HON. R. McKENZIE.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12456, 4 February 1909, Page 2

HON. R. McKENZIE.

.BANQUET AND PRESENTATION AT TAKAKA. :' (From our Special Reporter). Takaka,. Feb. 2. The Hon. Hi. McKenzie, Minister for Public Works, is having a triumphal tour through the Golden Bay district. • He has been cordially received everywhere, and great satisfaction is being expressed by persons of all shades of political opinion cm his appointment to the Ministry. On Monday, night he was tendered a banquet by tha Golden Baji Agricultural and Pastoral Association in conjunction with local residents, at the Telegraph Hotel, and presented with a gold-mounted waluing'stick as a mark of their esteem. Mr Hugh Page, President of the A. and P. Association, occupied the chair, and there was a large and lepresentativp attendance of settlers? ( Tbe Chairman said the banquet was to seive a double purpose: to welcome the Hon. R. McKenzie as a Minister of the Crown, and to follow the usual custom 1 of entertaining the Judges of tbe Show, after their onerous duties. To Mr W. J. Roilly, Chairman of the Takaka County Council, was entrusted tbe toast of the evening. In proposing the health of their guest, Mr Reilly said that the Hod. K. McKenzie had been their representative for .15 years, and he had served them well in that capacity, so they were all pleased tbat he had become, a Minister of the Crown. The appointment of the Hon. R. Mclienzie to tbe positions he held in tbe Cabinet had been received well by all the papers of tbe Dominion, and s.i far as his qualifications were concerned they all admitted that he was admirably adapted for tbe portfolios be held. His appointment was a compliment to the id on. K. McKenzie, and was gratifying to his constituents. On behalf of local residents, Mr Keilly then handed Mr McKenzie a gold-mounted walking stick as a small token of their esteem. (Applause). Mr Andrew Sinclair, in supplementing the remarks of the previous speaker, said the district was never properly represented until they .bad Mr McKenzie as their member. (Applause.) Their former representatives had done practically nothing for the district, but Mr McKenzie had always . seen tbat they, had a fair shire of public expenditure, and they had nothing to complain of. They were proud to have a Minister of tbe Crown as a representative. In that capacity he would have, a great deal to attend to,' so' they must not expect too much from him. However, he was sure Mr McKenzie would, treat all parts of the Domi nion fairly in regard to public espanditure, and that the Golden Bay district would .receive its fair sbare. (Applause.) Mr W. C. Baigenfc and Mr T. Symes spoke in a similar strain, aud the toast was honoured, wath enthusiasm. ' ....■■• In responding, Mr McKenzie thanked thenV*very heartily for their entertairinient, and for the handsome presentation made .to him. During the fifteen years' that ba had represented the. people of Takaka they had placed many obligations on him, and that was' another instance of their good feeling. He" assured thorn that although a Minister of tbfi Crown they would find no difference in him He bad no intention of neglecting his friend 3of Golden 1 Bay or any other part of the electorate, and he would see that they got fair play and justice — they could not ex, pect any more than that. As a Minister, he bad about' two millions a year passing through his bands, and he would see that tbe people got their value for the expenditure. He considered it' his-duty to sea that tbe people were served hp neatly by those who served them. He intended to serve the ' people to the best of bis ability. Tbe legislation of the Government was for the benefit of the whole community, .aDd not for any class.. The Government, intended to develop the resources of- the country, and they could bring about reforms that would be impossible in an old country. They would endeavour toruake New Zealand one of the happiest and most prosperous countries, on earth. They could study the lessons of bistbry, avoid the pitfalls of the past, and work on the best lines. The Opposition was about 10 or 15 years behind the LibBral Party, and they opposed measures passed by the Government until bhey found tlvem popular with the public, then they thought them the purest in the world. He would endeavour, to maintain their confidence and- respect, and would discbarga his duties conscientiously, and "for the besefit of tbe whole of tbe DomipfQQ. Mr MoKenzie tben read a telegram fronj. fc.h'e Hon. James Carroll, Minister of Native (Vrfsu'9., regretting that it was impssible for Mm to be at Takaka, to 3haro In the"' felicitations fcisafc fell from the kind and generous people of that, -district. He trusted that cha function wiuld prove an unequivocal success, and said be. bad pleasant recollections of his previous visit tp Takaka when he tasted , the hospitality and good fellowship of the residents. Mr McKenzie concluded liis smirks by again thanking them for their presentation and resumed his seat amidst applause, g

Mr J. F. Rose, in a neat 3peech, proposed "Tun Ministry," aud said that tae Premier had sbown great foresight in selecting the Hon. R. McKenzie as a Minister. If the other appointments were as -correct as that the country had nothing to fear from the Government. ■ Thfi Hon: E. McKenzie, in reply, thanked them for the enthusiastic lnanner in which th^y nad toasted the Ministry, which included seven or eigbt Scotchmen, so they would take care of the coin. (Laughter.) The Premier was the ablest man they nad in tbe Dominion. There was a great deal of development to ba done in New Zealand. The Gov eminent could not cjo it without outside money. If tney were, to wait until tbey could rely on their own efforts they would wait until th6y were all in the grave. Settlers wore crying out for money for railways, roads and bridges, and they mast be assisted.. The finances of the country W6re on a sound footing. Some told them that the Government was not borrowing half enough. They were spending a million and three- quarters on public works, and he considerd one- million a- year was as muoh as it was safe for the country ■to borrow at a time. Most of the works were reproductive either directly or indirectly. In regard to the Nelson province, he looked upon the Hope Saddle as a thing of trje past, and ha looked forward tv the extension nf tb9 railway down the Bullet Valley. It would mean a big thing for the settlers, and would help to make the freezing works a success. He was surprised at tbe large area of land that had Deen cleared at West Wanganui (now Westhaven), and he predicted that large supplies of sheep would come from that district in time, and that the population in ten years would equal that of tbe Takaka Valley, but they must be given facilities to enable them to compete with settlers in more"" favoured localities. • "The' Judges and Visitors" was proposed by Mr J. B. Sadd, and spoken to by Mr F. Page, and Messrs W. Coleman, G. Maomahon, F. W. Fairey, Drummond, J. Bagen, and J. Allan Mitchell responded. The last-named said that he bad never seen bettor lambs in Marlborough than he had seen in the Show grounds that day, and they ought to equal Canterbury prices. " Other toasts honoured were "The Golden Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Association,'' proposed by Mr G. Macmahon, and responded to by Mpssra J. F. Rose and . J. G. Page. "The Pres3." proposed by Dr. Adams, and responded to by the representatives of tbe Nelson newspapers; "The Host and Hostess" (Mr and Mrs Haase) proposed by the Chairman; .and "Tbe "Chairman," proposed by the Hon. R. McKenzie. The' very pleasant gathering terminated at eleven o'clock with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne."