MINISTERIAL VISIT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5038, 11 October 1926, Page 2

MINISTERIAL VISIT.

HAURAKI BRIDGE CEREMONY.

DINNER AT THAMES,

An informal dinner was tendered at Thames to the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. K. S'. Williams) on Wednesday evening last by the. Hauraki Plains and Thames County Councils and the Thames Borough Council on the occasion of the driving of a ceremonial pile of the Hauraki Bridge. Mr E. L. Walton, chairman of the Hauraki Plains County Council, presided, and among those present were Messrs A. M. Samuel and T. W. Rhodes. M’s-.P., C. J. McKenzie, acting Engineer-in-Chief, Public Works Department ; L. ,B Campbell, district engineer ; N. E. Hutchings, private secretary to the Minister, and representatives olf most of the local bodies, in the Thames Valley.

The toast of the evening—that of “Out Guest”—was proposed by Mr Walton, who said that it was a happy occasion because there was with them a gentleman who embodied and personified the fairest traditions of Old England ; a man whose dearest wishes were to preserve all that was good in our constitution and to remove all that was bad; a man who regarded himself as an instrument for the gofid and elevation of his countrymen; a man who combined the shrewdness, with the tenderness of a shepherd ; a man whom they welcomed to their hearts without mental reservations,.

“Time will only permit me tot tell you of one of the many things which the man I speak of has done for love of his country,” continued Mr Walton. “Without State aid he gave, a large tract of fine land for the settlement of returned soldiers. He stocked that land, financed his settlers, advised them, and saw them through the slump with the result that they are now all on their feet. Could there b® a finer and more practical beneficence than this ? To use a favourite expression of the Prime Minister of Great Britain, it is bolne good—good to the very bone.” “With the sole idea of offering his services to his country he entered Parliament —he says he entered through accident; for New Zealand it was a happy accident of fate. At the end of his first term so trusted was he by his constituency that: he was re-elected unopposed, a singular distinction, in that he was, I believe, the only candidate in -New Zealand so returned.” Mr Walton said he thought that the Minister’s politics could be summed up in that he preserved a cool, moderate, resolute fairness ; was heedless of large theories, speculations, and dreamy scepticism ; had a clear view of the next step and a wise intention to take it, and had a steady belief that the present world could, and should be, quietly improved. The Hon. K. S. Williams briefly replied. He expressed his thanks at the warmth of welcome extended to him, and also expressed the hope that he was getting in some way as, the chairman had indicated. As a New Zealander who had made some progress and who now had the'time to spare, he had felt that it was his duty to be doing something for his country. Being in charge of a department—and such a big spending department aS the Public Works —he found was difficult. The request of a single petitioner might be as important as the prayer of a city council. Thus, if at the present .time he ,was not able to give a decided answer to every deputation it was because he desired time to consider the merits of the case and whether it was in the interests of the State as a whole. He desired to work fOr the good of the Dominion as a whole, and he was not going to be governed by party consideration. At the present time he was trying to become acquainted with the local needs of all parts, and at some later date h® hoped to return .and have a good look at the back country problems. “The Parliament of New Zealand” was proposed by Mr W- E. G. Willy, who remarked that it was customary in connection with a new parliament to idolise it during the first year, to criticise it during the second year, and to scandalise it during the third

year. After obse.iwing that a politician’s speech should be like a lady’s dress —short enough to be attractive but long 'enough to cover the subject Mr Willy proceeded to criticise the policy of the Government, particularly in connection with the hack-blocks. Mr T. W. Rhodes and Mr A. M. Samuel responded. Speaking as one of the “colts” df the present Parliament, Mr Samuel said that while he had not been broken he had bCen well mouthed. A new member entered Parliament with high ideals, but he soon found that he wfes only a. small cog in the machine- He Was oneeight'eth of the whole, and there were twelve abbve. Continual pressure was necessary to convince those twelve of the merits of a particular case. He had done his best for his constituents and had received the utmost consideration from the members of Cabinet. It must be realised, however, that they were the guardians of the public purse, and therefore could not always do just as they would like. A toast, “The Hauraki Bridge and the Contributing Local Bodies,” was proposed by Mr >W. Danby, who extended a welcome to the Minister on behalf of the Harbour Board. He recalled the difficulties experienced in securing an agreement between the three local bodies in regard to the bridge and traced the history of the negotiations during the past 15 years. He paid a tribute td the zeal of Messrs J. C. Miller, E. L. Walton, T. W. Rhodes, M.P., and E. N. Miller. The toast was responded to at length by the Sfayor of Thames, Mr T. W. Rhodes, and by Mr J. C. Miller, late chairman 6f the Hauraki Plains County Council. The toast to "The Press” was proposed by Dr. Liggins, president of the Thames Chamber of Commerce, and was responded to by Messrs Scouliar (Herald), Reynolds (Auckland Star), Cooke (Thames Star), and Wylde (Gazette). Toasts to “The Chairman,” by the Hon. K. S. Williams, and “Our Host and the Performers,” by Mr T. W. Rhodes, concluded th® function.