THE MINISTERIAL VISIT.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 15 March 1880, Page 2

THE MINISTERIAL VISIT.

Mr Oliver, the Minister of Public Works, with Mr Convers, Commissioner of Railways, Mr C. Y. O'Connor, Mr Martion, and Mr B. -Reeves, M.H.R.. reached Reefton from Westport on Friday evening. The County Chairman and members of the Council met the visitors at Cronadun, and drove them into town in a special conveyance, Mr John Tronnery handling the ribbons. On arriving in Reeftjn the party was met by Mr E. Masters, M.H.R., who had come up from Greymouth in order to take pari in the reception. At a later hour the company sat down to a banquet at Dawson's Hotel. The Couuty Chairman presided. lih ing on his rii;ht the Minister ol Public Works, and His Honor Ju !gd Weston, and nn hi- left Mr Masters, M.H.R,. and Mr C.nyers. ■ Mr Reeves, M.H.R.. fii]<d the vice-chair, and iimon.st the other guests present were Mr S. M. South, Crown Prosecutor and other gentlemen. Substantial attention having been df - voted to the edibles, aud the usual loyal toasts disposed of, the Chairman proposed i he toast of the evening, He said it was "i.ht year*' since J'eef'on was visited by Mr Re. yes, the then Minister of Public Works, oa which occasion his stay was

very short, li was gratifying therefore after such au intt-rval to once more, have the present Minis'er amongst us. Mr Oliver's visit would enable him to learn something of the capabilities of this part of the Colony, and feeling that the Minister would he open to conviction, he (the spealie") wus confl lent that thiol iiim*. '"f tht* d. strict Would receive fmi rconsi deration at hi. bauds. Ol \- .n.rsp i* was tli.* pric' id* "f hx'-il b-'is 11 ■ '•<*•- --« ions like the present fo Mow their ow trumpet, but n very short ■ifqumitaMfe w ; th Mr Oliver hal leJ him (ti... Chairman) 'O the com 10-don 'hn' l.c required something mire tlmii nvre trumpeting. It was- the in'cnt'on to lay the requirement- of the disrict before the Minister during lm stay, 'and all that would he ast-ed for iKiu wou>d be a fair and considerate hearing. „ The Minister of Public Works snid: Mr Brennan and gentlemen. The honor you haye done rae upon visiting your district was quite unexpected, and I este»m the compliment very highly. I may say the visit has given me very great plea sure — grea ter than I expected, because the road was represented as a very bad one, and I ih u.ht in undertaking it I was seriously overtasking my bodily energies, but in this I was most agreeably surprised and delighted. I never passed through any country so picturesque and so worihy of an artist's genius. I haye travelled in Switzerland, but I do not think that I ever met with scenery so worthy of admiration as that we passed through to-day. The mode of locomotion was certainly not the most luxurious, hut notwithstanding rough roads and stiff springs, I have been well rera>d, and I hope to-morrow to have the pleasure of my visit further enhanced, by an inspection of your town and buildings. My journey, however, has not been undertaken for pleasure ; it was undertaken as a duty I owe lo the Colony at large. Having assumed the important position of Minister of Public Works, I determined to visit the different parts of the Colony, in order • hat I might gain a more competent knowledge of the condition of public works, than I could otherwise do. It is for this purpose I liar* undertaken these journeys, and the reception I have everywhere met with has been very gratifying. The time at ray disposal is necessarily limited, and I am therefor.compelled to hnrrv my visit, lm' mr re cept.ion he r e Imi been very p'easurahle, and let us hope that it may also in »h" future prove useful a.*- well as pleasurable Tlie Chairman said that from his short acquaintance ho would expect a fair hearing from me. You are entitled to that and will certainly receive if. Since the prorogation my **ol lea trues and myself hare not been idle ; they have been indefatigable. I do no 1 ; speak of myself, but I am sure that no Ministry that was ever in New Zealand could pay more attention to the duties nf offic.* ihan my colleagues have d-.-ne and continue to do, and I hope their efforts will contribute to the pro B peritr of th.* cronlry we have aiop'ed. (Cheer*.) I thank you a.am for the cordia ity ot 'he reception accorded me. The Chairman next proposed " The Parliament of New Zealand," coupling therewith the names of Messrs Masters and Reeves. Mr Makers said he would not enter at all upon political matters, as he was unprepared to do so, having been assured that, two toasts otdy would be proposed. He was pleased however to be present, not only as a representative, but «l*io as a resident to welcome the Minister of Public Works to Reefton. He was pleased that Mr Oliver had paid a visit to the West Coast, because it afforded to the people here a further proof of the desire of the present Ministry to deal fairly with all parts of the Colony, ife might say that Mr Reeves and himself had done everything in their power to lay the requirements of the district before the Ministry, but the opinion existed that representatives from this part of the Colony were in the habit of talking too loud about the West Coast, but he felt that wben Mr Oliver had seen for himself he would go away with a better ims pression. He would arrive at the conclusion that we are a long suffering and patient people, and will form a sound opinion when he sees that the West Coast possesses more than the average of things that advance a district. He desired to impress the Minister with the reasonableness of our claims. We possessed extraordinary natural resources, and in order to develop this wealth we required assistance and encouragement, and we were fortunate in possessing a local body which could he relied upon to expend it prudently. One important undertaking was the Low Level Tunnel at Black's Point, It was qmte he* yond the power ot private enterprise to initiate that work W'thout some as*-'*.-!, ance from :he Government, but ho felt «ure that when the advantages of t m unilertakiu. were fully iaid before Mr Oliver he would at once realise that the 'noney won't bs -.vol I spent, j.nrt icularl r in the face of tbe fact that the people themselves were willing to suhscribe pound for pi und towards the cost I, districts like the West Coast it, waswtl ; '. for tho Government to encourage the ! employment of labor. We had of late ' heard a good deal of the uricnif.love.l ' cry from other parts of the Colony, and ' it was not .lexiri-bh* that that or*, s/onld ! be increased by additions irom this part <

ot yew Z-ulaud. He trusted, therefore lint when the Minister saw that the beneß.s likely to accrue from that work had not been over-estimated, he would see his way to meet the wishes of the people. There were here men who had spent the best years of their lifetime n th^e •.ddfu-M**, a ,d who, knowine ■ii.* r--.itir.vs of the placp, Were readt i" r.-n.-w t;;rir efforts, if eneour-med t'r '■* ™ hy n lift c assistance from the (.■'.'■ e'liin ni. (Cheers.) Mr I'eeVfS -.aid there was very little h'ft f.-r him t«* any. H<> was gl,d t" see Mr Oliver visit the West Cnn-i, net only !>tcu*e he was at the head of th** I'ublic Wfirks D< parimpnf, but also hp- > ause hi* wtifi Minister of Mine*. He reg>vtfed to i-ay that previous Governments had ignored tht impoi-nn-e of lhe West Coast, (or we could not shut our eyes to the fact that the mining in-vr-st was the back-bone of New Zealand. It was nothing but the minins; interest that kept Otago ahead oi Canter, buiy. Coa! and gold were important factors in a country's progress, and as they bad made' Otago the most prosperous part of the Colony, so they would eventudly do for the West Coast, if their development is suitably encouraged by tho State. He was glad there (ore to see Ibe Minister of Mines present that evening, mid he felt sure tbat having heard all that was to be said to him, and seen all that was to be seen, Mr o : iver would return with a rery much altered impression of the resources of the West Coast. AU we required was a fair hearing and fair treatment and both ourselves F and the Colony would feel the impulse. (Cheers.) It was hardly fair to go into political matters tbat evening He would noc fay whether he was with or against tha Government, but thi* much h e would say that the present Government had grappled with the difficulties of iheir position in a masterly manner ; they had taken the bull by tbe horns, and there could be no doubt we were blessed with a good Ministry. He did not say that he would support them, or blindly follow theni. He knew that the whole of the Ministers were working very hard, in fact bending iheir energies to the utmost to release the Colony from its difficult position. The finane s of the Colony were iv a very critiael situation, and required to be husbanded with great care. On behalf of himself and Mr Masters he thanked them for the hearty manner in which they had received the toast; "When tbey went up last session were pulling in different boats, but in all matters affecting the district they workfd harmon«Qti**ly together, and he could bear full testimony to the zeal which Mr Masters at all times displayed for the welfare of his constituent**. (Cheers.) __ Mr G-.d higher thought they had come io*& hasty eoncl ut-ion regarding the numbe** of loa>ts to be proposed. He h:id a toast to propose which he knew he had bat to men- | tiou to ensure for it a cordial reception, it was "The Bench and Bar," and he wonld couple with it the names of His Honor Judge W. ston, and Mr S. M. South. He (Mr Gallagher) was not one of those who eared to express admiration in the presence of the recipients, "but as the actions of those gentle nun eomu-eri'led themselves to the peop'e, he need fay nothing to recommend the toast to all present. The C lair-nan said that although it had been suggested, for the convenience ot the Minister that the gathering should not be unduly prolonged, he (the Chairman) even ot the risk of trespassing upon the forbearance of Mr Oliver, h*id fully made up bis mind not to allow the toast in question to be omitted, but bad mado tip his mind to pjyM pose it himself, had Mr (*allagher_iurf^^^H stalled him. He .vas glad to _________________} pnrtii'Uty of esprpsshg his ___________________% wor t h __t___________________\ His Honor Judge W^^^^^^^^^^^^M an .* I^^^^^^^^^^^^^^f cao^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H the and^^^^^^^^^^^^^H to express "'^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H me to be present a^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H the the^^^^^^^^^^^^^H my thanks *^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| for the resj^^^^^^^^^^^H been for *Vl^^^^^^^^^^H Justice. I feel proud to^JfmUmWmW^/^ community so law<-abiding, and where it is so highly esteemed. I feel tbat it wonld be imi possible to find a set of men more enterprising, industrious, or generally estimable than is to be found ou the West Coast, and they really deserved all the attention that the Government could bestow upon them, .s upon their exertions the progress of the Colonly depended in a large way. The West Coast had been a nursery for tbe who!* of New Zealand, and has largely produced the wealth that has built up the rest of the Colony. (Cheers.) There can be no doubt that the interes's of the Colony will never be served by casting aside the Wast Coast, and the riches it possesses. So far as cucerns the administration of Justice, I can only say that nowhere could there be manifested a greater respect for the law than is shown on the West Coast. There is scarcely or ever a calendar worthy the name cither in the Supreme or my own Courts, or law-suit for roguery, the B -neb being chiefly occnpi.d with wbat may be termed legitimate litigation, thus evincing the honesty and integrity of the population. (Cheers) 1 hope the time is not far distant when the people will be enabled to Bottie on the spot, without cost and J unnecessary delay, all those disputes of larger magnitude whu-h ut present are approachable ouly in the higher Courts, and to reach which involves such an enormous waste of time and money (Chews ) now often does it happen that men are com pell d to forego tbeir , r^hts through inability to reaoh the higher Courts ? Let us hope then that domestic legislation will i.i the future remove thia aod uiher d sibi itie- ot out judicial system and so ad J lot « flVe'kenesso! the administration ai Justice. (Okceis.)