SPEECH BY PREMIER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1349, 9 January 1905, Page 2

SPEECH BY PREMIER.

’(Per Press Association.) Hokitika, Saturday. The Premier, replying to a deputation last night, stated that it was necessary for him to return to Wellington at onoo, owing to important duties, including the setting up of Land and other Commissions.

The Government intended to ask Parliament next session, for a special grant to carry telephones to the back hlooks. The Agent-General had been instructed to select an additional submarine mining engineer for the colony. Speaking on the Midland railway, he said it Bhould have been completed five or six years ago, and the oolony had been retarded for years through delays arising from the contract. Ho spoke of the indifference of Canterbury people in the great work, through their continued prosperity. The line would be of great sendee to the east ooast and to the whole oolony. It stood on an equal footing with the North Island Trunk line. His view was that the Midland railway had not had proper attention, and he had no hesitation in expressing that opinion. He hoped for the early completion of the Stairoase Gaily section, but at the present rate of progress it would take fonr years to complete that section. He hoped Parliament would provide funds to oomplete that portion of the line within two years at the most. The flow of traffio between tbo two coasts would surprise them.

Dealing with prospeoting, he urged local bodies to set aside a portion of The goldfields revenue eaoh year for the speech fio work of prospeoting, and asked looal bodies to suggest alterations in the mining regulations to facilitate prospeoting. Gen-, erally, Westland had a great future in store'with-the unearthing of its mineral deposits. The Premier left for Greymonth via Stafford, Goldsborough, and Kumara this morning.

As there was some difficulty in getting miners to work in Westport distriot to load the s.s. Meroedes with coal for' the East, Mr Seddon appealed to, and communicated with, the heads of tbo Miners’ Association, drawing their- attention to the matter, wheD the miners promptly replied, agreeing to load the boat without any I Sitoy as their $ tit,