AN M.P. ON TOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2879, 19 May 1909, Page 1

AN M.P. ON TOUR.

OBSERVATIONS IN GREYMOUTH. | (Fbom Ora Own Correspondent.) | ' GREYMOUTH, May 11. 1 Mr George Laurenson, M.P. for Lyttelton, has paid a short visit to Greymouth, but during the time has had his eyes open, and has gone away impiessed with the- resources ot the district, of which he has seen but little. He intends to visit the district again as soon as possible, as ibe is impressed with the mineral resources, and desires to make himself better acquainted with them. He accompanied the Hinemoa on her West Coast Sounds trip in search of entire iest and peace, and speaks in the highest praise of the trip and the valuable work the steamer does on those trips. He arrived in Greymouth to experience very genial weather as compared with what had been sampled on the southern coast, and he was very favourably impressed with its genialty. He was struck in Greymouth with the general appearance of prosperity and comfort which pervaded the homes of the lesidents, and recognised that the port was a busy one in the export of minerals and timber, and he thought the town and the West- Coast generally had a vast future before them. Contrasting the climate with that of Canterbury, he said that, since his arrival, the weather conditions had been 'perfect. There was an absence of the cutting east and southerly winds that they felt keenly in Lyttelton, but he admitted that he might have been lucky in the day. Still, he was delighted at the prospects, and looked forward to a great traffic, particularly of tourists, as soon as the gieat tunnel wee completed, as the passenger rates on the Midland line muct encourage very many of all classes to vibit the Coast and view the lovely scenery and valuable resources. This would prove of great profit from an educational point, and when one remembers that the cost of a return fare from Dunedin to Invercargill ig 18s, and would be about the same as that between Chrifetchurch and Greymouth, it showed that there would be immensely increased traffic. Altogether he was delighted at having had the opportunity of seeing some of the resources of the districts, and should watch with greater interest than ever the development of the many industries on the Coast, and if occasion offered he would give his suppoit to any movement that had for its aim the benefit of the West Coast in general and Greymouth in particular, as he was fully aware- that this was the centre of activity and that its requirements were great.