VISIT TO MARTON

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 196, 22 August 1935, Page 9

VISIT TO MARTON

SIR ALFRED RANSOM RANGITIKEI COUNTY'S WELCOME (Special Reporter.) MARTON, Aug. 20. “We want to make your stay here as enjoyable as possible. We don’t want to worry you with anything and we are not going to ask you for anything,” declared Mr. A. Stuart, M.P. for Rangitikei. while extending a welcome lo lion. Sir Alfred Ransom, until recent! Acting Prime Minister, who ar.i.'l from Wellington shortly after three o'clock this afternoon. Sir Alfred was met by a gathering representative of the Rangitikei Uounf.v Council and accorded a welcome in the council . ibers. Mr. s. ,• ’ ■ -<>d for tbe unavoidable abac.. the county chairman, Mr. K. Dalrymple, Mr. J. Bush (Marton Chamber of Commerce) and Y r : kloyd. Hammond (N.Z. Farmers' Union). Cr. A. S. Coleman welcomed Sir Alfred on behalf of the Rangitikei County Council and its ratepayers. Mr. F. R. H. Brice also spoke. Mr. Brice remarked that they had followed with a great deal of interest reports of addresses delivered by Sir Alfred in various parts of the Dominion. The Government had been in office during a difficult period, said I Mr. Brice, but there was no doubt that the only administration possible had been brought in by the Government. Had this administration not been brought in, and had the Government not acted it did, even though some of the legislation might have been unpleasant. chaos would have most certainly reigned in the Dominion. Air. Brice considered that the Government had done much for the people and had been moving in accordance with the times. Sir Alfred in his reply staled that he was very pleased to be welcomed in such a way by the Rangitikei County Council. It was a pleasant change to receive a welcome instead of a deputation. The Rangitikei district had always been regarded as one of the bright spots in the Dominion. He had heard one or two remarks about the unpleasant'weather which had been experienced in Rangitikei of late, but assured those present that rain is often a blessing instead of a disadvanSir Alfrel remarked that he had travelled extensively through the Dominion of late and had seen some districts where rain would have been most welcome. Canterbury, for instance, would appreciate even a portion of the rain which Rangitikei was experiencing. ‘‘A fair amount of rain is rather a blessing than anything else,” the | Minister said. Referring to the political nature of his visit, Sir Alfred said that he, did not propose entering into the various points raised at the moment. lie would reserve that for the meeting in the Civic Theatre. “I would like to say, however, that throughout our discus sions of the last four years, and some of them have been on very real and serious problems, Cabinet has come to its decisions purely because it. desired to act in the best interests of the Dominion,” said the Minister. “ We fully realised that some of the Acts passed would have a reaction politically, but we considered that those aspects wore only of secondary consideration compared with the li lominion ’ 8 interests on the whole.’’ Sir Alfred continued. Sacrifices had been necessary and some of the ’egislation passed had not been pleasant, but the people of New Zealand had responded well. ‘I am proud of the way the people of this Dominion have stood up to the difficult problems and the sacri fives necessary,” the Minister de The Government had conic through thp, depression and had not added a penny t 0 the country’s national debt. New Zealand was in a better position now and the outlook for the future was brighter, said Sir Alfred. The wage earner had contributed to the burden of unemployment and everything pos sible had been done by the Govern menl. ‘‘ We have exercised economy to the extent of £10,000,000 a year in the best interests of the country ami the people are beginning to realise it more than before,” said Sir Ransom in conclusion. On the invitation of Mr. A. Stuart, Sir Alfred and parly, together with those present at the welcome to the Minister, journeyed out to Mr. Stu art’s home al. ‘' Runney mode ” lor afternoon tea.