MINISTERIAL TOUR.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1924, Page 7

MINISTERIAL TOUR.

HON. J. G. COATES IN TARANAKI. VISIT TO THE/BACK-BLOCKS (From Our Special Reporter.) Whangamomona, Last Night. The Hon. J. G. Uoate.s (Minister for Railways and Public Works) arrived in Stratford by the mail train to-night and left shortly afterwards by a special train for Whangamomona. To-morrow he will inspect the damage done by the recent floods to roads in the Whangamomona district.

On arrival at Stratford the Minister was met by a deputation consisting of Mr. L. T. Aylward (chairman of the executive of the Stratford Progress League) and Mr. J. McKee (representing the retailers’ committee), who drew the Minister’s attention to the advantage cf running an extra train from/ Tahora on Christmas Eve. The suggested twin would leave Tahora at 8 a.m. and return from Stratford at 8 p.m. The deputation also asked that special excursion rates should apply on that day on the eastward line.

The Minister promised to give the matters his favourable consideration. A request that the remainder of the Pembroke Road to the hostel site should be metalled was made* to the Minister by Messrs J. B. Richards and P. Thomson. representing the Stratford Mountain House Hostel Company. The Minister promised to consider the matter and give advice of his decision later; To-morrow night the Minister will spend at Te Kuiti. On Saturday he ".ill visit Wai hi and officially turn on the borough lighting scheme. On Monday he will open a post office at Pokeno. and that night he will be back in Te Kuiti. On Tuesday he will go over the Awakino Valley road. en route to New Plymouth 'and Wellington.