MINISTERIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 254, 17 March 1913, Page 5

MINISTERIAL.

THE PRIME MINISTER IN CANTER- ' BURY. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. Unusually strenuous was the lot of the Prime Minister yesterday. He and party left town at 8.30 a.m., and did not arrive back till midnight... Mr. Maiv sey motored about 100 miles Mn North Canterbury, and was_ entertained at luncheon and dinner. He delivered two political speeches and met a number of deputations. Apart from replies to depu-y tations, he made eight speeches. Every' where Mr. Massey was welcomed most". enthusiastically, and he himself stated during the day that the kindness that had been extended to him during the last few days in Canterbury had nccr been exceeded in any other part of the country. The tour included Belfast., Kaiapoi, a trip down the Waimakariri river, Rangiora, where he was enter-

tained at luncheon, Oxford and the back country. He was entertained at a banquet at Oxford, and afterwards gave a political address, dealing largely with the land question. He was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. He then went on to Cust, where he delivered another address late at night. He referred to the difficulties in the way of finance which bad confronted the Government on taking office. One great , trouble was With Tegard to the public .* works fund, because just before the last elections various local bodies had been promised loans to the extent of £750,000.. Large local bodies, he said, should not be encouraged to borrow from the Government, because they were in a positionto receive almost as good terms themselves. As far as the Government wasconcerned, the last loan of the old Gov- . ernment cost £"> 2s Oil, and this money it was intended to lend at £3 llOs, so that the difference was an alfeolute loss. Parliament, however, had passed' an Act to provide that local bodies should have money at cost rate to the Government, but this did not find money. Ever since the Government had been struggling to overtake their liabilities.

Local bodies would receive their money, but country bodies would get theirs first, and in the ease of new districts, where the money was wanted for roading, a rebate of one per cent, would be allowed. The Government was puttiug things in a sound position, and he believed that in another three months it would have overtaken its liabilities. Loan money had been and would be provided for loans to workers who desired homes. The Government would build them and allow the men twentyfive years to become their own landlords. The" Government was going to extend this thing ami do a great deal more in the country than had been done in the past. They wanted to encourage people to go into the country, and desired to give them some of the comforts of civilisation. They meant well m this respect, but of course all came back to the question of finance. The Government was doing its level best to provide land for 'those who required it. Just prior to leaving Wellington lie had instructed the law draughtsmen to have all ready for him, which would allow the Crown to advance money to associations of fruit-growers for the purpose of cool storage and canning factories. That had never been done before in the country, and it was an earnest of the Government's intention to encourage the people to go on the land. Mr. Massey leaves for the south tomorrow. TIMARU'S REQUIREMENTS. Timaru, Saturday. The local Farmers' Union to-day appointed a deputation to interview the Prime Minister on Wednesday on the question of an experimental farm for South Canterbury and the need for the. immigration of ploughmen and domestics for farms and homes. The secretary stated that he had had applications for seventeen pjoughmen, and could get onlyone. Never before had there been such a shortage. Other subjects are the removal of cropping restrictions on LLP. holdings, when certain improvements had been made. The differential rates on imported coal and timber will also be brought under notice.