The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1914. MR ALLEN'S VISIT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1914. MR ALLEN'S VISIT.

The Hon James Allen's visit to New Plymouth was made a pleasant one. and, as Ministers mostly are, he was received with cordiality at a smoke concert tendered by the Taranaki

Agricultural Society last night in his honor. Mr Allen outlined tin- position which the Government had had in face when it came into office, and leak generally with the finance of ■.lie country. As other members of :iie Cabinet have been endeavouring ..() impress on people, the Government opposed not legitimate borrowing, which could not be done without, but the waste of borrowed money ivhon it was urgently needed for de'/elopment purposes. .Mr Allen very [ visely deprecated short-dated Joans, vhich liave proved bad business, because, as the Minister said, the ever ncreasing cost of raising the amount '•equirod, with all the expenses ataclied tliereto, soon made an e normals total, ivhich is lost sight of and ometiines not fairly credited against lie loan so raised. What we wain s a reasonable expenditure on openug up the country, and to obtain ransport Facilities lor tlie way-back settlers. It was pleasing to note from the Minister's statements that New Zealand is to-day sounder than it has been for the last fifteen years, and there is at least some reason for Mr Allen making such a statement ivheii one remembers the confidence the London money market exhibited in New Zealand's future at the time of raising the recent, loan. Mr Alien defended the present system of • compulsory military training, and rest erred io the Government's Naval

Policy. Tlio attitude lie assumes is a denatoahle one notwithstanding the fact that the country is in almost p0r- ,,,,., agrooiuoni that Now Zealand must in soine way undertake a share of the work of naval defence. To Taranaki generally the .Minister's rotoruce to the oilfields and the question of tiuod- ,,,,, ( ~nvevs at least sonic grains of «,,m,on. lor he expressed the opinion that the field is not flooded though admitting that the position is serious. Mr Allen also stated that tho (iovernment liad assisted the in,[„sirv in the past and would do in the future. As Minister lor Kuucation Mr Allen had many matters 1,,-ouglit under his notice by the Taranaki Education Board, and among these Mr Robert Masters mentions the question of providing more play ground accommodation, making r strong case in favor of the request To this Mr Allen promised that hi would make enquiries of the Depart m ent so far as Stratford is concerned Altogether the Minister's visit ha: been a pleasant one, and we hop. some good may result from it.