ROYAL WELCOMES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1422, 24 April 1912, Page 5

ROYAL WELCOMES.

FOR REFORM MEN. t THE - FEKLTNG OF THE COUNTRY*. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) . Chrislchurch, April 23. One of tlio members of tho Kel'orm party who accompanied Mr. Mnssey on his recent visit to (Itago and Southland was ■Mr. W. Xosworthy, memlter for Asliburton. In an interview with n member of "The l.'res ? " stall' to-night, Air. A'osworlhy gave a brief sketch of tho tour with soino ol' his own impressions. In Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. The first function attended was tho banquet to Mr. C. A. C. Tlaiily at Mcthvcn. That gathering wns an unqualified success. Subsequently .Mr. Massev, with otiier members of tlio parly, notably .Messrs. Buchanan (Wairaiapa), Jiuiok (Palmerston JCorth), J.'Vaser (Wakatinu), Lee (Oamai'ti), Smith (Waitaki), Allen (liruce), .Scott (Central Otago), and Stat ham and Thomson (Dunedin), attended tho banquet tendered to Mr. G. .'I. Anderson, member for MaUuta. »t Wyndham. It had been described as tho largest gathering of the sort ever held in Southland and it was evident to observers that Jiataura was a staunch Reform district This was Mr. Massey's first visit to Wvmlj ham, and ho got a particularly cordial reception.

Die members of the party, with tho exception of Jlr. Buchanan, then proceeded jo Queenstown. The residents came into tho town in largo numbers to attend the "socinl" held in honour of Mr. leaser Mr. Fraser got a great reception, and tile members of tho party could not but feel gratified at tho interest taken in their visit.

On the following evening members wero present at a "social" given to them bv tho citizens of Dunedin: The hall was full long before the hour of starting, and many peoplo wero unable to obtain admission. The utmost enthusiasm was displayed.

The social hold in honour of Mr. Leo at Onmaru on Monday night was attended by Mr. Massey and other Reform members. This was the largest gathering of the tour, and the farming community was particularly well represented. Mr. Massey was splendidly received, those present f™ 1 ? cheering him, and singing I 1 orHes A Jolly Good Fellow." The people wcro very much interested in meeting and hearing tho Jfeform members, ami, after the "social," the members were entertained by tho Norfli Otago Club. Wardism's Pyrrhic Victory. Speaking generally about the tour, Mt. Aosworthy said that ho had boon struck by the prevailing opinion that tho vievory of the Government, by the casting vote of the Speaker, 011 the want-of-confi-dcnco motion had really turned out to bo of advantago to the Heforin partv. It had shown (lie party's strength, and tho weakness of the Government. It was 110 exaggeration to say that dozens of people had mado inquiries from them as to what right the new Government liad to administer tho affairs of tho country, and there was v a consensus of opinion that Mr. Massey's party must, in tho near future, become tho occupants of the Ministerial benches. If a general election were to take place, Mr. Nosworthy had no doubt that, so far as Otago and Southland Were concerned, there would ba a large majority returned for Reform. Ho had also heard frequent expressions of surpriso thjt Canterbury had not returned more members pledged to support tho party. Agrarian Interests In Cabinet. Speaking at "tho social" tendered to Mr. Lee, member for Oamaru, on Monday evening, Mr. Nosivorthy made a rather telling point when lie remarked that, while the agricultural and pastoral industry was responsible for between SO and 90 per cent, of the Dominion's exports, its interests in tho Ward Cabinet had been represented by only two men. Under the Mackenzie Cabinet matters wcro even worse, as, while Mr. Mackenzie professed to be exceedingly solicitous on behalf of tho farmers and agricultural and pastoral community, the industry was only really represented by one member nut of ten ill the Cabinet—the Hon. Mr. Mncoonald.