WAIKATO ELECTORATE.

Waipa Post, Volume V, Issue 207, 25 April 1913, Page 3

WAIKATO ELECTORATE.

i Mi J. A. Young, M.P. for Waii kato, visited the southern portion jof the Waikato electorate on l Tuesday and Wtdnesday, and I interviewed the settlers of the j various localities on matters affecting the welfare of the district. TE MAWHAI. On Tuesday afternoon Mr Young met the settlers of Te Mawhai at the railway station, and discussed with them matters affecting the welfare of the district. Mr Young answered a number of questions, ,and at the conclusion Mr W. J. Scott proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Young for his visit, and took the opportunity to express the opinion that in Mr Young they had j an able and hard-working mem- j ber —a sentiment which was ap- : proved by all, as was shown by j the hearty manner in which the j vote was carried. Mr Rushbrcok j .acted as chairman. j Mr Campbell then drove Mr Young to Tokanui, where he was met by Dr Crosby,superintendent in charge, who showed him over the buildings and work being carried out on the estate. Mr Young expressed himself as well pleased with what had been done since his last visit, something like 300 acres having been put down in grass and crops during the past twelve months. TE KAYv A AND RANGINUI. j On Wednesday morning a j number ot Te Kawa settlers met Mr J. A. Young, M.P. for the dis- . trict, at Bertram’s sterc, and talked over with him the vaiious questions of local interest. Before taking his leave of Te Kawa those present .warmlv thanked j the member for the interest lie had shown in visiting the dis- j trict.

Mr Hooper very kindly, on behalf of the Ranginui settlers, drove Mr Young into their district during the afternoon, where a dozen or more settlers from Ranginui, Mangaorongo, and Maihihi met their member.

Mr James Armstrong, chairman of the Pukekohe Settlers’ Association, and Mr W. H. Swainson, Hon. secretary, and Mr S. A. Chiles, of the Maihihi Settlers’ Association, extended a hearty welcome to Mr Young whom they complimented on the way he was looking after the interests of his constituents. A letter was presented to the member with the request that an accompanying petition, asking that a township site, with suitable reserves for public purposes be set aside at the south end of Maihihi, in the large block of 10,000 acres now being surveyed by the Government for settlement purposes, be presented to the Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister. Mr Young briefly addressed the gathering, and in his remarks noted the great progress which the district had made during the past twelve months. On his last visit he experienced some difficulty in getting through country which now was cleared and’ showed evidence of active industry on the part of the settlers. At the conclusion a vote of thanks and cheers were accorded Mr Young for his visit j and interest in the work of the j back-block settlers. He then j journeyed to Mr J. Hutchinson’s homestead, and in the earl}' evening drove over to Puketarata. KIO KIO. Mr J. Budge then introduced Mr Young, the member for Waikato, who, he said, was proving himself a splendid representative, and then asked him to formally open the new hall. Mr Young was received with a very hearty demonstration of applause, and thanked the committee for doing him the honour of opening their new hall. It so happened that they were met at the border of the two important electorates of Waikato and Taumarunui. Mr C. K. Wilson, their active member was that night busy in another part of his large electorate placing before the Prime Minister the requirements of his constituents, and on his behalf he apologised sor his absence,. and conveyed to the Kio Kio and Otorohanga people his best wishes. Mr Young congratulated the Puketarata and Kio Kio residents on the progress which the districts are making. The necessity for a public hall was the increased population and social needs of the people. They, of course, had other needs, well-formed hard roads for general traffic, and money wherewith to improve and stock their farms (hear, hear). He was glad to say they had a Government in office which recognised this, and as soon as more money was available, he trusted they would receive their just share for development purposes,—it would not be his fault if they did not. He deprecated State assistance at the expense of the County and agricultural districts, to wealthy Municipal bodies, who were quite able to look after themselves in matters of finance. Government money, spent in block pavements in the cities would not produce an extra blade of grass or another pound of butterlat, but if spent in the Country, aiding settlement, it benefited everybody, including j those in the cities. (Applause). J The present shortage of money was being overcome, and was due in a measure to promises made by previous Governments, without providing the, means to meet ; them. As honorable men, the

! Massey Government had to fulfil I the promises made by their pre- ! decessors ; this they were faithfully carrying out, and soon the j financial tide would be turned, and a normal state of National .development would continue. One satisfactory feature of the thing was that production was on the increase, and that prices for agricultural prod nets had kept to a good standard,

Mr Young trusted that all would have a very happy time that evening, and that their district would continue to prosper. Amidst loud applause he declared the Puketarata Hall open for all social, educational, and religious purposes.