OFFICIAL LUNCHEON.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4980, 28 May 1926, Page 3

OFFICIAL LUNCHEON.

PRIME MINISTER AND PARTY. BOROUGH AND COUNTY GUESTS. / Immediately following the disposal of the deputations at the Municipal Chambers yesterday the Prime' Minister ■ (the Hon. J. G. Coates), the Mintoter of , Lands (the Hon. A. D. McLeod), a,nd the official party were the guests at a luncheon tendered by the Paeroa Borough Council and the Ohinemuri County Council at the Criterion Hotel. Despite the fact that the hotel; is in the midst of complete renovation and alteration, the proprietor (Mr H. C.’Bowden) and staff had the dining- . room skilfully arranged’-for the recep|Ztion of such distinguished guests. Al- ' though many notable functions have • been held at this hotel; in. days-gone by, it wag sajd that yesterday’s luncheon and' arrangements easily eclipsed & previous efforts. To the promoters, • and especially the ladies who were responsible for the strikingly pretty ■ decorations of the tables, great credit and praise is due. ■ After the toast of “The King” had ' been honoured, the toast ot ■ "The Prime Minister” was proposed by His Worship the Mayor of Paeroa (Mr W.. . Marshall), who said that it was a privilege, to be risked to propose the health df such a'worthy'and honour-. ) ed guest. It was recognised that there many calls on- the time of>the . Prime Minister, a-,nd the community was grateful and honoured by.; the . visit of- the first New Zealand-born Prime Minister. The Dominion was indeed fortunate to have a man Mr Coates’ calibre and .integrity as her national leader. .The .country thought- much of the man “who gets•things done'’ for the benefit of New Zealand’ and the. British Empire, and he'-congratulated the Hon. Mr Coates on his appointment to the 1 high posiof Prime Minister, and also' on fthe• sweeping majority that he ha’ ; d r ' gained at tjje last general elections. PREMIER’S REPLY.. Raipondinfe to the toast, the Hon. Mr Coates said that he had been • given a difficult task to reply to the references made by the pro-poser,’-and he could not plead guilty to all . the prajse accorded .him. He. realised his shortcomings, ,and pointed out that-obviously the Government could not please everybody; but the r least that could be said was .that the. .Government was a "trier.” He always ‘ aimed at keeping the .status off New Zealand at a. high level a,nd see to it ' that it’ maintained its rightful place ■in the annals of the British Empire, to wjhich they were all so proud,; to belong. He hoped that Paeroa would -continue to develop and prosper, a.nd said that the town’s worthy- Mayor, ; . had:set a high standard of efficiency and resourcefulness. . ' ' The ’ Prime Minister said that, he compelled to pay a tribute tor the ■ promoters of the function, and said /that he wished to especially con■r’gratulate the proprietor and staff on the excellent ineal,, skilfully served under difficult conditions. ’ The fact thpt the regimental colours, of his, ' old battalion —the ; First Auckland Battalion—had been featured in .the decorations had touched himt deeply, M' and he accepted’ the tribute as a ’> great honour. Through, it. he could see the’m'aster mind of his old friend ’ and adjutant, Captain E. A. Porriti, ■ M.C., had heen a : t work. He wished- . to say that Captain Porritt had been - a good; and efficient soldier, and it was eVident that he was equally as good a citizen. (Applause.) -..-. < In conclusion the Prime -Minister again -thanked the Mayor- for the honour accorded him, and he assured the . gathering that it had given him considerable pleasure to .be present/at the festive board. MINISTER (OF LANDS.’ The toast of “The Minister of Lands 1 ’’‘ wa,s ably ..proposed by Mr'A. M. Samuels M.P. for Ohinemuri,' who said that New Zealand knew the Hon. Mr McLeod to be a fearless and just ■ Minister of the Crown./ Mr McLeod "had been born in the backblocks of the Wairarapa, and was a true son, of thq soil; and a, toiler, who had the interests of the farmers at heart and \ knew intimately how they‘worked, in wet or dry weather, to produce andassist the prosperity of the Dominion:' The Mihiister ha,d served on various local, bodies for a long term of years, and had been chairman of a town board-at thd age of 21'years. ,He had entered Parliament in <1919, and had rapidly’riseh to Cabinet rank in 1924. In addition to holding the portfolio of Minister of Lands, Mr McLeod had . recently had the portfolio of* Industries and Commerce, and the. Valuation ' - Department,' added ~, to his shoulders. This showed that he had the confidence of the country and was recognised by his colleagues as a, man of ability and integrity. ‘ In a modest reply the Hon.. Mr McLeod thanked Mr Samuel for the eulogistic references and said that he tried his'best to fulfil the duties of a Minister off the Crown, and it would . always be his object to protect and . improve the lot of the farmer, who was undoubtedly the mainstay of the J-Dominion. s •