THE PREMIER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 420, 1 February 1909, Page 6

THE PREMIER.

INTERVIEWED AT NAPIER, ; ;/■-. \ RAILWAY RATES AND TOURIST : / y ; ; : -'-..,: ;■; traffic;-; , ; ■: .:./':.''.//A v IBi TEtEdEAffl—stEcut■ ■cohwspbsDßKTj ■ ' Napier, {January: 31. Before leaving Napier Sir Joseph• Ward ao corded an' interview to a "Daily Telegraph" reporter, in ywhich he stated that his visit had. been!.an/interesting, pleasant, and use-: ful.one.':-"'•-■■■■•■•.:' ■ v.:■'■'■•* A /-;■-'.'■ '■'^' ; ;/■/ ''.v : - : Speaking 'of';.the Manawatu Railway,-.-the Premier said; '"i'be recent purchase of .the Manawatu Railway, by the ■Government -.is? Jof importance here,.as it will;effect/ the-re-; moyal of one. of the .commercial difficulties which acted somewhat adversoly. on Napier for many years. Irefer : to the. differentia, tion of rates from/Wellington '-to Napier, which was necessary on the Government line ; to enable us to hold trade against tho.com-.; petition, of the -.Manawatu'•:Company.y-v.The Napier merchants ywere: at', : a ■ diEapvantage;" with Wellington competitors in carrying on. the business of the interior. This will now be a thing of the.past.. The railways being now the-.property of the State, there will, of course, 'be no. division,of.,rates, and in ttiiV respect the mercantile interests of Napier and: Wellington/ will be -pn'loyen terms. : ; 1n..-the ordinary course of'ithihgs, this should result:'in a iarge extension of trade, as. both' towns being, placed; on the ;, same: v.terms snould result in that spirit of commerpial rivalry- which-.is.Such a valuable thing forthe..people gehsrally. , ? - ;' ."•'• '■.' -■, : •'The reporter -askep! x the:'. Premier .the intentions :of the'; Government. as applied ■■ to tourist trafflo in this ; district..: .'■ ■:.;;.-,.; :■;.

.; Sir.,-Joseph said' he recognised, that the" -N country generally should-be made, as attrac- : tiv.e to tourists, as.possible.' Where they;had -; : ..';■ scenic attraction's of suoli variety;'it.Was. the.,; ' 4]iity of the Government, as a matter bf; prac-;. ,} tical • business,. to eater-. for 'the roving':popn- '.-.: lation outside of New Zealand;*who , were erer ■:, seeking fresb changes;'. Everybody, directly - •;■ . br. ! indirectly,' must .benefit; from those'.who .-V • ,visited i New Zealand," and spent money in ': ■travelling. , - ■ Before long he hoped tpVse'e.a*' good: road tot- inotoring between Napier and , . ..; l'aupo. It was known that! people'; w|io "travelled ■'.did not care to. see the same :road ■ .:. .'twice, autl the Napjef-Taupo road- would pro- -5 ; '.- ride excellent variety in the; trip. ,-.toV the;.:y. north. Tourists could' come", dpwii '-''hyi. the •-.-!■ North Island Main- Trunk Railway;;' cbm'ple'te;- : . the 'circuit to-Rotorua by 'motiring''through \\:U Taupo. or viceyver.sa. •-.';■■ ■:■.■'■; ■.-;•; Q : .~■;] .'-.;.^-.;' In -the. coursi of an. interesting refeftrice ■'; to .local -matteris,.' Sir-Joseph ; said: ;;"r can- - not have been hore.'.without ndticing r the:con- ' troversy'.in. connection with, the'Nanier"liar-- '.' hour, loan' and the breakwater eoimpletion. This ■is, a' matter;; in •'which, as. an = outsider, • ;I■'." ;. Would' not for one: moment ..presume' to in-... ■ terfero or to take sides as. between the com- '-''■: petition for; and against, the:'prosecution .''of ■•■;'.'■-, the proposals ,' for -/breakwater exteitsion..v Still,:'speaking : :with'.iong: experience; as" : .'a.-':-: member -of /harbour' boards; extending over-:' about thirty-;, continuous 'years,. I.recognise':, : ! that'fof the..satisfactory industrial progress'/ ;: of-'a"large importing and -exporting;, district •;.:■ there is nothing--of consequence"!to : :.; : settlers and. merchants'.than..to have.-.tho;. : ':" most modern , harbour facilities at. the .cheapest ; '.- .cost.it ; ie possible; to.obtain,;' In.the South-;:- :■ landvprovintial'- distHcfc it, is: recognised j that ■;-.;; !&;'. well-dire'cted harbour;., policy, involving -.the >.7proper upkeep of. the. port'with. lmodernodi--:;, venience.i, : :is;.of : . ,tbe : - most- y'alnable;:conse- : ,'.-■' cjuence;to, the' people of,the and ia/ that province there-has been .wonderful :pro-i:;; :;■ gress-rhade'in this respect./.This .must 'alsc* '.'■'■. ; ■ be SO iri your owndistriot of >,Hawke's: Bay, and I.will look forward with- considerable in-.!.: . terdsf to the "result":of '.. the ; .opinion '.lol the : : ■:.-■ pebpleon-.the proposals, which:! have, read aa;... having been 'submitted, to- them.":..: /■ ... .'. - ;^1. ;: l;\.:. :;' V '. hid -:to 'pt\si}a\i6fnti 4 a ri nflr s''; 3o ' : - /Sir;-: Joseph,;Ward,'who ; iS; a' r . through pas.: : Sanger -by-the: Manuka, yisited. Gisborne this , . 'morning; .being ;■ welcomed by ,the.Mayor.; Lady,'; : )Ward-and/.par,ty n were, taken"; for,.; : a,, -Moicr- . : drive into 'thb'couhtryby.-tlie.Mayor'ess.' The ■, Trimo!Minister?spent;th6,.morning receiving : deputations; oh' various' local, going ■ thoroughly/ into, the question. of the future.; / disposal of grazing runs, the leases of which -.': 'are falling in;' - //"'.//;;.-,V. : ; -;-.'•'•::;.'-.'-.- ;/../'. ■ Sir, Joseph,'.replying to a deputation, said ■; he thought the. time had arrived when there . : should;be a'separate Land Board for this dis-y ; trict, , owing ; to the large''estates- to he,dealt 1 : ■ ■with.u.//.: ,y. : y: /;//-;. ;'■ -yy; y ■;-;': ;;RATLWAYyAND: : LAj>rt SETTLEMENT., : ; ;/ .:/: ft'!'// ; y< ; cisborne,: ,; January/30. ':■:■;' •• Replying to a deputation-of run-holders on the guestion of small, grazing-runs, 'the Prime/ , Minister, ■ Sir Joseph AYaru,: .deprecated::the '. ■" suggestion ithat the; Government had looked v y at the matter, from a •politioal aspect./ All at-;!: tempt'had been niade to influence a'Southeray .constituency v '-adversely i to v the Government /,. overithis-matter...; Such conduct he regarded . / with;supreme contempt..:lf. the Government,; ; '; in settling/the land in -,the /interest- of /. the;; .; country,, was.to consider what political -views;. • persons interested held,: he for one would not .'. be;a : member of the.Government. He an-' : - nouiteed,- in ""regard to 'several runsv ; which' l had been mentioned,' that they had decided to ' . allow the: lessees -to ; ietain possession of the ■.': land-that, they had brought: from a wild state.. : .to';its , :present:;conilition of settlement. ■ The";.', other 'cases would be- carefully- considered ony: ; . : - • their merits. This announcement was received .with expressions.of approval., y j t>; /:;■■,■: : : /-'.A deputation of the' Railway: League ex- ■'■;.. pressed satisfaction .at- the' progress that was : ., : ' being made'with the construction'of the,rail-,-.;-; way,; and urged the need for opening : branch. ■ lines. ;The Prime Minister, replying;/ said:: they.were;doing- their best for.'the whole Do- '•' minion, subject to the limftations placed upon ' : ' •them.::. He recognised'that':this:would' be a .' great .district, and.' the :■ Government would:-;; ' push \>n the line as rapidly as possible.' ,The \ subject of'feeders to tho railway would ;hav/--j, . close', attention;:.::/:: -.:', -• :Av Vy:' y//:;;,'.;yy. /' / -/\: Auokland; January';3l- /: -The ; Prime Minister■ (Sir 'J. Whrd) armed : ::, in Auckland by..the? Manuka to-day, ',:: !: : : ; .