MINISTERIAL TOUR

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19267, 8 March 1937, Page 4

MINISTERIAL TOUR

MR. LANGSTONE’S VISIT

WAIROA AND GISBORNE

BRIEF INITIAL INSPECTION

The .Minister of Lands, the Hon. F. Langstone, will make but a brief stay in either W'airoa or Gisborne, in the course of his tour of the Gisborne and Bay of Plenty electorates, the official itinerary of which was only made known last week. There are many matters to which the attention of the Minister will be directed in both areas, and those which cannot be dealt with this week, when .Mr. Langstone will spend one night in Wairoa and another in Gisborne, doubtless will receive attention when the Minister returns through the electorate on March 20.

A wide range of subjects will engage the attention of the Minister on the tour, as lie will carry the responsibilities of acting-. Minister of Native Aliairs, as well as of Minister of Lands, and this and the neighbouring Bay of Plenty district contain several native land settlement areas, as well as substantial Maori populations. That the native race has troubles which it hopes to see solved or ameliorated by the Government was plainly indicated by Sir Apirana Ngat.a at last week’s welcome to the GovernorGenera! at Tikitiki. when lie.stated that had Lord Galway been the Native Minister. he would have heard plenty ot grievances. Sir Apirana’s comment, though offered in humorous vein, left no doubt iic the minds of his hearers that the Coast natives are awaiting with much interest the impending visit of Mr. Langstone. DEPUTATIONS TO MINISTER Inquiries made in Gisborne to-day failed to reveal any substantial preparations for meeting the Minister with deputations. Local bodies and other organisations have been invited by the Mayor, Air. I). W. Coleman, M.P., to give him particulars of matters to be referred to Mr. Langstone by depula lions, but so far only one organisation has responded to this invitation, the Gisborne Society for the Protection of Native Flora having arranged to approach the Minister in connection witn the Donnei’s Bush preservation scheme.

The .Mayor will leave Gisborne tomorrow afternoon to meet the Minister in Wairoa, and would like to he ad-

vised. prior to his departure, of any further projects which are to be brought before Mr. Langstone in his official capacity during his visit to Gisborne. Mr. Coleman will confer with Wairoa local bodies to-morrow evening, prior to Mr. I.angslone’s arrival there from Napier.

The Minister will receive deputations in Wairoa to-morrow evening, and on Wednesday morning will leave Wairoa for Gisborne, Via Tiniroto, lunching in Gisborne and making an inspection of Crown properties during the afternoon. Deputations will be heard in the Borough Council chambers after a civic reception to Mr. Langstone, arranged for 8 p.m. oil Wednesday. NO 11TH WA RD ,T GURNEY On Thursday Mr. Langstone will continue his journey northward, via the Uaioeka road to Opotiki, making a digression during the morning to inspect the To Wem block, which is conducted by his department on a farming basis. Arrangements have been made for Mr. Langstone to receive deputations in Te Karakn at 8.30 a.m., and in Matawai at 10 a.m., his arrival at Te Wera being scheduled for noon. At 3 p.m. he will meet the settlers at Wairata, continuing later to Opotiki. Further deputations will he heard at Opotiki during the evening, and on Friday morning the Minister will leave that centre for Tauranga, visiting Ohope Beach en route, and receiving deputations at Wainui at 0 a.m.

A week will he spent in the Taurangn electorate, and the Minister will then return to Opotiki, whence on March 17 lie will leave on the first section of a journey by the East Cape road for Gis-borne.-That night- be will spend at Te Kalia. and on the two following days lie will proceed by stages to Wai-o-malatiiii ami Te Puia, the journey to Gisborne being completed by the’evening ol Saturday, March 20, on which day he will meet settlers and residents at Tolaga Bay between 2 p.m. and 4 pan. Sunday, March 21, will he spent between Gisborne and Napier, an inspection of the Mohaka native land schemes being included in the schedule for that dav.

PUBLIC WORKS MINISTER

MR. SEMPLE’S ITIN HRA HA

From the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R, Semple, the member for the Bay of Plenty, Air, A. G-. Hultqiiist, has received the following telegram :

“1 am visiting the Tauranga district on March 15, 16, and 17, but cannot yet give any definite information as to the dates of my tour of your electorate. 1 will let you know definitely as early as possible.”

■Should the Minister of Public Works decide to undertake his Bay of Plenty tour immediately after iiis visit to the Tauranga electorate, the district member will possibly find some difficulty in completing his personal arrangements, since the Minister of Lands, Mr. F. Langstone, will then be making his threedays' progress around the East Cape road with Air. Ilultquist as escort. It appears that the Tauranga electorate will be honoured by the visits of two Ministers of the Crown concurrently, but it it unusual for members of the Cabinet to travel in company on their respective departments’ business, and it. seems probable that Air. Semple will find other matters to occupy his time profitably until (he Minister of Lands iias completed his East Coast tour.