WORK RECOGNISED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 33, 18 November 1938, Page 3

WORK RECOGNISED

TRIBUTE TO MR HERRING. TWO PRESENTATIONS MADE. FUNCTION HELD AT RAKAIA. Hitribute's to liis work as Labour member for Alid-C’anterbury in tho last Parliament were paid to Mr H. E. Herring last evening at a complimentary function held in the Rakaia Town Hali. Tnorc was an attendance of about 500, and the proceedings throughout were very enthusiastic. Tlie president of the Mid-Canterbury Labour Representation Committee (Mr W. Bryant) presided, and extended a welcome to the Minister for Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong), who had flown from Wellington to be present, Mr E. J. Howard (chairman of committees in tho House of Representatives), and Mr T. H. McCombs, M.P. (Lyttelton). He read a large number of apologies for the absence of Ministers and members of the House. I Goodwill and Esteem. Tho highest honour a man could receive, he said, was to merit the goodwill and esteem of his fellow men, and the large attendance showed that Mr Herring had won that honour. His work had endeared him to every Labour supporter in the district. No member, he declared, could ever represent MidCanterbury more ably and energetic ally, and his work in the last three years would stand as a monument to him. If he came into the contest in three years’ time he would certainly be on top again. The fact that he had raised the Labour vote by 1000 spoke volumes for his work.

Mr Bryant then handed to Mr Herring a gold watch and gold chain, the watch being inscribed: “Presented to H. E. Herring, Esq., by Labour supporters in recognition of three yea vs faithful 'service as M.P. for Mid-Can-terbury, 1935-38.” The present was handed over amid cheers, and Mr Herring was accorded musical honours. Mr Bryant next handed to Mr Herring a wallet containing a considerable sum of money in notes. “Really a Winner.” . The Minister said that Mr Herring was really one of the winners of the election, as he had come out of it standing higher in the opinion of thinking people than he did oefore. He had been pretty game to face the 1u35 election, as the electorate ha ! always been very much anti-Labour, and in the last election he had increased tbe Labour vote by 1000. The speaker said lie was sure Mr Herring woiud be back in th/e House in three years. Mi Herring had been treated wi'fii the utmost rc.-peet in the House and had always been listened to. with attention, as he always had something new and worthwhile to contribute to the debate. He expressed wishes to Mr Herring for his good health and prosperity in the years to come. Mr Howard said the function was a marvellous' tribute to Mr Herring’s work in Parliament. When he went into the House he • had found things very difficult, but, with other members, had rolled up his sleeves and gone to work. The new member for the district. would come in on velvet, as there was very little to oppose, now that Labour liad provided for so much that the country needed. He remembered a prominent man in Ashburton sneering at Mr Herring soon after he became tho member for Mid-Canter-bury, and tlie speaker had predicted that before Mr Herring’s term was up lie would be one of the most popular members of the House. That prediction had come true. The old members of the House, even those on the Opposition, would regret Mr Herring’s absence. The next election would have to be won; the campaign Avould have to start that night, for only organisation would do it. They must all be missionaries among the heathen who had voted against Mr Herring. Made Members Listen. Endorsement of the remarks made was expressed by Mr McCombs, who said that in the late afternoon, when the newspapers had arrived in the House, Mr Herring was the only member who had succeeded in making every member put down his paper and listen. Mr McCombs said he was confident Mr Herring would he in the next Parliament, as the Labour Party was one that such defeats only strengthened. The people of Mid-Canterbury would say, some were already saying it, that they would wish they had a worker like Mr Herring to represent them.

Greeted with prolonged applause when he rose to speak, Mr Herring said that so many eidogistic things had been said of him that night that he did not know how to reply to them. He had been delighted to hear the testimony that had been voiced regarding his work, for he had regarded his three years in Parliament as a pleasure. He had felt honoured by the trust that had been reposed in him, and he had felt it a privilege to represent MidCanterbury. The very handsome presentation that had been made to him that night was tangible evidence of the things he had heard, and he was never likely to forget it. Referring to the gift of money, Air Herring said that he had always had to work for any money he had had, and this was the first occasion on which real money had been just put into his hands. As the man of old said, “All money smells good !” He had been pleased to lift the labour vote by 1000, as well as taking 300 off the anti-Labour vote. This was. evidence that- there was some justification for the prediction made by his colleagues, that the Electorate would again be Labour after the next election. It bad been said that the farmers bad lot him down ; he had held some wonderful meetings in the farming areas, hut the people had voted against him. Ho had no theories about that. No place had faced up to the position so loyally as Rakaia. Ashburton, largely inhabited by wage and salary earners, should also have faced lip to Labour. He did not blame the

big man lor having voted as lie did, but it was different with the wage earner. The Labour vote in Ashburton should bo 4000 instead of the 2600 it was on October 15. Concluding, Mr Herring said the function would he one of the highlights of his life. He urged the people to” take Mr Howard’s advice, and organise, to hang together, for of a certainty if they did not they would hang separately. Further musical honours having been accorded Mr Herring, Mr Bryant expressed thanks to Mrs S. G. Gardiner for having supplied afternoon tea. to members of the committee every time they met at Rakaia. during the campaign, and lie presented to her a handsome handbag as a token of their regard. A bouquet of roses was also handed to Mrs Gardiner. Replying:. Mr Gardiner (who is chairman of the Rakaia Labour Party Committee), said that what bis wife had done had been looked on by her as a pleasure. . A dance was held in conjunction with the function, music being supplied by Helliwell’s Band. A solo was sung by Miss Hekm Drummond.