LEADER OF OPPOSITION

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 73, 29 April 1929, Page 7

LEADER OF OPPOSITION

RECEPTION IN HASTINGS. I ENTERTAINED AT DINNER. The j'lojected visit of the Rt. Hon. i J. G. Coates to the distriet, for the J purpose of attending the inaugural j pageant of the Hawke's Bay Aero Club, immediately aroused in Hawke's Bay the interest and enthusiasin of the support ers of the Rel'orm Party and i its leader. I It also presented an occasion when 1 they could give some united expresj sions of their continued loyalty and support and the committees of last election lost no opportunity of discussing the best way of doing honour to their chief. j Although the notice was short and | precluded distant parts of the electorate being represented, a very large attondance of local adherents gathered ) together and decided to give a dimier to Air Coates 011 Saturday night. This course was decided on as time was too short to allow of arranging a funetion so large as would have been necessary to include all supporters. I Tlie committees hope that on an occasion in the near future Ari; Coates will make anotlier visit, which will enahle all Hawke's Bay enthusiasts to assomble in his honour. The dinncr, which was given hy Air II. AT. Campboll, AI.P., was a pronounccd success, about 100 supporters and frieuds assembling at the Grand Hotel. Air Coates was given a rou-sing reeeption and at the conclusion of the dinner he presented to his hearers a very fine speech. He referred to the great nffeetioij- that AD Campbell had won for himself. not only amongst his own people but riglit tliroughoub Parliament, and Air Coates expressed the opinion that Hawke's Bay was fortunate in heing represented by such a loyal and lionourable liienilier. Referring to the Reform Party, Mr Coates said that perhaps it was not really a misfortune that "tlie party had been put out of office. A chastening was very often a hle-ssing and in this case it would no doubt make for greater efforts in the future. The wisdom of the Reform Partv's administration was secn in the economie condition oi tho country to-day, a condition which was giving imjiroved tacilities for trading, increased production, hetter transport. improved relations( hetween empioyer aiul employee, etc. Particularly in agriculture had the Reform Gov-eriuiK-nt gone earefully and specd'ly i'orward, and at the end of the party 's tcrm, it was douhtful if there was m the whole world, anotlier _ country whcre agricultural production was greater or cheaper per liead of population. There had perhaps heen nothing flashy oi* ispectacular abont the party's policv, but its promises to the people had heen honoured and it had left the country in a most higlily enviable economie condition. In conclusion, Air Coates said that} the party was willing to bide its time. U was not impatient for office, but perhaps a reinstatement would come sooncr than most people expected. "Whatever we do," he said, "you mav rest assured that we shall do nothing that does not treat the welfare of the country as the first consirb ration. We shall commit no trickery, i.or resort to any political subterfuge merely for tlie sake of office." Terrific applause greeted the conclusion of Air Coates' remarks, and al'ter the applause had subsided the gucsts joined in the singing, "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." The same lionours were accorded to the host and hostess. Air and Alrs H. AI Campbell, the gathering concluding with "Auld Lang Syne" and the National Anthem.