The Premier on the West Coast.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 150, 9 January 1902, Page 3

The Premier on the West Coast.

Greymouth, January 7,

The Premier, Mr Seddon, and party, left this morning overland for Christchurch. A party of friends accompanied them as far as Otira. On arrival at the Otira, the Premier met Mr Bogue, the American engineer, and will confer with him re the route for the Midland line.

At a luncheon, in responding to the toast of his health, the Premier said he had never seen the Coast so prosperous and the people so happy and content. He said that there was a great future before the Coast when the coal measures were developed and communication opened by rail to Christchurch. He hoped that he would be* Premier when he could leave Greymouth after breakfast and have supper in Christchurch. He felt confident that the problem of getting the line through would be satisfactorily undertaken, and would not be far distant. He was too far advanced in years to seek fresh fields. He was contented and happy in New Zealand, which, he was proud to say, was in a prosperous state. The output of gold trom the Coast this year was the largest since 1871, and when proper dredges got to work the industry would largely increase. Ho felt the strain of the last ten years, and nature could no* hold out under the pressure. He would have ■ to slacken down. The Government had done a wise thing in bringing Mr Bogue to report on the Midland line, and he did not think the engineers of the colony would take it as a flight. The timber industry required more care, 1 for if the way of getting timber out as at present was adopted, there would soon be no timber at all. The present system of education was good, but they must go in for technical schools; Germany, Franc®, and America were able to show them the way. What was wanted on the Coast was better means of communication, so that tourists could see the wonders of the Coast. He would .'again visit the Coast, in

first sod of ithe ttossuoiawKa. w which would open a large extent o country. He would lay before hxi colleagues the urgent necessity o. the Ngahero-Blaokball bridge, am if they were agreeable would hav< the pleasure when bn the Coast o driving the first pile. The Premier received a grea hearing, and was repeatedly applauded. The party left witl the good wishes of all amid ringing cheers.