THE PRIME MINISTER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 204, 8 May 1912, Page 5

THE PRIME MINISTER

RECEPTION AT INVERCARGILL. By Telegraph—Press Association. Invercargill, Last Night. The Prime Minister met with a most enthusiastic reception from a representative gathering on his arrival at Invercargill. The Mayor welcomed Mr. Mackenzie, in whose honor the Pipe Band assembled and played stirring airs aa he was leaving the station. He was escorted to the rotunda in the Post Office square, where the Mayor, Mr. W. B. Scandrett, in congratulating him on his accession to office, said that Mr. Mackenzie had to follow statesmen whose names would live in the history 'of the Dominion—Weld, Stafford, Fox, Vogel, Hall, Atkinson, Sir Geo. Grey, Ballance, Seddon, and, last, but not least, Ward, who had fixed a high standard for prime ministers. But they might rest assured that Mr, Mackenzie would maintain that standard, and that the Dominion would not suffer at his hands. He would, no doubt, receive, as he deserved, every consideration from Parliament and the people. The Prime Minister, who was enthusiastically received, stated that the reception exceeded anything he could have anticipated. The Mayor had referred to a galaxy of men who had occupied the highest position in the country during the time it had enjoyed the privileges of constitutional government, and he was conscious of the heavy responsibility resting on his shoulders in endeavoring to fill the shoes of those illustrious predecessors. He had mentioned that Sir Joseph Ward had been last but not least, and if there was any part of the Dominion that was indebted to that able statesman it was this portion. It had been said that there was only one man* in the Cabinet who was going to looki after agriculture, but there was nott one in the Cabinet who would not gives it serious attention. It had also been" said that he was not there to look after agriculture, but that statement was inaccurate. As a matter of fact, he intended to arrange for agricultural education and to establish experimental farms that the people might know how to do things in an efficient manner, and learn the best milking strains. He would also do his best to procure more markets and establish proper transit. To say that Mr. Mac Donald was alone going to act for agricultural interests was to show that their critics were not fair. It had been asserted that the Mackenzie Cabinet was composed of a crowd of mediocres. They might not have had the same opportunity of receiving university education as had a number of their opponents; nevertheless, there was not a man amongst his colleagues but had given indication of "grit and go." The Prime Minister proceeded by train to Orawai, in the western district, where Mr. J. C. Thompson will be banquetted, and he will attend a similar function at Otautau to-morrow.