MR MASSEY AT OPOTIKI

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1983, 13 February 1914, Page 8

MR MASSEY AT OPOTIKI

L. "'" ~* —~"""■' 1 SPLRNDID RECEPTION. \ I BAILWAYS & STATE LOANS THE EAST COAST LINE. ! (By Telesraph—Prees Assooiation.l, Opotiki, February 12. ' The Prime Minister (tlie Bight Hon. '--~ ■:. i\V. F. Massey), accompanied by tho Minister of Railways (the Hon. W. H. ; Herries), Dr. Pomarc, and Mr. W. D. M'Donald, M:P. for the Bay of Plenty, motored to-day from Rotorua to Opotiki; where he was accorded a most enthusiastic reception. ' On the arrival of tho Ministerial party in the early evening, almost tho entire township was-out to take- part in the welcome, being led by the Mayor (Mr. V. .T. SWM aud tno chairman of the County Council (Mr. J. B. Gow). : Tho first visit of the Prime Minister ' ,to the district was , signalised by the tendering , of- a banquet.at tho Royal Hotel. Mr. , Massey, in replying to the ■ ; toast, of his 'health, said -that, ho had . for years been promising himself a visit . to the East Coast of the Auckland dls- • ,trict. Ho had intended to make- the :visit after'tho New Year holidays, but iliis illness had kept liim in Wellington. His business, on tho present trip, was y to spy out the land.' A great deal was said nowadays about the East Coast railway, and, , so far as'he had travelled, he was exceedingly pleased with what he bad seen,' j'tliough, he. understood that-ho had only so far seen a small- part of the producing portion of the East Coast country. ■ Ho fully . hoped that, on his return to Wellington/ lie would find himself, in thorough agreement with the Minister of Railways that the. East-Coast people were worthy of East Coast railway. , There was a crowded attendance- at the Alhambra Theatre later in tho , evening to hoar tlio Ministerial visi- : . tors speak; The Mayor presided, and he and Mr. M'Donald welcomed and ..-■. introduced Mr.'•'Massey '"and-'his col-' ■' leagues. ; ' . Last Year's Railway Expenditure. Mr. M'Donald said that they all . hoped to hear Mr. Massey state what his l;policy-.was as regarded the East Coast-railway. For'too long Opotiki had'been cut off and isolated, and,ho was pleased with the Government's attitude o'riihc East Coast-railway question. ■ \ ■ The Prime 1 Minister gave an address on tho'lines ofv'liis Te Aroha speech. He said that lie .realised that Opotiki had been , isolated for,', a long time, but the time pt its isolation was coming to an end. (Applause.) • Both, he and • his colleagues. Mvero fully impressed with .the- idea that the means of communication must be improved throughout the Dominion.. , --The Government realised that, if settlers were to be encouragedj.ytheyiVimis.t-,' be given, roads railways, - and;'last , year, the Government expended more • on railways than had. been expended previously in any year,, in.: the, history of thp-Doinin-ion. •■■•■ ■■■■■.' .':■■•' _ The' Augmented Advances'. • ■ Mr. Massey went on to review the ■Government's "■land legislation' and financial operations, deferring to-the Government's efforts to assist' settlers find local bodies, Mr. Massey said that it was quite impossible for them to borrow sufficient for all local bodies. He referred to the raising of the limit of • advances to settlers from £750 to £1000; and to workers' advances from £400 to £450. During the. last eighteen months the- Government had lent to settlers, workers, and local bodies not less than ' £2,472,715. Regarding the Tecent strike 'and the. Government's attitude thereon, the Prime Minister stated that, while ho. believed in. trade unionism, he deliied tho rjght of any man to stop tho wheels of industry'.' The worst' enemies which the country had were the men . . who went about attempting to stir-up strife between different sections of the community. (Applause). 'Sea Defence. Passing on to defence matters, the Primo Minister outlined the agreement between the.lmperial authorities and the, New. Zealand Government. He took tho opportunity of correcting a misap- . prehension on the matter which had , arisen through" an ..- error in' the transmission of a telegraphic message from Tβ Aroha. On this point ho said that he had no doubt that sthe. lmperial authorities'wero, in their judgment, doing their .best in the interests of the Empire as a whole in giving us the Phijo- ..- mel as a training ship. The New Zea- ! land Government, however, : thought that a commencement should be mado to improve 'the naval -position,. in the South Pacific, and if no more satisfac- ' tory arrangement was arrived at before- next sessicjn, Parliament - would probably bo asked to agree to the building of one fast modern, cruiser, probably of the Bristol type, costing about £400,000,"-to be used, in the event of necessity requiring it, for the protection, of our trade routes. Mr. Horries spoke interestingly on the "Native land question and other matters, und Dr. Pomare delivered, a , .brief ad-' dress. -. ' •. ■: . .'• '."■'.'■' • The party leave for-.Whakatane tomorrow morning. . V""-"