THE PRIME MINISTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1922, Page 4

THE PRIME MINISTER.

VISIT TO NORTH TARANAKI, THE PAST CROWDED YEARS. FULL PROGRAMME TO-DAI. The Prime- Minister (Right Hon. W. F. Mawsey), accompanied by his private secretary (Mr. F. D. Thomson), arrived in New Plymouth shortly before six o’clock la-st evening, having motored from Marton. After dinner Mr. Masaey addressed a large meeting at the Coronation Hall. The Prime Minister’s programme for to-day ia:— 10 a.m.—Deputations. 12 noon.—Guest of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce at lunch. 1.30 p.m.—Address an open-air meeting at Kawaroa Park. 3 p.m.—Address at Inglewood. 8 p.m.—Speech at Stratford Town Hall. The Prime Minister covered much ground on his journey to New Plymouth yesterday. He left the Auckland south-bound express at Marton in the early morning, and travelled to New Plymouth by motor, pausing at. most of the centres en route to listen to brief speeches of welcome and to meet local supporters of his party. Many matters connected with the general election were under his notice during the day, but he was not allowed to forget that he was Prime Minister as well as leader of the Reform Party. Some of the people in the districts visited had not seen him for a long time, and were not going to miss an opportunity of presenting their requests. Mr. Massey said in the course of one of his speeches during the day that he realised he had not seen enough of the country districts and the small towns during the last few years. The conditions ihad been abnormal all round, He had been called to London four times in five years, and had been held in Wellington during much of the remaining time by the sessions of Parliament. The cares of Government had been heavy over since 1914, and he did not suppose anybody was surprised that he had not been able to get round the country as freely as he would have done if he had been able to please himself.