THE MINISTERIAL VISIT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 271, 8 April 1913, Page 6

THE MINISTERIAL VISIT.

SOME LIGIITXINC VISITS. Oil Saturday morning the lion. W. V. Massey, .Premier, motored from New Plymouth to Wailura, accompanied by Messrs. 11. Okey and ,las. Jline, M.P.'s. A brief stay was made at the No. ] bore at lSell Block of the Tarantiki (N.Z.) Oil Wells, Ltd., and Mr. Keith, the manager, showed the silt pump in operation, also demonstrating the volume of petroleum gas escaping by putting a match to it and the mouth of the bore presented a peculiar sight for a while. Another halt was called at the Bell 'Block dairy factory, where the Chairman of Directors, Mr. J. S. Connett, showed the party over the butter ami casein factories.

WAITAEA. At Waitara Sir. Okey safely delivered liis charge to Mr. C. K. Wilson, M.P., lor Taumarunui, and soon the deputation business was recommenced. At the Clifton Hall the Mayor, Mr. W. F. Jenkins, formally welcomed the Minister to Waitara, and then' Mr. C. K. Wilson, M.P., introduced a deputation on the West Coast leases, Mr. J. W. Foreman acting as spokesman. He traversed the whole situation at some length, much on the lines of Mr. Maxwell s remarks at Opunake, fully reported in Saturday's issue. Referring to the recent Commission, Mr. Foreman said that he recognised that that body could only find against the lessees, for, in common parlance, they had legally not a leg to stand on, but in the common weal lie thought the Government should give assistance to the lessees who had not coilverted their leases.

Mr. James Hine, junr., also spoke, and exploded the idea that these est Coast- lessees had had a particularly good thing on. As a matter of fact, the lessees, their wives and children, had gone to great hardships in order to keep itheir holdings. And now they came as Jreoborn Britishers, demanding justice I —the right of purchase of these lands.. Quoting Kipling, "If this be the price of Empire, Lord, God, we have paid in full," Mr. Hine said the lessees did not expect to pay a second time. vtr. Massey, in reply, thanked the Waitara people for their welcome. He noticed that the Waitara people had had no grievances to present, except on this ' national question of West Coast settlement reserves. This, was an object les'son on the necessity for giving security of tenure to the settler on the land. Had that security been given in the first instance, it would have been better for all, the Maoris included. The land policy of the Government was summed up in Kipling's lines, "Make ye sure to each his own, That he reap where he has sown." Mr.lMassey repeated liisTVssurance that the Government wotifd'ileal ■ with this matter during the coiWlg! session. Mr. S. <T. Kennington, chairman of the Clifton County Council, strongly supported the,claim of the Awakino County Council in connection' with the need for the Mokau bridge. He asked also that the Mimi-Mokau Road, a main arterial road, be metalled without- delay. The Council also asked for a small grant for the completion of the i : Ota6rao Road. He understood that t'lie-Hon. W. Fraser had accepted Mr. Wilson'.s invitation to open the'new Waitara 'bridge,-and he (Mr. Kenningtoii), oil. bfebalf of the county, hoped the lion, gentleman would find timq to tour the disti'i'Ct in OTder to ascertain its.'requireinthts,,, Mr. C. SiilliV'an;! County ' Councillor, said' a previous." Government had promised to, 'metel' /';thfc" : ' Minii-Mokau Road, and he 1 hoped tlid 1 present Government would fulft'Pthat" pt'Ornise. Mr. BoWb( r '^o^ty'v&jJhciilor, di;ew attention to'th'fe'Vei ,^l 'bM , 'State of thi' road' Wiis "be- 1 coming worse. The overseer had informed him thatrrfchv-rorrd-could be regradjed and metalled for £5,000. The deviationipi'ejiesHfd Bssf l !tinie.;.since had been! abandoned o l ii" account of the length of the tunnel requjj;ed. He asked Mr, Massey to sav at once whether he could grant t jL i Tliie Premier said tliaj; he could not do tjiat. , ; He :ii )v ; as,jiok, i 4'?t[ Minister of Finance, n'pr.'.wa.s lie the, Minister of Public Woi;kS','j'rfnd"'the r ,l'l';Pasiiry' was not in tlie best' .He would conviy the 'dßpujfrinoW'j'e'jjrds'eritatioYis' to ttie Minister ii! Public Works, who had Undertaken to. visit thi.4 district hefore jtlie next Estimates' were framed. The Premier promised consideration of a request miide by Mr.'W. Nosworthv that .the battleship 'Xew r Zealand should include Waitara in her itinerary. Cheers for Mr. Mftsfeev. and the party started off again for thd Mount Egmont hostelry] via TnglewoOd. 1 If there were any speed! limits uniler' tlVe 'local bv-laws, those! limits were'stretched for the oecasioji. aiid an'lrOur'sa\v ; the party within tlie l(mits 'of the Egmont National Park.

| AT MpybsT 'KGiIOXT. A'. I the £lii? party - was re-ci-'v •'! by Messrs, .'.W,,. A.. Coilis, Cliair»"f:r |>f the House Commiit4', Messrs. Xftwtoij' lying,, and M. I'rasejr, originators J scheme - and memuers ofthemanagement of t.he ■North Egmont JiosfeTry, and Messrs T. C. List J. Cruikshank, J. McLeod, and j W. C. WestonS- t'hah'inan and membjers respectively of the New Plymouth Tourist and Expansion League, and Mr. H. ( Stpeker,.secretary of the Egmont : N'.(t'iorfa! Pa'rk'Boa'rd.'' The Premijer was accompanied . by, Messrs. Okey.j lline," and Wilkinson. M.P.'s

The! Preniic'r' was toiitspoken; in his admiration ol"tUbf/-l»ish: seeiiery, the hostelry,! and 'the- viov from' it. 1 and' was evidently nolisiderably'-surprised. But lie liii(l little.;leis : H,vii;- T.Tif had scarcely accepted of a of hospitality beforp began again. Mej>srs. King, ami' Eraser mentioned the matter, of., a Tourist Department vote of £-150 received, isv connection with Die jiostelryv jancl. said'£2oo had been prontlsed. • Mr. Mas^ey had been tremi?iidoiisly;;impre t sisTd...\vit]r the great asset! the ; Dominion,■hadriiii -Mount Kg. montj ami lie .was .not- going to iiaggle over <£loo,. his l't-'gret thai his request had been so

mode,rate. (Laughter).) Mr, Lhx:n fl jcyiJU)l_aiurd oi' the neglect onMo';iyt the Tourist Department ..iiij i.ts :i jjrinte.d matt,or. lie liul met'two •\vo!;] i (l-t()iu:ists the other (lay, jaild thev. 1 iail "^'cckPJl crt they were "doing all tin' best; scenery in Now Zealand., Imt they had never hail Mount Kgmontj brought Mr. Massey promptly promised to bring this under the notice <)f th(' "Minister. stating thatjthenswrts. BCMliilfbt' the wish of the deputation shdold be 1 ' acceded to . M{. List ;iiso imahtierfed this matter, and f-xpressed 'thoi opinion t'hat-the Iligh Conijiii.ssioner'Bi fltaff .should' have taken steps; to eorrcet tile iilfoi'mation published recently Mh -• tbt!-- "Sphere" at ]lon(e. that Mount Lgmont had just re.cputlv been sealed for—the first time by F)r, that gentle* manfs effort ,w;).y,,,»i)ade.r 00' or 70 years a So.; Mr. List fskml the. Premier to five! some assistance, to. the. Tourist and Expansion League.in its campaign of advertising the scenic • resorts of Tn.ranaki. mentioning, that the League had its own tourist bureau,-ayd a .permanent sorrelarv, thus .doing ijpme of the work of (lie fiovevnnii-nt_ Tourist department. The next, reayest, was that baggage Kiijrlil bi> checked'. 'bv tli" Jlaihvav Derarli'ient bo'fM'o'v'n New. Plymouth and v t I" n,l. H \v'i> jlone'b"tv.-n rll ITTi.li;n^-1 TT i.li; n^-ln-i -mi,i '< 'Tj.Vi-i' had b-en* l,v- iho The i.viii'' : nil matter introduced was the 'ie"d f nr to Tirovenl !bc utter despoliation of t.ho magnificent bush scenerv on l.hc banks of the

_\iuk;iu River, which the speaker described us an equal asset to that of Alouut Egrnont. The previous owners of tin; land on the banks of the Mokau had promised to reserve the river banks, from the skyline to the water's edge, for scenic purposes, but the present owners were not bound by their under!akiiiij. Unless something were done very promptly, the scenery might be ruined, and it could never be replaced. The laud, lie understood, had been surveyed for hci'ipc purposes, but not gazetted as .such. Would Mr. Massey lmv,e it gazetted?

Mr. Masscv said gazetting was easy, but the owners asked £10,001) for the laud. . •

Mr. List: But you have the Compensation Court, and the land is useless for agricultural or pastoral purposes. Tt is a great pity that the land for a mile 011 each side of the river was not reserved for scenic purposes us in the ease of the Wanganui River.

Mr. Massey said tlie difficulty arose from allowing these lands to go into the hands of private individuals. That should never have been done. He could not understand why the land had not been transferred as contemplated by the former owners. Whilst he sympathised with the deputation, he did not think the Government could pay the huge sum asked, but liu promised his earnest consideration. .Mr. W. A. Golli-s asked for a grant of £2OO from the Tourist Department, for the purpose of obtaining supplies of metal for the road through the reserve to the house. He v stated that this season over 000 motor cars had been along the road, and this meant upkeep. As these cars brought visitors from all parts of the world, it would be seen that the committee was assisting the tourist traffic of the Dominion.

The Premier promised, to place the matter before the Minister in charge of the Tourist Department. The party enjoyed a cup of tea, had a peep at the old mountain house, and set out for Inglewood, where they were already overdue. AT INGLEWOOD, Enthusiastic cheering from a large crowd greeted the Premier as the car pulled up at the Inglewood Hotel. Mr. G. W, Bennett, the Mayor, uttered a few words of welcome, and tlie Premier made a brief speech from the car. A complimentary luncheon followed, the party being the guests of the electors of the district. The health of "The King," was honoured, and the Mayor, who presided, toasted Parliament and Premier. The Premier, in reply, said he appreciated the compliment,paid him by the residents in turning out at this hour to greet and entertain him. He apologised for his late arrival, and his very ( short slay, but' 'said he must be in ITawcra at four o'clock. But he would con(e again, and would make a longor stay. During his tour of Taranaki he had- seen some of tlie' test country in ' the.Dominion, some of its. ; best people, too. He was leaving the province with an excellent impression, and, after this he would always feel an affectionate regard' for them just as he hoped and 'believed' .(though he was not| usually egotistical) the .settlers of Tarpnaki would feel forliim. He was sorry there was not time for a speech, but j really there" Way no need for one. Speeches 'u'feref'iiecessiiry where 'converts i werb to be made," b'ut-'Jlefe' there Was no iine to convert. He was perfectly confident that hiS'Government had the support'-of' ; the 'majority!''of the people ! of Taranaki. (Chefe»lt/)':1 .-.The ./Govern* merit was iiot.'perfec>W of course, but had .its evei) opponen 18 •\vould >ad mi t that in its legislation and administration the Gov- ; fernihent had sought to do it.s. level best for the 'Dominion 'and! the people of the rornninion.!,, iA.nji.it ifoul kept its pledges, the first duty of politicians. Concluding, he tha.t ;atf,tl)e verv earl-, | iest Jifv would pay Inglewood : a mire lengthy visjt.,y- •* I t,ie m . as ' I ter if ceremonies, Mr. Okev, to be brief, and they, were, i . '.One-- speaker who threatened to delay the Premier unduly, was!cut short. i:,.. Ml'. & Curtis-asked for the appoint,-,, men! of .5 permanent Xoxious Weeds Inspector in. m .order, to qope with! tlie'sprtad'of'ragwort and black: I berrr etc., \Tlie Premier promised \to ■'(ld'tliis.' , ' . M|. 'Cjirtifi' requpst ; that j:he reservation ibe lifted' froip a small block of land]ad,i<iiriing J his f pr'operty, and rapidly becoming a menace to 'the.district owing to th ; e 'firowtlr'of will be referral to ; t'liT^ r Fbi-esti'.v 1 Commission ; and th'e : jmatter of roading_ tlift' b yl ■the fiov'M , riment. li ff' fjpf-'rte'd' up,- ■wlll"gtf" befoije the Minist«r=ofrrP«blic-Works. Tlije Moa School Committees' Association asked raised for primaryeclucsitio'n ' purposes. "Tlie matter had and he pj-omised to 1 refer it to the Minister ofi''Education,' V!'_; Mr ; . Taylor, representing the dairy farmbrs, protested against whey butter being exported as butter. It was only grease, and it Was detrimentally affecting tihe ssule of "New . Zealand butter on the> Home market. ' ,Mr. Massey said that •at th'e Kaiipokonui ' factory 1 the other day, quit?: a number of people failed to pick wliey'butter from creamery butter. jfe liiinseif liiafle the mistake..; TJife-* matter would be inquired into.i ' " , : '" Tlis Inglewood Borough■ Council : -(Mr. J. Gibbs, spokesman-)"" complained- that they could not have 1 a re-valuation of the bor'oiigh made as promised in 1010. Their lettens to the Valuation Department r-:i the patter were being ignored. The Premjer replied: "Ail right. I promise it now." i :;> . Tlii Ministerial party received an enthusiastic send-oIV as they left for TT"wera' at about ten minutes to three o'clock. . ,