THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 240, 10 April 1912, Page 7

THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT

RECEPTION AT THE RAILWAY STATION. i REPUTATIONS RECEIVED. HOSPITAL AND OILFIELDS INSPECTED. (Heavy rain signalised the arrival of the Prime Minister (the Hon. T. Mackenzie) on his brief visit to New Plymouth yesterday. Mr. Maekem. \ wliq was accompanied by Miss M.ick-vnzie and the Hon. G. W. Russell, Minis U-r for Public Health, arrived by the .10.45 a.m. train from Stratford, and was met at the station by Mr. H. Okey, M.P., the Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne), the town clerk (Mr. P. T. Bellringer) and borough councillors, and the chairman (Mr. F. C. J. Bellringer) and members of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.

On behalf of the citizens of New Plymouth, the Mayor extended a hearty welcome to the Prime Minister and party. "We are proud," he remarked, "that for the second time in the history of our province a representative of our electorates holds the position of Premier of this Dominion. We deeply regret that the time at your disposal on this, your first official visit as Premier to our town prevents us from receiving you in a manner we would desire." Concluding, Mr. Browne expressed the hope that the Hon. Mackenzie's visits would be frequent and of longer duration. In acknowledging the goodwill of the citizens of New (Plymouth, the Prime Minister regretted that owing to this town not being originally included in his itinerary, his visit had to be cut short. He then went on to say that his position would enable him not only to attend to the wants of his constituency of Egmont, but also to interest himself on behalf of Taranaki as a whole. To his mind, no portion of the Dominion had progressed so substantially. The potentialities of the district were greater than any other in New Zealand. Occupying as lie did the position both of Premier and member for Egmont it gave him double pleasure to come to New Plymouth. (Applause).

WELCOMED BY CHARITABLE AID BOARD. The Premier and the Hon. Mr. Russell then proceeded to the offices of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, where the latter Minister met the members in an informal discussion of matters appertaining to that branch of his duties. Prior to the conference, Mr. H. Okey, M.P., formally introduced the Ministers to the chairman (Mr. F. C. J. Bellringer) and other members of'the Board.

In acknowledging the compliment paid to the Board, Mr. Bellringer said that they recognised that the Department of which Mr. Russell was in charge was a most important one, as it concerned the health of the community. Passing on, he referred to the good relationship which existed between the various hospital boards in the Dominion, a position which, he added, was largely due to the influence of Dr. Valintine, the InspectorGeneral of Hospitals,

THE BREAD-AND-BUTTER WORK. The Prime Minister briefly replied, after which the Minister for Public Health reviewed at some length various phases of the work of the Department of which he was the head. At the outset, Mr. Russell paid a compliment to members of hospital boards and local bodies generally for their zeal in helping to administer the laws of the country. Their work was one of the most important things undertaken in the country, and it was without pay and without reward.' They occupied a far more responsible position than "we politicians are disposed to give them." Politicians worked to some extent in the limelight, but unnoticed members of local bodies were doing the "bread-and-butt. :■ ~„::.." Continuing, Mr. Russell said that having taken over the Department of Public Health he wanted to hear exactly what the ideas of the various hoards were as to how the present system was working, and to receive any suggestions. He felt that in following in the footsteps of Mr. Fowlds he was succeeding a Minister who had set a very high standard of ability and sympathy in administration. As regards the Taranaki Board, Mr. Russell said that he understood it was contemplating the erection of a new hospital at New Plymouth. The Government would be responsible for half the cost of the work, and it would therefore be desirous to secure the highest efficiency, coupled with the greatest economy. Experience had shown the Government that there was a certain body of men who were always desirous of securing the most cosily public buildings, and : who then turned round and decried it for running the country into debt. Mr. Russell then went on to.advise the Board that in any programme which it laid down it would have to build with an eye to the future. The new hospital would have to be designed so as to facilitate it being added to without any alteration. This was at once necessary, on account of the great future in view for the district. If New Plymouth "struck it rich" with its oilfields, it would jump up to be a very big city, and a big population would mean big hospital accommodation,

THE CRY OF THE BACKBLOCKS. The speaker went on to strike a note of sympathy with the toilers in the back-blocks. Settlers who went into the wilds of the country to provide homes away from the luxuries of civilisation had every right to look fu - proper maternity treatment for th ;r wives, not only from the hospital boards but from the Government as well. He sincerely hoped that the Government and the boards would, in the. immediate future, work out some scheme by which the back-blocks settlers would be materially assisted along the lines indicated. Proceeding, lie paid a compliment to the Hospital Board in its endeavor to work for the benefit of the district as a whole. Any suggestions emanating from the boards regarding administration would receive careful consideration from the Government, because it realised that they understood the conditions better than men who, like himself, did not come into direct contact with matters of the sort. Concluding, the Minister said that the new Government had yet to prove its ability, but right from the Prime Minister downwards it was composed of earnest men, who would strive to do their best for the country as a whole, whether its life was to be a short or a long one. The Hon. Mr. Russell then met members of the Board in conference.

THE DEPUTATIONS. LEACH STREET. A deputation comprising the Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne) and borough councillors, waited upon the Hon. Mr, McKenzie in reference to the position of Leach street, a matter which lias already been the subject of more than one deputation. The chief spokesman was the Mayor, and he briefly traced the history of the whole matter. Sonic 34 years ago the Railway Department took, he remarked, the. street over for the purpose of carrying out railway construction. About six years ago the line was deviated along the sea coast. At that time Sir Joseph Ward visited New Plymouth, and gave the Council to understand that Leach street would revert to the borough. Then again, some time last

I year, the late Minister for Railways (the Hon. J. A. Millar) was also deputationised at New Plymouth by members of the Borough Council. The whole of the facts were then placed before him, and as a result the question had since been narrowed "3own to one issue. That was an undertaking by the Department that the street would be made over to the Council, provided it paid the sum of £265 in compensation for two small plots of land, originally acquired by the Department, so as to give access to the street for railway purposes. This the Council naturally objected to, seeing that the Department had paid no compensation to the Council when taking over Leach street thirty-four years ago. Nevertheless, the municipality would be prepared to pay the sum demanded, if only it was sure of getting a title to the pieces of land in question. But as it was, the Council .possessed nq powers that it was aware of for closing the two pieces of roads as streets. Providing this was sanctioned, the Council was willing, as an alternative to the Department's demand, to sell the land at auction and hand the proceeds to the Government. According to the town clerk (Mr. F. T. Bellringor) the Department was demanding £250 for land for which it probably years ago paid no more than ;£ls or £2O. The Prime Minister: "So far as I am concerned, it is much too intricate a question to give an off-hand reply to, and besides it is not in my department. I can do no more than Mr. Millar." He added that the. present Minister for Railways would have the position put before him in the letter sent to the Department by the Council, and next time that Minister visited New Plymouth the Council could put the position before him. As a matter of fact, Mr. Myers was almost sure to be passing through New Plymouth within a month. The deputation then withdrew, not before, however, Cr. Clarke had pointed out that in the meantime the Department's action was blocking the whole of the borough sewerage sell :;ip. THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. The chairman (Mr. S. W. Shaw) and the secretary (Mr. 11. Bedford) then waited on the Prime Minister on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, and offered to him the congratulations of that body upon his elevation to the head of the Government. "We have not," explained Mr. Shaw, "got anything to j worry you about just now, but we hope J to have on some future occasion." I

Mr. Mackenzie, who was manifestly pleased at the nature of the Chamber's mission, expressed his pleasure at being a member of the Taranaki provincial district. .To his mind it was a district with very considerable prospects ahead of it. Incidentally, he mentioned that it was largely in the hands of the Chamber ,of Commerce that the material and commercial interests of the district reposed.

I THE ROAD TO THE MOUNTAIN. "I am," remarked Mr. Collis, in addressing the Prime Minister, "a deputation of one." Proceeding, he explained that on behalf of the National Park Board he was desirous of asking Mr. Mackenzie if, as administrator of the Tourists Department, he could see his way to grant any assistance towards the maintenance of the North Egmont Mouui tain road. The committee had done a large amount of work this year, and all it had received from the Department was an unexpended balance of £lo. The committee's revenue was, he added, very small.

In reply, the Minister promised to put a sum on the Estimates for the work, and at the same time reminded Mr. Collis that although it had not voted anything for the road this year, the Department had expended a considerable sum on the new Mountain House.

iSubsequently the Ministerial party visited the hospital. The Hon. Mr. Russell also inspected the Old People's Home. In the afternoon the Prime Minister and his colleague- were taken over the Taranaki Petroleum Company's oilfields at Moturoa, by the directors of the company. 'Both evinced great interest in what they saw, and wished the company every success. The Ministers returned in time to attend a gathering of the local branch of the Liberal .Federation, and subsequently left by the 4.20 p.m. train for Manaia.