The Daily News. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1914. THE MINISTERIAL VISIT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 206, 28 February 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1914. THE MINISTERIAL VISIT.

By this time the lion. James Allen and the other members of the Cabinet will have seen the fallacy of the attitude they were wont to assume when in opposition regarding the habit of Ministers of the Crown "rushing about the country" on ''electioneering" bent, instead of "stopping in Wellington and attending to their departmental business." They must now realise that in order to do justice to their work, to the public and to themselves they must visit all parts and obtain a lirst-haml knowledge of their necessities and requirements. As a matter of fact, 110 Ministry lias ' done more gadding about and experienced more junketing than the members of the present Ministry, and, if they would only be frank—which of course is quite unlikely—they will admit that their attitude towards previous Ministers over this matter has been unjustified and wrong. In the case of Mr. Allen, liis visit to New Plymouth cannot, prove other than beneficial to himself and the community, lie has personally seen the high schools and been confronted with the serious handicaps under which they are laboring anil the urgent necessity existing in respect of the girls' .school for new and adequate quarters. He lias also seen the site of the proposed school at Vogeltown, and the trouble that has occurred in getting this necessary institution established should in consequence be dissipated. He was ahle to discuss with members of the Agricultural Society proposals for the leasing or selling of the Winter Show buildings to the Defence Department for use as a drill hall. More emi lie done generally in a few minutes' discussion than by reams of writing, and the outcome of the conference between the Minister and the ollicials of the Society should be of advantage to both parties. The same with the hundred and one other things brought before the Minister. Had the Minister stopped in Wellington, as he liscd to advise his predecessors to do, he would never have been acquainted with the several needs of the district brought before him on

this occasion, and therefore lie would have been unable to deal with them 119 their merits and urgency call tor. The community has been pleased to meet Mr. Allen and will be equally pleased to see him again, or any other member of the Cabinet, feeling that such visits can only be productive of mutual benefit.