PARLIAMENTARY EXCURSION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11120, 20 July 1907, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY EXCURSION.

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) RAETAHI, last night. The Parliamentary party arrived at Rangitaroa, the southern, railhead, at 4.30 p.m., and were driven to Raetahi, where they were entertained at a banquet by the Raetahi Progressive Association. An address of welcome was presented to the visitors. The Hon. McDonald returned thanks on behalf of the visitore. He declared that the Government m the past had failed to realise the need for the main trunk line througli the fact that so few legislators had visited the interior. What they had seen on the way had been a source of great delight, and they realised the great progress made. Mr Jno. Punch, an old settler of the district, referred to the early days of Waimarino County, and the progress made. The timber on the Waimarino block was worth £200 an acre, whilst last year the sheep increased 30 per cent. He also put m a claim for a branch line to the Main Trunk. The Hon. Callan responded to the toast of the Parliament of New Zealand on behalf of the Legislative Council. He dei clared, as one of the recent appointees, he did not mind the criticism which had been levelled at them. He thought the new Councillors had acquitted themselves well. He believed New Zealand was destined to become a great country, and would be the Dominion of the South, as Canada was of the North. " Mr T. Mackenzie, replying, said if all the recent nominees could show as much ability as the previous speaker, there would not have been sa much complaint. He paid tribute to the industry of those m the back-blocks, to ' whom the wealth and prosperity of the, colony was due, and deprecated the desire of that section wliich desired to rob them of the unearned increment.' The time had arrived when there should be readjustment of legislation regarding the electoral boundaries to secure community of interests. Several other appropriate speeches were delivered by Messns Jennings, Remington, and Izard, M.'sH.R., and others. Mr Blow, ttnder-Secretary for Public Works, responding to the toast of his Department, said the first sod of the Main Trunk line waG turned m April, 1886, and m the twenty -two years which had elapsed the expenditure totalled £2,149,780, the average annual expenditure working out at £97,408, whilst last year it actually reached £427,000. The railheads were now only 26 miles apart, and m another month would be reduced to 24. Good progress was being made on the northern end, and the laying of rails on the spiral would be' commenced m September or October. At the end of next summer, if the season was a fine one, the distance would be reduced to under five miles, and by tli c end of 1908 he thought the promise of the Minister for Public Works for completion of the work would be fully realised. The Hon. Mr Mac Donald, proposing the health of the early -pioners, said it was astounding that a third of tlie lands of the country should still be held by Natives, who did not contribute a shilling to the revenue. It was not right the Maoris or anyone else should be allowed to hold such large areas unproductive, i They must utilise their land or the State should take it from them. He disapproved of all the rubbish talk of humanitarism of the Maori. The party proceed to Taumaranui to-morrow and inspect the work.