PRIME MINISTER'S TOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19158, 26 October 1925, Page 11

PRIME MINISTER'S TOUR

BUSY DAY ON SATURDAY.

FIVE ADDRESSES GIVEN.

VISIT PAID TO ARAPUNI

GREAT OVATION AT TE KUITI

The Prime Minister concluded his tour of the Auckland district on Saturday when he visited three more electorates and delivered live addresses. He had a most satisfactory and encouraging day. Mr. and Mrs. Coates and party spent Friday night in Cambridge, and on Saturday morning a start was made by motorcar for Horahora where an address was given to the staff of the power-station. The joursey was continued to Arapuni where there are about 700 men engaged on construction on the great hydroelectric scheme. Mr. Coates gave the men a vigorous explanation of his policy and received a very attentive hearing. He reminded the men that conditions on public works undertakings had been vastly improved in the past few years. His scheme for improving the organisation did not mean that wages would be lowered.

Construction costs had been brought down from the peak by forty per cent., and about ninety per cent, of the men were on some kind of piecework. "You cannot get results by cutting down," he said, "but by encouraging the men to do their best. I do not worry when I hear that a man is earning two or three pounds a day. The thing that counts is the cost per yard." The Labour Party had yet to say there were no extremists or communists supporting it. It was no use burking the question, for seeds were being sown that would undermine our constitution, which was the best of all. and all good citizens were going to stand by it and the flag. Mr. Coates asked whether the men had any grievances but it appeared from their demeanour that they were a contented lot. Mr. Stewart Heid, Government candidate for Waikato, also spoke at Horahora and said that if returned he would support Mr. Coates wholeheartedly. He urged them to give Mr. Coates a show as ho was a young able man. He was a young New Zealander and here was a chance to prove that we had brains in the country and could govern our people wisely and well. The party was entertained at lunch by Mr. Handman, resident officer for the Arapuni contractors, and then left by car for Te Awamutu, en routo to hangaA stop was made at Te Awamutu where the ladies of the district entertained Mrs. Coates and the ladies of the party at afternoon tea. The party then entrained for Otorohanga. where the Prime Minister was given a Maori welcome, after which he addressed both Maori and pakeha, urging the former to vote for Sir Maui Pomare, and the latter to support Mr. Rolleston, and thus assist him to form a strong Government for the benefit of the whole country. At all the meetings votes of thanks and confidence were carried.

The Prime Minister addressed a large audience in the People's Picture Palace at Te Kuiti in the evening, and received a great ovation. After he had paid a tribute to the late Mr. Massey, Mr. Coates expressed his confidence in the future prosperity of the Dominion. He expounded his policy and exposed the weaknesses in many of the proposals being put before the country by the Labour Party. At the same time, he said he understood that the National candidate, Mr. W. J. Broad foot, had declared lie would vote against the Government at all costs. If they wished him to lead the country they must return Mr. R-olleston, who was a capable, honest and straightforward man, who had represented the district ably and well* They should make no mistake but send Mr. Eolleston back to assist him to carry 011. There were one or two interjections during the address but the Prime Minister had no difficulty in satisfying the great majority of his hearers with his replies. A vote of thanks and confidence, moved by Mr. R. Boddy, was carried with a few tirnid noes from the back of the hall. This was followed by round after round of cheers and Mr. Coates was detained for some time shaking hands with his admirers. Mrs. Coates has proved as popular as the Prime Minister himself, and wherever she has gone she has been presented with bouquets of flowers. TOUR OF TATvANAKT. ARRIVAL AT NEW PLYMOUTH. BUSY THREE DAYS' PROGRAMME. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] NEW PLYMOUTH. Sunday. As fit, as fresh and as optimistic as the first day of his wonderfully successful tour, the Prime Minister enters on the last week of tho campaign to-morrow. Following the great meeting at Te Kuiti on Saturday, Mr. Coates and Mrs. Coates spent Sunday motoring through the picturesque region between the King Country and Taranaki, arriving here this evening. The Prime Minister will address a meeting at Inglevvood to-morrow afternoon. In the evening he will speak at New Plymouth. On Tuesday morning he will proceed by. motor round Mount Pgmont to Opunake, where he will open the Opunake-Te P.oti railway in the afternoon, proceeding to Hawera in the early evening and speaking later at Stratford. On Wednesday Mr. Coates will unveil tho war memorial at Waverlev.