THE Kawhia Settler. FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 1908 THE PREMIER’S VISIT.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 365, 12 June 1908, Page 2

THE Kawhia Settler. FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 1908 THE PREMIER’S VISIT.

It is to be hoped that the Premier’s visit bo Kiwbia next week will prove to b«- an epoch in our history worth rein inhering. This will be the second time a Premier has visited us. It is now about four years since the late Mr Sodden was here, when Kawhia people of all shades of politics joined in giving film a most enthusiastic reception. There were no local bodies then to take th » lead, and at a public meeting a central committee was appointed and other district committees set up, composed of ladies and gentlemen, to mannge all the details of decorations, on. turtiiinmeots and deputation?, and also bee what was done was done well and worthily. Among other things an eye

was kept on the deputations on public matters from different districts who came with yard long lists of things urgently enough needed but were generally regarded to be exigent, and tbes& lists were carefully discussed and’ pruned so that nothing should be set out for the Minister’s consideration, or made, but were really urgeni, within reason and well within the powers-of the Cabinet to grant. A cynical man might have been tempted to say that behind all that effort w is a too strong sense of favours to c >m“, but ib would not have been correct to say that was the only motive ; rather was the effort made because of a very general wish to do honour to the man, lhe popular leader and head of the State. Ab that time expectations certainly ran high, and many day dreams were indulged in of roads made, bridges built and public expenditure sanctioned. In this respect results fell short of the modest idea 1 ? of even the least sanguine—that visit stands in the memory as an occasion for a good deal of “ Hooraying,” much talk, and singing that “ He ” (and everyone else) were “ Jolly Good Fellows.” The effect of the lute Mr Soddon’s visit will probably make itself felt during Sir Joseph’s in as far that some of the exuberance first shown will be toned down, otherwise bis reception will be hearty and genuine and every endeavour made to make it pleasant and—instructive. The deputations that will wait on the Premier will dwell with most force on lhe fact that the development of this great district has hardly ever begun, that only a small portion has been opened for settlement, that more than 100,000 acres within this County is waste land in native ownership, practically producing nothing—a bar to progress and settlement. It must appeal to a far seeing man and a statesman like Sir Joseph that a continuation of the present state of things here is intolerable—it is bad business not only for the owners and the district but for the Dominion. If while the Premier is in Kawhia be can be persuaded to try and forward the time when our native lands can be settled on and made productive then indeed will the hope expressed above be realised and his visit be a t : me to date from.