MINISTER ON THE COAST

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19365, 1 July 1937, Page 4

MINISTER ON THE COAST

ENJOYABLE SCENERY PARTY'S STRENUOUS TOUR MEETING OF DEPUTATIONS (Special to the Herald.) TOKOMARU BAY, this day. The panoramic grandeur of the scenery has been greatly appreciated by the Ministerial party on the East Coast and though the strenuous tour has been enjoyed to the full the party was looking forward last evening to one free of engagements. The party included the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, Mrs. Martin, the Director of Agriculture, Mr. A. H. Cockayne, and Mrs. Cockayne, the field superintendent, Mr. P. W. Smallfield, the principal district ' director, Mr. H. Cleland, and the member for the district, Mr. A. G. Hultquist. The party left Te Aroroa at 9 a.m. yesterday and travelled to Tikitiki, where the Minister visited the Tikitiki Memorial Church and .the meeting house. They were the guests of Mr. M. Hyland at the hotel at morning tea and a gathering of residents was present to offer a welcome. Ragwort and Bidibldi Soon after the party left for Ruatoria, where they had lunch and a. large number of people from the surrounding district met Mr. Martin in the lounge of the Manutahi Hotel. The chairman of the Waiapu County Council, Mr. D. W. W. Williams, led the deputation, which included the chairman of the Waiapu Hospital Board, Mr. A. J. H. Kirkham, and Mr. W. W. Ludbrook. Other speakers were Sir Apirana Ngata, and Mr. Hultquist. Matters brought before the notice of the Minister included the provision of facilities in the shape of a subsidy on freight or on the manufacture of manure in the district, the necessity for doing something about cattle tick on the Coast, and the existence of ragwort and bidibidi.

In reply, Mr. Martin explained that the Government would be increasing the staff of farm instructors in the near future and he would see if it would not be possible to station one of the men at Ruatoria. In connection with bidibidi control, Mr. Cockayne recommended that the Chilean saw-fly should be liberated on the Coast. Dealing with the ragwort, he said there was little to fear from the weed in country where sheep outnumbered cattle to the acre, and it was only in dairying districts that there need be fear. Guests at Institute

A further stage in the tour took the party to Waipiro Bay, ana Mr. and Mrs. Martin, Mrs. Cockayne and Mr. Hultquist were the guests of honour at the fourth birthday party of the Waipiro Women’s Institute. The Minister replied to a speech of welcome, and Mrs. Martin, the president of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union in her home town, gave some helpful advice to the institute members and congratulated the institute on its fourth birthday. Mr. Hultquist also gave a short address, offering any assistance in his power to advance the work of the institute.

The party arrived at Tokomaru Bay in time for dinner and were looking forward to the free night after a strenuous four days’ travelling. The Minister left this morning to visit the Waima freezing works and the party expected to arrive in Gisborne at 12.30 c.m.