THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1914. SUMMARY NOTES.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13420, 18 March 1914, Page 4

THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1914. SUMMARY NOTES.

The Prime Minister. The Right Hon. W, F. Massey, Prime Minister, paid his first official -visit to the district at the week end, and spent a busy three days travelling between the various centres, addressing meetings, and receiving deputations. The political campaign in view of the approach of the general election is now in full swing throughout the Dominion, and the members of the Cabinet and the principal members of, the Opposition have a full list of engagements. Mr Massey opened his present tour at Blenheim, speaking there and at Havelock. Mr. Massey reached Nelson on Friday evening, when, he was tendered a civic reception. Oh Saturday he left on a visit to Motueka, Takaka, and Collingwood, returning on the following evening. On Monday he visited Wakefield. At each place he was entertained and delivered a brief address. On Monday the Prime Minister received a number of deputations in the city, and in the evening he delivered a political speech to. a very large audience at the Theatre Royal. Mr. Massey left yesterday morning for the West Coast. He consented to makea few hours' stay at Murchison en route, and to open the local agricultural and pastoral show. Mr. Massey is to be followed by Sir Joseph Ward, Leader of the Opposition, who is expected to deliver a political address in the city next week. Sir James Carroll will probably pay a visit to Nelson at a later date.

The Railway. Since the advent of the Reform Government to power construction work at:the Nelson terminus of the Midland Railway has remained sat a standstill, notwithstanding strong representations to the Government regarding the urgency' for the extension of tho line to Murchison. When the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. W. Fraser, visited tho district last year, he expressed concurrence with the view that the line must be pushed on to that point, but intimated his inability to provide funds for a resumption of work during the present financial year. A subsequent deputation to Wellington received a similar reply. Advantage was taken by the Chamber of Commerce of the Prime Minister's visit to the district to again urge the subject, and Mr. Massey stated that it was the intention of the Minister of Public Works to ask Parliament for a substantial grant this year for tho prosecution of the work. Harbour Improvement. The progress of the Harbour Board's proposals in the direction of offering more adequate accommodation for ocean liners has been somewhat dilatory. It is now a considerable time since- Mr. Leslie Reynolds was retained to report on tho works" necessary to bring the harbour into line with the present'requirements of the oversea trade, with a reasonable margin for future developments, and since his major scheme involving an expenditure of £42,412 was adopted by the Board. This delay was mainly in consequence of the negotiations which were proceeding between the Board and the Railway Department with reference to the acquisition by the former of the wharves. The Department having now placed its property under definite offer, the option remaining open till October 31st next, the Board has decided to approach the ratepayers forthwith to obtain their sanction of the necessary loan* for the improvement scheme. The sum it is proposed to ■borrow is £35,000, being the unraised portion of the £100,000 loan authorised by the Nelson Harbour Act, the Board itself being able to finance the balance of the cost. The poll will be \ taken on .April 29th, and tho necessity for a comprehensive improvement scheme being obvious, it is hoped and expected that the ratepayers will have no hesitation in ratifying tho proposal. Tho purchase of the wharves will form a separate proposal, to be submitted to the ratepayers later.

The Chamber of Commerce. The annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was hold on February 23rd, when all the out-going offioials were re-elected. The- year had not been-a particularly eventful cne, but the Chamber maintained its customary watchfulness over the interests of the district, tho most noteworthy result of its efforts being an improvement of the steamer service between Wellington and Nelson. An interesting return was presented, showing the progress of , the Nelson section of railway since 1906, in which period the line has nearly doubled in mileage, and by the end of the present financial year ill© revenue will 'show an increase (over that of 1900)\of nearly 200 per cent. The

passenger traffic during the last eight years lias increased by 21,000 per annum,'not including school*, children: There has been ,a corresponding increase in railway facilities. *

Trentham Rifle Meeting. The Dominion Rifle Association's "annual meeting, liberally supported in its finances by the Defence Depart- 1 .taent, held its annual meeting aiTrentham in indifferent weather- from February 27th to March sth. The shooting was of a high order through-; out. ' In .the championship belt the four leading marksmen were:—^President Masefield (Sounds), 625; Lieut. Simmonds (Blenheim), 609; Rifleman Love-! day (Ohura), 604; and Rifleman Milroy \ (Nelson), 603. | The Australian Cricketers. The Australian cricket team organis- j ed by Mr Sims has been touring the, Dominion during the last few weeks, ! and arrived in Nelson last night over-1 land from the West Coast. The team . has, almost needless to say, not suffered defeat so far, and some of the scores have been phenomenal/ one of; over nine centuries being registered ' agains£ South. Canterbury. The visi-| tors will play in Nelson to-day and to- j morrow, provided the present inclement weather clears up.