THE PRIME MINISTER

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10492, 1 December 1911, Page 5

THE PRIME MINISTER

RETURNS TO THE SOUTH.

IN A SANGUINE MOOD

(By TtUorvvk— Press Association.)

CHRIST/CHURCH, Last Night. . The Primo Minister arrived .rom ] "Wellington this morning, and went south by the first express. Sir Joseon who, in addition'to suffering from a cold, looks less well than he did m OhmtchurcQi about ten days ago. Speaking for .a low minutes to a. reporter, Sir Joseph said that he nhould not discuss election prospects in detail, but he could say generally that the Government's prospects in the ixortn Island were very good. Dunn;? nis tour he found that there was a very "trong feeling favourable to :hc <*o-vw-trmewt, and, he fplt confident that \ho 'Government would come ba-K a*ter the election as strong as ever No puKlic man could have reason:; to be more satisfied fiban I am with \hat 1 have seen," said the Prime Minister. "There wvro no particular .irr-anpe-ments made on my l>ehalf. Whatever v*is'<k>n>P was done spontaneously, .and one'can easily judge >tho-feeling of the public bv the spontaneous actions of ■the public. There was no building large enough to hold the numbers' of people who wished to attend..my meetings everywhere, including tho Leader of tho Opposition's district. The manifestations of goodwill are very tenerol. T bad too long an experience of-public life to be carried off my feet, but T do believe that in spite of the organised attempt to weaken our pnrt-v throughout tlh© country, the people generally recognise that 1 fine 11 lecord of work in tlheir interests is shown Tiy the Liberal party.'' Sir Joseph said that 'lie did not share the Opposition anxiety about the Awarua seat. He could not say how long he would "be in the South; but it was possible that he would be back in Wellington by polling day. Referring 1o the in created payment for railwaymen, for which provision was made last session, the Prime Minister said that the promise had been made distinctly by him that the increased wayment would l>e made from November, asnd that promise would be fulfilled.