MR JENNINGS' TOUR OF KING COUNTRY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 17, 15 February 1907, Page 3

MR JENNINGS' TOUR OF KING COUNTRY.

Meeting at Te KvAli.

Mr W.T.Jennings, M.H.R., who has been making a tour of the northern portion of his electorate, arrived at Te Kuiti on Monday evening having come through from the Ohura, visiting Aria en route. On Mondayevening the member for the district was entertained at a social in Hetet's Hall. Prior to the social, a deputation, consisting of members of the Te Kuiti Vigilance Committee, waited on Mr Jennings to lay before him a number of matters of local importance. Mr E. H. Hardy was spokesman and detailed the requirements of the place, requesting the member to urge the authorities to have the various matters attended to at once, as the Government departments were not keeping pace with the progress and development of the district. Mr Jennings, in reply, said he was entirely in sympathy with the deputation, and complimented the Committee upon its activity. He promised to do all in his power to further the interests of the place and would use his utmost endeavours to keep the various departments up to the mark. The necessity for a new post office was apparent to all, as was the appointment of a stationmaster. However, the place was now developing very rapidly, and the departments were endeavouring to cope with the increasing traffic. He would keep the matter moving, and no doubt, in a very short time, they would have their demands acceded to. At the social in the evening, Mr E. H. Hardy occupied the chair, and Mr J. Tammadge the vice chair, while the hall was well filled, many settlers from the out districts being present. After the usual loyal toast had been proposed by the Chairman, that of " Local Industries " was proposed by Mr Mclndoe, and responded to by Messrs Mordaunt and Darrow. " The Agricultural and Pastoral Industries " were proposed by Mr E. Moore. Speaking to the toast, Mr Moore said that there was no doubt a good future was in store gfor the King Country, and he looked to see Te Kuiti become the Chicago of the North Island. The Native Land difficulty was the greatest problem which confronted the legislators, and he trusted that instead of wrangling over a matter of leasehold and freehold, the government would turn their attention seriously to the Native question and get the land settled under the tenure which was best for the country, and which the majority of settlers wished. It mattered not what they called it so long as it was fair and just and reached the desired end. Messrs Pine, McCardle, Somerville and Old responded. Mr Pine said that sheep were about to replace cattle on much of the country, and the day was not far distant when the traffic at Te Kuiti railway station would be many times what it was at present. He agreed that the Native land question was the most important to the district, and settlers must have 'security of title. The last clause added to the Native Land Act, during last session, was a serious matter to all who were interested in Native leases, and, if the legislation was going to be carried out on these lures,.it meant the infliction of wrongs upon many woo had acted according- to the spirit of the previous legislation. He trusted Mr Jennings wjuld endeavour to have the matter rectified. Speaking to the toast, Mr McCardle advocated the establishment of a method of sampling and testing seed sold to farmers. At present there was something wrong, and the introduction of many pests into the country was probably due to bad and dirty seed. Mr Somerville considered the country an ideal one for dairying and said, that with good roading, before manyyears, the district would be studded with dairy factories. The toast of the " Back-block Settlers " was proposed by Mr Bevege, and responded to by [Mr J. Smyth, of Aria. Mr Smyth said the pioneer wanted no sympathy, '■ and could be termed the deserving back-blocker. The district wanted bone and muscle on the land, and the sheep and cattle would follow. The health of the guest of the evening was proposed by Mr J. Seymour. Mr Jennings, who on rising to reply, was greeted with applause, said he was surprised and gratified with the progress of the district. Te Kuiti had progressed greatly, and there was promise of still more rapid advancement. He had been presented with rather a formidable list of requirements by the Vigilance Committee, but that only showed the people were anxious to progress, and his aim would be to give them every assistance. There had been a good deal done in the district, and he was sure the Government would keep pace with the development and increased traffic. When they considered thr.t about two years ago the Aria district was waste land, only accessible by means of Maori tracks, and now was cut into farms, extensively roaded, and peopled with hard working settlers, they must admit the Government had not been doing badly. The Rohe Potae was a new country and its wants were legion, but as quickly as possible everything would be done to satisfy them, and render the lot of the hardy pioneer as desirable as it could be. The Native Land Commission recently set up by the Government should prove a great thing for the King Country, and he would like to have seen a King Country representative on that Commission. However, the members were men of the highest integrity, and he confidently looked for some good comprehensive scheme to cope with what had long been a vexed question. Mr Jennings urged the settlers to take vigorous steps to cope with the ragwort which was coming into the district, and said it would be a very serimatter indeed, if it was allowed to get a strong footing. Referring to the new electorate of Taumarunui, ..- the speaker said that it contained about 900 square miles of country, and was thus of enormous extent. It looked like overloading the willing horse, but he would do all he could in the future, as he had in the past, for the good of the constituency. He had been asked repeatedly if he intended to stand for the new electorate of Taumarunui at next general elec-

tion, and in response to requests from every p?.r£ of the electorate he would announce that he had never had any other intention" There was hardly any of the old Egmont electorate in the new district of that name. Tauniarunui was practically his old constituency, and he would stick to Taumarunui.—(Applause). Musical items were rendered during the evening by Messrs Wilkinson, Cook and Henderson, and the function concluded shortly before midnight. Mr Jennings left for Auckland on Tuesday morning and proceeds to Wellington at the end of the week.