wish was, and it was the wish of the whole colony, that Mr. Hall-Jones would be long-spared in health and strength to continue to do good work for New Zealand. ■■

Mr. Hall-Jones thanked the Mayor for the hearty welcome, and said that the circumstances .under which he had been called upon to assume the responsibility of his present position ;' -were : very sad. Richard- John Seddon, was New Zealand's greatest man, and his work would prove of lasting benefit, to every member of the community, ' from the inmate of a"h old men's home upwards. His death had been a sad blow to New Zealand, and was felt keenly by the speaker. : . Mr. / Seddon's services, were not confined to New Zealand alone, but were also; given to, and valued by,, the Empire at large, to which fact the enormous number of appreciative letters and telegrams received by the speaker from all parts of the Empire abundantly testified. The Premier concluded by saying that in his future conduct as • Premier-of this colony, he would be ruled only by the dictates of honour and the best interests of New Zealand.

In press interviews Mr. Hall-Jones said the outlook was still good for the colony, ; there being every in* djcatioH that th. eprosperity. so .: long enjoyed would continue; : The last quarterly returns showed an increase of £118,000, as compared with those of the same period last; year. The' Premier mentioned that for the present the importation of navvies had been stopped, weathep conditions being unfavourable to the work for which they were required. Regarding, the complaints made concerning certain of the back blocks roads in the North Island, he explained that these roads, being unformed, cut .up very badly when the traffic passed over them in wet weather. During the last summer there had only been five weeks of good weather, and this, of course, had delayed the work of metalling, but during the fine weather every effort was being made to put the roads in good order. Two thousand three hundred workmen were now employed on the Main Trunk railway works. :: '.'■■:,-..■:■:

The Premier goes on to Dunedin on Monday, and returns North' on Wednesday, staying , over , Thursday at- Christchurch. ■ ■