ENTHUSIASM AT WESTPORT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22778, 14 January 1936, Page 10

ENTHUSIASM AT WESTPORT

TASK OF NEW GOVERNMENT i (Per United Press Association) WESTPORT, January 13. The Minister of Mines (Mr P. C. Webb) and the Minister of Public Works and Transport.(Mr R. Semple) were accorded a wonderful reception to-day by the public of Westport. The Mayor and Mayoress (Mr and Mrs J. Kilkenny) and officials of the Westport branch of the Labour Party went through to Reefton and members of local bodies and other representative citizens met the Ministers at Inangahua Junction. At the. cross-roads about four miles from the town a stream of some 40 cars, motor buses and other vehicles held' up the road to give the Ministers a rousing reception, and escorted them back to Westport, where the Municipal Band led the procession to the Town Hall, with the citizens lining the footpaths and then gathering en masse at a civic reception.

The Mayor, in the course of a eulogistic address, said the visit of the Ministers was a gesture of friendship. The Government was going to do its own job, and Westport would get its share of what was going. The Mayor also extended a civic welcome to Mr J. Hodgens, M.P. for Palmerston North. , The welcome was endorsed by Mr J. H. Powell, chairman of the Westport County Council, and by Mr W. H. MTntyre, M.L.C. (chairman of the Duller County Council). Mr MTntyre promised all the help possible from the council staff and said that Mr Savage had a splendid team in his Cabinet — men who all desired to do their best for the country. Mr Hodgens, replying, recalled, the long years of struggle by the Labour Party, and the good services rendered to it by Messrs Webb and Semple. He said the Government was expected to do big things for the betterment of humanity, and would do them. Mr Webb returned thanks for the wonderful welcome. It was an inspiration to them and to the new Government, he said, to find the people so heartily cooperating with them. The hour of work for the Labour Party had arrived, and the day of a bankrupt community was going. Business men would realise that an extra £1 in the hands of the worker was also to their advantage. The job ahead of the Government was not an easy one, but with the co-operation and goodwill of the people he believed the Government would greatly improve conditions in New Zealand. Mr Webb concluded by paying a warm tribute to his Ministerial colleague, who, he said, was in every way worthy of the i great reception accorded him. Mr Semple said that no Government could face with 100 per cent, degree of confidence its stupendous task without the goodwill, co-operation, and assistance of the people. He believed that the Labour Government was assured of these. It would let no board or commission stand in the way of accomplishing its job, but would steer its own political course. The Minister paid a warm tribute to his officers, who, he stated, were all highly capable for their respective tasks. The Government was out to give people a degree of comfort hitherto denied them, and not as a privilege but as a right Therq was nothing wrong with New Zealand in the matter of soil, sunshine, mineral wealth, and mechanism, but the wealth created by these things was not going back to the people and it was the job of the new Government to see that this was done. They had 20,000 boys leaving school every year who were unable to find a niche in employment, and there were 50,000 others on relief work. The Government would sec that justice was done to them and that they were given their opportunity in life. The basis was service. People who said the Labour Party would be wreckers would live to regret it. They were builders, thinkers, creators, repairers, and would do their job and do it well.

To-night the Ministers were entertained at a civic ball.