"HE WILL MAKE GOOD."

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 19, 23 January 1929, Page 13

"HE WILL MAKE GOOD."

MINISTER OF, LANDS.

CONFIDENCE IN MR. FORBES.

A LIFETIME OF EXPERIENCE,

That insufficient credit lad been given the Hon. G. W. Forbes for the part he! played in the formation of the United 1 Political Tarty was stressed yesterday' afternoon, when the Minister of Lands' and Agriculture was entertained at! afternoon tea by supporters of the 1 party. Mr. J. S. Fletcher, M.P, was among those present. :

The .Minister Avas warmly received as lio entered. Mr. J. Trevithick, president, of the Auckland executive of the United party, who presided over a large gathering, proposed the health of "Our Guest." He prefaced his remarks by expressing gratification at the presence of Mr. A. }•:. Davy, chairman of the Dominion executive, who had been restored to health after an illness which followed upon the strain of the general election. Mr. Davy was now looking more like the political battler they all knew him to be, and lie made no secret of the fact that he regretted that three years must pass before another election provided a nght, .(Applause.)

lifetime on the Land. Hearty greetings were extended to Mr. Forbes by the chairman, who congratulated the Minister on his well merited advancement. That Mr. Forbes had been elevated to Cabinet rank reflected credit on the wisdom and discernment of the Prime Minister (Bight Hon. Sir Joseph Ward). Moreover, the United Leader's confidence in Mr. Forbes •was shown by the fact that Sir Joseph had selected him as deputy-leader of the United Parliamentary party, Mr. Trevithick said there were many complex problems awaiting a solution, in so far as land settlement was concerned. If these problems were to be solved, Mr. Forbes would have to exercise the utmost skill and patience, and bring to his task the knowledge he had aci|uired during a lifetime on th e land. "We have every confidence in the ability of Mr. Forbes to carry out the land policy of the Government," declared Mr. Trevithick. (Applause.) "We feel sure that, under his capable administration and guidance, land settlement will proceed apace, bringing confidence in agriculture, prosperity in commerce, peace and contentment in the ranks of Labour." (Applause.)

"Produce the Goods." "Mr. Forbes is a welcome guest in Auckland," said Mr. A. E. Davy, chairman of the Dominion executive. "Had it not been for him there would have been no United party to-day. I went to Mr. Forbes long before anything -was heard of the United party, placed my proposition before him, and sought his assistance. Mr. Forbes—always a cautious man—said 'Produce the goods, and I'll support you.* When I came back and showed him the results of my Dominion tour, Mr. Forbes agreed that the National party in the House of Representatives should become the nucleus of the United Parliamentary party." Mr. Davy recalled how, in the days when the Conservative Press of New Zealand was sneering and flinging cheap jibes at the new party, Mr. Forbes came to Auckland to open the campaign, and how he worked south through the various centre* of New Zealand. Had it not been for Mr. Forbes' ability, judgment and foresight the United party never would have come into existence in the successful fashion that it did. Insufficient recognition had been given Mr. Forbes for the part he played. His selection for the position of deputy-leader was a wise one, quite apart from the fact that it had been well merited.

"I lave been asked if Mr. Forbes will make a successful Minister of Lands," concluded Mr. Davy. "Personally I believe he will make good. (Applause.) If a desire to serve one's country, coupled with the will to accelerate land settlement, plus courage and initiative, are the attributes necessary, then I say unhesitatingly that Mr Forbes 9 will prove to be one of the most successful Ministers of Lands the Dominion has ever had. (Applause.) The Unite! 7>arty has every confidence in Mr. Forbes." Auckland Full of "Ginger." Acknowledging the toast, the Minister made special reference to his intentions •Kith regard to land settlement. His re : marks in this connection are reported in another column. Referring to the days when, with Mr. Davy, he was "pushing the ball uphill," the Minister said he had realised that Auckland was a centre in which there was much push and initiative. Here the desire for a change of Government had been very keen. Mr. Davy and the speaker had not dared stop pushing the ball as they worked south, for had they stopped in those days it would have rolled back down the hill. (Laughter.) The further from Auckland they went the further they were from the warmth and "ginger" which characterised the United party movement in this city. Auckland had returned a fine type of candidate. Mr. Forbes had not been surprised when such a large contingent was returned by Auckland. In conclusion, the Minister praised the work of Mr. Davy, Mr. Trevithick, and Mr. O. Moller, all of whom had been most successful in their efforts for the United party. Old Liberals United. Proposing the toast of the Dominion Executive, Major T. P. Halpin said it was good to find the old Liberals united to-day under the banner of the United party. Excellent work had been done by the Dominion Executive, not least in the selection of the candidates. Mr. Davy recalled that it was only seventeen months ago since the United party executive was launched in Auckland. Great strides had been made since then. Sir Joseph Ward was now at the head of the Dominion organisation, and the future looked bright. Mr. O. Moller, who had done such excellent work for the party in Auckland, had been appointed chief organiser for the Dominion. This position had been well merited, by reason of the yeoman work he had performed in Auckland.