THE PRIME MINISTER.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 13675, 8 May 1912, Page 2

THE PRIME MINISTER.

ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION IN THE SOUTH. (By Telegraph.— Special to Herald.) INVKKCARGILL, May 7, Tiie Prime Minister met with a most enthusiastic reception from a representative gathering o.i ius anivai at Diver The Mayor welcomed the Hon. Mackenzie, in whose honour (he Pipe Banc assembled ard played Stirling ails. On leaving the railway station he was escorted io the rotunda in Post Office Square, where the Mayor (Mr. W. B. (Scaudreit) in eongratulaiing lum uu his aere.-sion to oilic. said Mr. Mackenzie had to follow' states ■nen whoso names would live in the history >1 the Dominion—\\ aid, Stafford, Fox. Vogel, Hall, Atkinson, Sir Geo. Grav. iialkuiee, Sed-dou, and last but not leant Mr Joseph Ward, who Inul fixed a high standard for Prime Ministers, but they might rest assured Mr. Mackenzie would maintain that standard, and that the Dominion would not suffer at his hands. Ha would no doubt receive, as lie deserve.!, every consideration from Parliament ana tlie people. the Prime Minister, who was eiithn•siastieallv received, stated that reception exceeded anything he eonlu have anticipated. The May or luul rvlvrrt'd to the ol ir;o;i who hud occupied the highest position iu the country during tlie tune . had on Joyed the privileges oi constitutional government, and h<* was ioiscions of the heavy responsibility resting on his shoulders iu endeavouring to hi; Lie shoes oi ti’o-ie i'histnoiis predecessors, lie had mentioned that Sir Joseph Ward had been last but not least, and if there was any part of New Zealand that was indebted to that able statesman it was this portion. It had been said that there was only one man in the Cabinet who was going to look after agricultural interests, but there was not eiic in the Cabinet who would not give it serious attention. It had also been said, that he was not. there to look after agriculture, bat that was inaccurate. As a matter of fact, ho intended to arrange for agrieiutnial education and to establish experimental farms so that the people might know how to do tilings in an efficient maimer ami learning the best milking strains. He would also do his best to procure more markets to establish proper transit. To say that Mr Mac Donald was alone going to act for the agricultural interest was to show that their critics were not fair. It had been asserted that tec Mackenzie Cabinet was composed of a crowd of mediums. They might not have had the same op[ ortutiity of receiving university education as had a member of their opponents, nevertheless there was no man amongst his colleagues but huJ given an indication of grit and go. The Premier proceeded bv train to Orawai, in the west un distri. t, where Air. J. C. Thomson will be banquetted, and Air. Alackenzie attends a similar function to-morrow.